Kayaking and the Dangerous Kitchen

The sun woke us this morning – great day for a kayak.  So us, minus Judy packed our bags and headed off to Tata Beach, where many others had also decided to fill the kayaks lining the shore line.  After introductions, checking off names and instructions we loaded our bags (sunscreen, snacks, drinks) into the kayak and off we sailed into the wild blue yonder.  Well almost – not far from the shoreline are two little islands (we can’t remember their names but jointly they are called the Tata Islands).  On the north side was a seal – we have seen them before but we continue to marvel at these magnificent creatures in their natural environment.  This lonely seal put on quite a show – he was having squid for breakfast.  Nature can be cruel, first one tentacle was bitten off and chewed (squid tried to swim away but was slow due this recent disablement).  The seal chewed, swallowed and gulped and then looked around for the squid. Bite, chew, down goes another tentacle and so on … until the best part was left - the head.  Then a very full and contented seal lay on his back, floating, with an occasional flip of his tail or flipper.  It reminded me of a grandpa lazing in his chair after a large Christmas dinner!! 

On to another little island we paddled and a seal was sitting on a rock doing hot yoga – amazing contortions of tail, torso, flippers, head – wet fur glistening in the sun!!  We sailed through a small crack in the rock, along the coastline and landed in Murderers Bay where Abel Tasman first sighted New Zealand and then tried to land (there is a memorial to him not far along the road, remembering the slain Dutch crew members but not the Màori who gave their lives).  Incidentally a century later Captain Cook called the same coast line Massacre Bay – for the same reason.  After some morning tea and a long walk to some bushes for a loo stop (where we got attacked by another oyster catcher with a nest too close to where humans wander) we kayaked back, past the shag colony and spat (baby mussels) farm back to the golden sands of Tata Beach.

All that sitting around in a boat and we needed lunch and so headed off to the very popular Coffee Roasters Café in Pohara.  Huge portions and yummy food and a 20 question quiz in the Nelson Press kept us occupied for a while.  Time to think about what to do next – another walk... 

Wainui Falls.  We didn’t think we could find a different walk through native bush but we did.  We climbed up alongside the river, where the river bed was punctuated with huge boulders too big to climb.  Across a swing bridge and along the other side we followed the well worn track to the falls.  Mist rose from the pool below, people swam and we applied insect repellent.

On our return I was keen for another walk, but I was glad I was talked out of it because Inbal and Gil and their family texted us to say they were in – wait for it – the Dangerous Kitchen in Takaka.  So, we left Don and Judy in Pohara and drove back to that cafe (three times in two days!!), to find they had consumed three of those very large pizzas before we arrived.  We had a lovely hour with them, catching up on their holiday.  I read little Ron a story about a polar bear who found some friends like a lion, leopard, walrus, flamingo, hippo – Harry added the faces and noises to amuse Ron.  It really was a you-tube performance.

We settled for fish and chips in the park (they even sell kumara fritters in Takaka – the place of dreadlocks and purple and orange hair). After a tad more grocery shopping we drove off to the Labyrinth Rocks.  It was getting a bit dark so we didn't take any photos but it was like a natural maze of limestone rocks.  Rather fun - something to lose the family in for a few hours.

Then just because we could and because we had seen the road signs saying little Kororo (blue penguins) could be crossing the road.  We walked along at dusk in the hope of seeing them, but after reading more information we got the impression that this was the season where they hide in the bushes, moult and starve - that really doesn't sound like much fun.

3 walks in one day

Don woke to the seagulls pattering on our cabin roof - the rest of us were quite oblivious to the early morning wake up call.  We had decided today would be relaxing but Don’s counter says we have walked 18,791 steps between heading off to Takaka and returning late afternoon (to another windy and chilly afternoon).  Still, relaxing has quite a personal perspective to it – may be it is a concept of mind rather than physical.

Today, had a back drop of native bush – 3 walks of varying lengths with very different appeal (and by the way all from leaflet from the information centre).

