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Published: March 11th 2010
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Nothing to see here - move along, move along. Ferry Crossing
Our travellers had been advised to get the early morning ferry across to Picton to take in the sights of the Marlborough Sound. The change in scenery for the South Island is immediate, looking a lot less populated with the walks amoung the Sound visible from the ferry. Unfortunately the weather is a bit poor and the ferry rather unsettlingly lists to starboard with the heavy goods lorries. Still looks impressive, though.
The roads here are completely different. Kind of like driving through the narrower, steeper and twistier parts of Cornwall, for miles and miles. A stop-off at Havelock for some very fresh mussels - so fresh they still have their 'beards' on and, well, don't look at shellfish too closely when you're eating them. Go well with the wine, though. This place also happens to be the home of the school where Ernest Rutherford (splitter of the atom) and William Pickering (of NASA fame). It's still a fair way to the edge of Abel Tasman park and the small town of Maruhau.
Old MacDonald's
The pitch for that night is at Old MacDonald's Farm (and Campsite). Sue is immediately delighted to find that they
(One Of) Sue's Favourite Animal(s)
Mr Alpaca wasn't sure if he preferred it in a wet Kiwi field or a dry Andean mountain range... but at least the grass is good. have some alpacas - one of her new favourite animals and adopts a very sorry-looking one-legged mallard which comes to the van at breakfast time.
Abel Tasman National Park
The next day our bold explorers set off to get a watertaxi off into Abel Tasman to take on the Abel Tasman National Park Costal Walk - also known to the locals as The Coastal Walk of Death.
Having booked the water taxi the day before their expectation was to be pootled up the coast to be dropped off and do some walking. Little did they know that this would be a full-on speedboat experience - Miami Vice, anyone? Getting from A to B was definitely part of what it was all about, especially sitting at the back with sharp turns being made. Recommended.
On the A to B, by a circuitous route, was the Split Apple rock (name says it all), but Sue's favourite by far was the seals, some of whom had just had pups. They got a view of the bull seals keeping an eye on their mates - apparently they don't sleep much during the mating season, just to make sure no other
bloke has their way with their ladies. Luckily there were some newly-born pups were there to see.
Our explorers were then dropped off at a remote beach somewhere north in the park with a good few click to make south to be picked up for the return. They were very lucky with the weather - it was almost tropical with the clear skies and sun beating down. The warning given by the skipper was that the last leg of the trip to the pick-up would be over an estuary (known to the locals as The Estuary of Death) that would be cut off as the tide came in - a thinly disguised ruse to persuade everyone to get a wriggle-on, to be sure, but effective nonetheless. If the tide comes in at the end it's an extra 1 1/2 hour walk to get the water taxi, so the whole walk is tempered with a mild air of urgency.
Anyway, our explorers have done a fair bit of walking by this stage. Although the coastal paths are roundabout and winding they make good time. What's most breathtaking is the views that break through between the trees across the bays
and looking out the sea and they both feel that this is really what makes it worth the effort to walk through Abel Tasman Park (if the weather is nice!).
Lunch is at a DoC hut and our explorers could see the appeal of doing long walks in the National Parks. There is a feeling here of what it would have been like to have made the trek that lasts for many days on foot from Maruhau, camping out in the middle of nowhere - it's very tranquil and remote. As long as you don't mind the sandflies. For backpackers, not flashpackers.
After lunch and a little detour, the first of the estuaries (of Death) are waded. This would be nothing major, if you were sure of where you were actually going, with no tracks to follow. Luckily, there's no arguing with the coastline as a landmark and Sue's not swept away in the deep(!) waters.
With time running out the last leg of the walk before the final estuary (of Death) is taken at a fast pace by our travellers. Sue's sense of direction is thankfully better developed than Tim's and they high-tail it for the
Outdoorsy Wife On The Tramp
Don't let me hold you back, Sue. last estuary crossing. Although this looks like a path of folly to Sue, Tim does know how to read a map and look at landmarks (you can imagine the discussions). Needless to say, the skipper had overestimated the risk. Don't get caught out if you try it yourself, mind.
In the end they're there with time to spare - and Anchor Bay is very beautiful in the blazing sunshine, it almost looks unreal. The sandflies add a touch of reality to it though. All preparation for the big Sounds as they'll make their way to down south.
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