Coastal Track
Trip Start
Mar 14, 2006
1
298
374
Trip End
Mar 15, 2007
Abel Tasman National Park,
New Zealand
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Number of times rained when camped out: 3
Woke up however to find a brilliant blue sky sunny day despite the overnight rain providing some consolation to my arms feeling like a couple of pregnant hippos had been dancing on them all night. Not having a much to use as a pillow I chose the softest thing I was not wearing, it being my bag of sandwich's - at least now they took up less room in my bag.
Packing up quickly helped my having to use the softest thing I could find for a pillow in the night, my bag of sandwich's, at least now they take up less room in my bag with the hot day dispensing any top-layers or waterproofs.
Abel Tasman National Park
The high tide meant we had to take the longer route inland before heading north with the beautiful area really getting to show off in the clear skies passing more than a few inviting watery bays and rivers including one named Cleopatra's Pools with a few people taking advantage for a dip.
The three hour walk along the track to Bark Bay past numerous turquoise coloured bays and beaches looking more like something you find in a tropical paradise than the south island of New Zealand if it were not for the pine tree forest growing right up to the water's edge.
The idyllic little inlets along the route where some true picture postcard material proving to be just as popular with swimmers as kayakers and reaffirming the diversity of New Zealand's landscape which over the last week has gone from snow capped mountains and glaciers to a stunning coastline and winding gorge to inviting sandy bays with amazingly turquoise water. With the weather proving to be just as diverse as well though.
Reaching Bark Bay and still 2 hours walk short of our intended water taxi pick-up point to return us we lay spreadeagled on the beach with a few minutes turning into a few hours turning into a hope that the taxi would call in here too.
Although a little late, probably our fault, it turned up and speeded us southwards once more going just a tad quicker than we managed in the opposite direction the day before having to hang around for the bus back to Nelson where a comfy bed was calling me.