The Grove Scenic Reserve was our first stop, a forest of rata perched on huge blocks of limestone.  Rata roots hung from cliffs, winding their way down to the floor.  We wandered through a narrow corridor to the view overlooking the coastline.

Second stop (after food and coffee at the Dangerous Kitchen), was the Te Waikoropupu Springs – the largest fresh water springs in New Zealand pumping out 11 cubic metres every second.  Beautiful deep clear cold waters – let’s hope no one gets the rights to bottle one of nature’s gifts. 

Third stop after another food stop in a car park was a walk to Pupu Hydro.  This walk retraces an old gold mining water race which was restored in the mid 1900’s for power generation.  We clambered up through the beech and rimu forest where the steps were formed by roots and limestone rocks.  The path flattened out a bit, as we began our walk along the old sluice for about 1 kilometre.  As we got higher the running water got faster. The path was mainly wooden and in A1 condition but sometimes only the width of our two feet – one side very cold water, the other a 100 metre cliff leading down the river.  Hold on tight to the rail!!  It was a spectacular journey and one we would recommend to anyone coming this way.  We reached the top where the river was partially diverted into the sluice and joined the four wheel drive track to take us back to the power house.  Another coffee at Takaka and dinner shopping saw us arrive back to our cabin.  The afternoon clouds and wind had arrived and we are once again sitting on the deck all rugged up.  I’ll have to move the laptop off the barbeque so we can cook dinner shortly.  Don has decided to leave his swim for another day – the rest of us weren’t tempted.

Travelling to Pohara

Today was moving day. A bit of vacuum cleaning and a spot of shopping and off to the Information Centre to make the shoplifter honest.  After paying my debt we headed off towards Pohara, only to be slowed down by taking the ‘local detour’, well it works for locals!! Somehow we missed the street and “no exit” signs.   At the base of the Takaka Hill we were stopped by Police telling us the road was closed for 20 minutes while a car was pulled up the cliff.  So, we had morning tea on the roadside reading the paper and laughing about the beetroot (wrapped in a red ribbon) that was fetching $41 on Trade Me – an unwanted Christmas present resold to an appreciative new owner. (Over the holidays we read more about the adventures of the beetroot - it is currently holidaying in Queenstown and has sold for around $150).  Harry wondered if the beetroot had forgotten to put sunscreen on which is why it is so red!!

There was a huge turn-out for the visit to the Ngarua Caves (probably due to the traffic jam earlier on), but we didn’t mind.  Spectacular limestone stalagmites and stalactites greeted us as we walked through the dimly lit caves, with an occasional illumination revealing their age in thousands of years (they grow approximately 2.5 cms per year).  Excavations of moa and kiwi bones were shown to be around 24,000 years old.  Falling from the top into the caves meant slow starvation – no food down here and no way to get out. 

We moved on, over the Takaka Hill, and to Pohara.  Our cabin is little – just beds for four and a deck, with some kitchen utensils and plates.  So, we are living out of the car for the next few days.  From the deck we can see the sea but can’t tell if it is low or high tide as there is a slight rise in the embankment.  It is a pity we aren’t down the other end of the camp as it is more sheltered from the afternoon wind that turns a lovely sunny day into a jeans and warm jersey day. Don and Judy arrived soon after we had rugged up and after hamburgers we had a long walk along the beach – by that time the wind had blown itself away.

Boxing Day - walking and kayaking in the Abel Tasman

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.

Christmas Day 2017

It was going to be a busy day – just had to be so we didn’t miss our family too much.  The highlight was a skype call to everyone in Kelowna as we sat down to a much earned cup of tea and shortbread after a very long walk the length of the Motueka sandspit.  I didn’t know they had a mini Farewell Spit but it was one of those leaflets from the Information Centre that sent us in that direction.  Packed with nesting oyster catchers, gulls and godwits and a cute little bird which we think was a Red Knot.  We had walked the length of the spit (through sinking mud, waves and golden sand), wind behind us, umbrellas in hand shading us from a very warm mid 20^o’s day (it was -21^o in Kelowna!).  We crossed the dune, turned around, and the wind strengthened stinging our bare legs, forcing us to put our umbrellas down and double over as we braced ourselves for the return journey. 

