Motueka, 18/1 10.35

Here we are, back in Motueka Top 10 Holiday Park after three good days of kayaking. We got back yesterday around 4.30PM, had ice cream, a cold beer and a shower, while the teachers prepared diner for us. The evening was spent playing cards and hanging around before going to bed at 10.30PM.

The kayak trip started out in Marahau, where we met up at 8.30AM on day one with the company renting us the kayaks for a three hour briefing on safety, weather conditions and what to be aware of in the waters outside the Abel Tasman National Park. We then headed out and paddled north, west of Adele Island, past “The Mad Mile” to Bark Bay where we set up our camp. A lovely campsite, kept surprisingly clean (as all the other DOC campsites we have visited, the standards are incredibly high here) with a landscape that changed a lot with the tide. The tides around Cook Strait are several meters high, leaving harbours and lagoons as sandy beaches at low tide.

Day two was spent paddling north to Shag Harbour, one of the lagoons only accessible at high tide, and a beautiful little spot where a lot of guided tours seem to be going as well. We then turned south again, past Bark Bay to Sandfly Beach where we had lunch before going to Pinnacle Island to watch fur seals playing around in the water and lying on the rocks. Quite spectacular to hear the baby seals calling out – probably for food – and the adults communicating with strange sounds quite similar to dogs barking.

Camp on day two was set up at The Anchorage, a quite big DOC campsite. Around dusk I went for a much needed walk with one from our group – it was absolutely lovely to use the legs a bit after two days of paddling, as well as just getting away from the big group and have a bit of private conversation and space to be inconsiderate to the other persons.

On day three we continued south, where we had to return the kayaks in Marahau at 3PM. We paddled east of Adele Island and Fisherman Island, before heading southwest to see Split Apple Rock and go for a swim. Split Apple Rock is one of the sights always included on tours in the area, an almost spherical rock split down the middle. At 2.15PM we headed north to Marahau, handed back the kayaks and went back to Motueka.

Today is an entire day off, some have gone horseback riding, some have rented bikes, and I am going with two others on a wine tour this afternoon to see a few wineries and a brewery. I am looking forward to half a day out of camp, relaxing and enjoying (hopefully) good local wine. Tomorrow we are getting up early to drive to Nelson Lakes National Park for a three day hiking trip split into two groups, one hiking a bit longer each day than the other. I will be great to have a few days in the rainforest, and I am hoping that we have to cross a river or two on the way – after all the really cool trips which are remembered are those with a few challenges on the way, and as a group we are more than capable of dealing with a few harder passages on the tour.