Abel Tasman - New Zealand

8/22/05
Abel Tasman, a National Park on the north end of the south island, houses one of the great walks of New Zealand. The trail switches between the dense forest vegetation and the gold sand beaches with well preserved wildlife. The planning of what time to start walking is tricky though, due to some estuaries that can only be crossed at low tide.

We followed the advice of our Israeli friend; we packed our stuff and left early in the morning to an iSite (tourist information) in Nelson, they are great. We had the information about the tides, booked two nights in huts on the trail and transport to the beginning of the trail.

The shuttle left Nelson around noon to Marahau where the trail begins, one hour and a half north of Nelson. The only bad thing was that the weather started to change and when we stepped outside the shuttle, it started to drizzle; since we where prepared for the rain we went on anyway.

As we started late the first day wasn't long, only 4 hours of walk to Anchorage Hut. On the way we crossed lots of bays with blue water and golden sand. Because it was low season and with the rain we were expecting to find no one or only a few people on the way, but for our lack of luck, when we arrived at the hut, it was packed with teenagers. It was so full that we had to sleep in the kitchen with another 4 people. The hut has a capacity of 24 persons in two rooms with bunkers but it wasn't enough. The kitchen wasn't bad though, because it was a bit cold and the kitchen has a fireplace that was on the whole night, the rooms are colder.

While dining we met a French couple that has been living in NZ for 6 months and chatting with them was interesting to learn how things work here.


8/23/05
The second day we started very very early. At 6:30 we were walking, in the rain. The French couple came along with us.
We skipped our first estuary crossing because it was cold and raining and there was an alternative way, so we preferred to take it.

Around noon we stopped for 1 hour for lunch in a hut where we had a surprise; the ranger told us there was another estuary to cross before getting to the hut where we wanted to stay for the night, and this time there was no alternative way. The iSite didn't mention anything about this crossing, damn iSite.

Around 1:30 p.m. we resumed our walk and before getting to our estuary we passed by seals lazily lying on the rocks warming with the little sun available.



We got to the estuary two hours before low tide, so we had to cross a freezing river with water up to our tight. This estuary is called Onetahuti Bay and according to iSite there was not supposed to be a crossing here, but...



We took some time waiting for the water to lower and entertained ourselves trying to make pictures of the many birds around.





We removed our boots and went in, seals swam by while we crossed and were as curious about us as we were about them.

Around 4 p.m. we arrived at our next destination. This time the hut was emptier. We met a German couple, a German guy that was a professor in the USA and now teaches in Teheran and also Americans teachers from Pennsylvania.

8/24/05
The third day was both the shorter and the harder, we had to wake up around 5 a.m. and get ready to cross the last estuary, Waiharakeke Bay, at the lowest tide, at 6:30 a.m.

I'm sure there is no better way to wake up in the morning, to get out of the warm sleeping bag, still in the dark and cross a river with freezing waters; even the seals were not out at that time, waiting for the sun to come and warm it up a little bit. But we had to go, otherwise it would be too deep and things would be worse.

This crossing was way much harder than the first one, because it was really really wide (picture taken after crossing looking back) ...



... we stayed from 15 to 20 min walking in the petrifying freezing water. The sensation was the same as if some one is poking needles on you leg, or cutting with a knife; it was dark and difficult to see the direction we were going.

From the experience of the last crossing, with the water higher then the knees, Angie removed her pants before getting in, and it was the right thing to do, because the more we walked in, the deeper it got, for me it was at the limit to wet the backpack while Angie had to lift hers to keep it away from the water.

I had sandals on but Angie didn't, and that was killing her feet, because the ground was covered with broken shells; she had to walk like if someone is walking on eggs trying to avoid breaking them.

After half way, it started to get more and more shallow and as we got out of the water we experienced a weird sensation of being warm. It was cold but after being in the freezing water you can't feel it anymore. The sun was just starting to get out and despite the temperature the view was great.



Then we dried a little bit, put the boots and pants back on, and resumed our walk during sunrise. The sunrise from the sea in a clear day is something that blinds you, there is so much light that is hard to look at.



The trail went back in the forest in the midst of the huge ferns ...



... and then went back to the shore.





One and a half hour later walking through the beach ...





... then back in the forest.





We climbed up a view point where we stopped to enjoy the view of the gold sand beach.



Another hour more and we got to the end of our walk, in a picnic area next to a visitor center. In fact the trail keeps going for another couple of hours but it is easier to return from here if you don't have your own car.


After picnicking, we waited for the shuttle that took us to Takaka where from we took a bus back to Nelson.

Back at the guesthouse we bought a ticket to fly to the north island the next day. There is a little air plane from the mail service that take 4 passengers and it costs the same as the ferry but it saves you a lot of time.