The umbrellas served a dual purpose that day, protection from an on-slaught of gulls as we walked closely to their nests.  We disturbed flocks of baby godwits and oyster catchers on more than one occasion.  Back to the little red knot – he must have been about 5-6 centimetres tall.  His parents hadn’t taught him that when they screech at strange creatures it is a diversion and for him to hide.  He decided it was a game.   Buffeted by the wind the little one who hadn’t got his flying wings ran a road runner style zig zag to his parents.  They were both pretty worried about their little prodigy and eventually decided to split – one to divert us and the other to take little boy home.  Needless to say we just stopped, amused by how fast those little legs could go.  The parents guided him back to safety, gave us a dirty look and scampered back into the under growth.

Going back to the beginning of the day.  We got up a tad late, ate a leisurely breakfast and headed off to Split Apple Rock.  A long drive, and a 15 minute walk down through some pretty bush we found a lovely golden sandy bay lined on one side by a gentle ocean and by the other some steep cliffs and caves asking to be explored.  I found a giant sized weta (I mean Lord of the Ring size) in one cave – though after the initial shock I realised it was an old ponga log and the legs were old fern fronds.  Harry agreed it was a good imitation of the real thing.  Took some photos of Split Apple Rock and pondered over the minute white bits in the sea which we thought could be plastic.  We weren’t impressed by the pollution (plastic lasts up to 500 years we have been told) and were relieved when we worked out they were petals off the Manuka flowers (or were they Kanuka flowers).  We wandered back up the hill to a chorus of Merry Christmas’s and then drove off to find a picnic spot for our Christmas lunch. It was another car park where we sat under a ‘total fire ban’ sign enjoying the tranquillity and our Christmas treats.

In the late afternoon we found ourselves in Nelson where we sat in a sheltered spot to relax, snooze, read books and have some fish from the fish and chip shop that had opened for all those tourists with nowhere to go on Christmas day.  Then we got dressed in the local loos - I felt like a spy – going in wearing dirty shorts and walking shoes, coming out transformed in a dress and sandals ready for our Christmas day dinner. Christmas dinner was nice, but nothing to write home about.  Our table was set for three, so we pulled three crackers and they all had the same joke ‘What animal needs oiling? Mice of course as they squeak”.

Spooners Tunnel

Sunday 24^th December – Christmas Eve

We expected a chorus of birds this morning, but the tui and bellbird must have flown somewhere else for their morning squawk as we managed to doze for a while after the sun rose.  In fact quite a lot, because we didn’t get organised to leave until well after 10.00.  Our first stop was Motueka (insect repellent and shampoo were a couple of necessities we had forgotten to pack).  I have never seen it so busy in a supermarket – we usually avoid the shops in the days leading up to Christmas and I now remember why.  Trolley traffic jam and with no lane markings it felt like being caught up in the Arc de Triumphe.  We escaped!!

We also had a little nosey at the Motueka market, bought a few gifts and regretted having such a big, late breakfast.  Dumplings and kebabs would have made an appetising brunch.  We picked up some leaflets at the information centre and later on that day realised we should have paid $2.50 for each of them.  Hopefully, the centre will be open when we go past next so I can become an "honest" shop lifter.  

We drove through some back roads (Moutere Valley) through brown fields, stand alone decorated Christmas trees and forests to Belgrove.  We picnicked on the side of the road (same place as Easter time when the track was closed due to flooding).  In the heat of the day we cycled to Spooners Tunnel (which also features in the NZ Historical Trust magazine this month).  Great ride, all uphill there – but pretty gentle.  The tunnel is the fifth longest open to cyclists and walkers in the world – 1.3 and something kilometres.  Built in 1893-95 and decommissioned in 1955 with the closing of the railway track from Nelson to Westport.  Riding along I lamented the loss of railways and the advent of articulated trucks on the roads - wouldn't our roads be safer and the road toll far less? Apparently, the locals thought so too, as they sat on the tracks trying to prevent the closure. 

