Another alarm ensured we were on time for our next adventure. We
water taxied from Marahau (Maori translation, windy garden – and it was) to
Torrent Bay – where I discovered a short person in long shorts is likely to get
their clothes very wet getting off the water taxi to the shore. Wet legged we walked a couple of hours to Bark Bay.
I was expecting quite a rough track full of tree roots and mud, but the
Abel Tasman was smooth and well maintained. Lots of Manuka and ferns, and some
lovely mosses and lichen. Harry said it is like this all the way - what a treat!!
At one point the path detoured into a shady little
glade. I could see the problem with
freedom campers – there was toilet paper dotted everywhere around. Yuck!!
A bit further on we stopped half way for a snack and I dropped a
cherry. Out from the bush came a quail
who grabbed it and ran before I could reclaim it.
Then out from the bush sauntered a male quail. They are usually such shy birds running away
from any movement but not today. They
stopped to say hello, looked for a tad more food and then wandered off.
We continued our trek to Bark Bay, where we sat in the shade (a tad cold with the off shore breeze) and ate our lunch provided by the tour guide (filled roll, huge hunk of chocolate cake, two truffles and an orange). The water taxi was on time (only wet feet this time due to a shallower bay and low tide) and dropped us off at Observation Beach. There we collected our kayaks and paddled across the water way to Adele Island. Seals galore enjoying the sun shine, playing in the water, and a baby screeching for its mother (must be hungry). Adele Island is now clear of all pests and protected from any pests swimming across by a line of traps close to the bush line on the main land. I think there must be a large number of pests still on the mainland as there was a distinct absence of birdlife on our walk to Bark Bay. We practised sailing (kayaks held together and a person at each corner holding up a sail). We got flapped in the face when the wind subsided and then took off again as it strengthened. We are pretty tired tonight, have partially packed the car, done some washing and looked despairingly at the flat tyre on my bike (it just happened over night). It was a bit of a relaxing evening.
We continued our trek to Bark Bay, where we sat in the shade (a tad cold with the off shore breeze) and ate our lunch provided by the tour guide (filled roll, huge hunk of chocolate cake, two truffles and an orange). The water taxi was on time (only wet feet this time due to a shallower bay and low tide) and dropped us off at Observation Beach. There we collected our kayaks and paddled across the water way to Adele Island. Seals galore enjoying the sun shine, playing in the water, and a baby screeching for its mother (must be hungry). Adele Island is now clear of all pests and protected from any pests swimming across by a line of traps close to the bush line on the main land. I think there must be a large number of pests still on the mainland as there was a distinct absence of birdlife on our walk to Bark Bay. We practised sailing (kayaks held together and a person at each corner holding up a sail). We got flapped in the face when the wind subsided and then took off again as it strengthened. We are pretty tired tonight, have partially packed the car, done some washing and looked despairingly at the flat tyre on my bike (it just happened over night). It was a bit of a relaxing evening.
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