Sunday 16th
– Moteuka to Okiwi Bay
What a day we had today. The reason for staying at Moteuka was that 15kms up the road is the little port of Kaiteriteri, where you can catch water ferries up the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park. As soon as you reach the national park, the roads stop, so the only way of getting up there is by boat.
Although you see some houses along the coast, most of them were built before the park was established, and the owners were able to keep them. Needless to say they need boats to get to them.
It is so remote and very, very beautiful. What you can do is be ferried up to last drop off and spend 5-6 days walking back, or you can get dropped off at any of the points and walked back to the next one to be picked up. The walks are from 2 hours to 10 hours and there were some hardy looking individuals getting off the boat with big packs.
Unfortunately we didn't have time to do any of the walks, and opted for a ferry ride up there and back which took four hours. We had ummed and ahhed about where to go, as the skies were frey and full of cloud when we got up. But we thought it would be the only opportunity to get a taster of the place. And we are so glad we did, although it was grey all morning, the sun came out on the return journey, and the skies cleared of some cloud.
What and absolutely beautiful place, and one that I would definateley explore more if we every came back of here.
Our stopping place tonight was to be Okiwi Bay and the camp description was small and basic, so we just hoped that there would be space for us. We drove back through Havelock and stopped for coffee before turning off the main road to the bay.
Well, it was just wonderful farming countryside until we hit the mountain and spend 30 mins on the most windy, steep and scary mountain bends ever. Luckily Rod was driving as my hair was standing on end. And then we spotted the bay below - mind blowing.
Luckily there was space of us, and we had food and rations, cos there was absolutely nothing else, not pub, not shop, nuffink, makes you wonder how people live there, but I think that many of the houses were holiday homes, and fishing was the main sport, as there is nothing else to do.
We had a walk into the bay and just sat watching the water, it was completely silent. A lovely place to spend before the return to Picton and the ferry to North Island.
Although you see some houses along the coast, most of them were built before the park was established, and the owners were able to keep them. Needless to say they need boats to get to them.
It is so remote and very, very beautiful. What you can do is be ferried up to last drop off and spend 5-6 days walking back, or you can get dropped off at any of the points and walked back to the next one to be picked up. The walks are from 2 hours to 10 hours and there were some hardy looking individuals getting off the boat with big packs.
Unfortunately we didn't have time to do any of the walks, and opted for a ferry ride up there and back which took four hours. We had ummed and ahhed about where to go, as the skies were frey and full of cloud when we got up. But we thought it would be the only opportunity to get a taster of the place. And we are so glad we did, although it was grey all morning, the sun came out on the return journey, and the skies cleared of some cloud.
What and absolutely beautiful place, and one that I would definateley explore more if we every came back of here.
Our stopping place tonight was to be Okiwi Bay and the camp description was small and basic, so we just hoped that there would be space for us. We drove back through Havelock and stopped for coffee before turning off the main road to the bay.
Well, it was just wonderful farming countryside until we hit the mountain and spend 30 mins on the most windy, steep and scary mountain bends ever. Luckily Rod was driving as my hair was standing on end. And then we spotted the bay below - mind blowing.
Luckily there was space of us, and we had food and rations, cos there was absolutely nothing else, not pub, not shop, nuffink, makes you wonder how people live there, but I think that many of the houses were holiday homes, and fishing was the main sport, as there is nothing else to do.
We had a walk into the bay and just sat watching the water, it was completely silent. A lovely place to spend before the return to Picton and the ferry to North Island.
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