Week 1
MArlborough Sounds, Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay
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Our first night at nNgati Toa Domain Plimmerton 24th February - closer to Wellington for me to catch the ferry the next day and i couldnt wait to set out.
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| Crossed over from the North Island to the South Island on Blue bridge ferry |
- over 20 campervans and motorhomes on board. very calm crossing.
The next day I met up with peter and Sue Somerhalder who had crossed over the day after me, - they have been friends for over 50 years and we parked at Havelock Holiday park - and had a delicious feed of fresh mussels at the Mussel Pot restaurant - gorgeous fleshy mussels. We met up each night that first week, and did 2 boat trips - one the Pelorus Sounds Mailboat cruise and the other the Abel tasman National park
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| On the Marlborough Sounds mail boat trip leaving from Havelock. Stopped at lots of homesteads and delivered mail and people. Most had no road connections. |
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One of the lodges in Pelorus Sound. This one had a restaurant for boaties.
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| An idyllic setting for a home and farm. |
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| The pets came down to meet the boat and were obviously always given a treat. The pigs were drooling while they waited. |
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| Tui came along for the ride and was very well behaved. Peter Somerhalder and his wife Sue were with me on the mail boat. |
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| A "stretch your legs" stop - I camped here some 20 years ago on a kayaking trip round the Sounds. |
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| Walking beside the Pelorus river - beautiful and clear |
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| Pelorus river |
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| We parked with Peter and Sue at this private property - a church converted to a private residence - possibly a wedding venue - it was beautiful - one of the NZMCA "POP" Park over Properties - free usually and not crowded. |
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| Peter and Sue in the yellow bus and I at old Macdonalds Holiday Park in Marahau - the start or end point for those walking the Abel Tasman track. We had a very pleasant dinner at a restaurant in Marahau. |
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| Kaiteriteri - where the tours and cruises leave from - would be gorgeous on a blue sky day! Really busy tourist spot. Because of the weather on ly 6 on our cruise but we were given a really personal commentasry and comprehensive look at the whole park - did see seals but no dolphins. |
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| Split Apple Rock - quite unique! |
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| Not my photo - but this is one of the beaches - perfect kayaking area. |
One of the lovely beaches on the track - we dropped a couple of trampers off here
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| One of the super curious weka - they would steal anything shiny or food like. |
Then over the Takaka hill (awesome climb) - to Golden Bay - walked through a Nikau grove with interesting rock formations at Clifton near Takaka.
I drove up to the base of Farewell Spit but signs in the car park "No dogs allowed even in cars" so I didnt think it politic to go for a walk and leave Tui in the van - hefty $10000 fine! - the Spit tour was not happening because of inappropriate tide times - need absolute low tide to take the vehicles up the Spit
But Idrove back a bit to where there was a walk through to the most northern part of the West coast - a very deserted piece of beach.
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| Kaikoha - on the west coast - a 2 km walk across farmland and wetlands to get there |
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The Langford store, Bainham, is nestled in the heart of the Aorere valley 15 minutes inland from Collingwood on the way to the Heaphy Track. The general store and post office has been in one family since 1928 and is full of memorabilia. Serve a quaint tea and scones experience and also expresso coffee for those who prefer.
My last stop that day was to the Te Waikoropupu springs which are the largest freshwater springs in NZ, the largest cold water springs in the Southern hemisphere and contain some fo the clearest water ever measured. |
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| They were beautiful - and a lovely walk. Lots of NZers enjoying but no tourist buses! |
We stayed at the NZMCA park at Port Tarakohe - just out of Takaka - apparently penguins often come ashore here but I didnt see any although i did go for a walk at dusk to see if any were round. Possibly not the right season - apparently it is moulting season.
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| The harbour and breakwaters were originally built for shipping out cement from Golden Bay Cement works but further development is planned to cope with potential of increased mussel markets. |
Golden Bay was well worth the trip and while the dreaded Takaka Hill must have been ghastly in the days when it was a gravel road it is now reasonable although very steep and some big drop offs and hair pin bends. ( IT was easier when the cloud was down and i couldnt see over the side). The campervan drove it easily and there were no slips on the road that week although major road works were doing repairs.