The tunnel was pretty amazing - smooth gravelled floor meant we could speed along through the sooty concrete blocks guided by little reflector lights and our own brighter lights. The speed limit was 15 km an hour, but it was too dark to tell how fast we travelled and really we didn't care.  It was so much fun and oh so cool (probably cheese making temperature) so after our return journey we decided to do a repeat. 

Back to the car was rather a bumpy affair - our bones shook under our shuddering bikes sped as we let fly down the rocky path.  No flat tyres on the trip!  

On the way back to our digs we took a couple of detours.  Firstly to Lord Ernest Rutherford’s memorial which stands on the site of the house where he was born.  Then to Wakefield – a quaint little town with the oldest church in the South Island (ruined by someone who decided to machine paint concrete over what would have been wonderful wood).  We stopped at Moutere and simply had to have a ginger bread and something to eat at the oldest pub in New Zealand 1852 (still standing proudly with its own wood ) under the shade of some umbrellas that were struggling to stay upright in the breeze.

Back at our bach we sat and read our books, sent a few Christmas messages (yesterday we had no telephone signal or internet but today we have - perhaps it is a Christmas present from Spark), and barbequed some more veges for dinner.  I think Harry is converted to bbq’s or if not yet, he will be soon. 

The start of our Christmas holiday

Saturday 23^rd December

We are sitting by a fridge that sounds like a strong wind is blowing around the corner of our little cottage. Bellbird Bach is located somewhere south of Motueka on the West Bank Road.  We have no idea how far away Motueka could be 10 minutes or 45 minutes.  We didn’t arrive that way.  We drove along a back road which we were thinking of cycling tomorrow but have changed our minds.  It is 10 km of gravel, narrow windy corners - we can just imagine a few flat tyres and a few unexpected cars blinding us and filling our mouths with dust.  Not enjoyable.  We also thought it might be quicker than state highway 60 but we were wrong.  We arrived to the singing of bell birds, hot and tired with our bikes and car covered in dust.  I was reminded of the times as a young child my father drove over many a gravel road.  Not only would the car be covered in dust, but so too would our food, clothes and christmas presents that lay in the suitcases. We will drive over to Spooners tunnel via Motueka tomorrow - lesson learnt.

Our journey started this morning on board the Interislander at 8.00 am.  It was the first day of our holiday and we woke to the alarm – a definite no-no for a holiday – but essential as we were very tired and thought we would sleep through the early morning chorus of birds and the few shift workers that rev their cars outside our bedroom window.

The sea was calm – no need for those ginger tablets after all.  We sat outside for a while munching on our picnic morning tea, ventured inside for a coffee and then back outside as the Sounds came into view.  A magical part of our country. 

After leaving the boat we detoured from the trail of traffic that leaves Picton after each ferry arrival and drove along the Queen Charlotte Sound road to Havelock.  A picturesque road through bush and farm land with some lovely views looking down the sounds and across to little islands that dot the sea.  Havelock Bakery sold us some salmon quiche, kumara salad and a chocolate custard square which we ate by the car park at the Marina.

In Nelson we eventually found a supermarket - how can you get lost in Nelson?  "Old phones" I can hear Harry say "We bought them in 2014 and there have been a few developments".  I tend to agree with them, but still come from that generation of when I buy something I expect it to last (so does Harry by the way).  Move with the times, Denise.  With Christmas we filled the fridge with lots of yummies (barbeque food and a few treats).  Down that gravel road to our digs.  Cute, rustic cottage high above the river.  Sitting on the deck cooking our barbeque and watching the tui and bell birds peck at the flax flowers.  What a way to start our the holiday.