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Published: February 8th 2016
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This is Noah-Genda and we have 3 on-board. This morning we picked our daughter J up from Nelson airport and planned our next 5 days with our visitor. Not wanting to waste time we headed towards Marahau, stopping on the way at Motueka. It was low tide and the beach at Motueka went out for miles. On the foreshore is the free Salt Baths, this did have water in it and we saw a lady get out of here but it didn’t look very inviting to me. The Motueka township looks a good place for a stroll but we are on a mission so back on the road.
Marahau sits on the west side of Tasman Bay and is where the Abel Tasman National Park walk starts (or finishes depending on which way you go). From here you can catch a water taxi to several points along the track. Water taxis/cruises for the Abel Tasman also run from Kaiteriteri which is situated South from here. Now checked in at the Motor Camp and booked Water Taxi for tomorrow, time for a swim. The tides out and like most of these places it goes out for miles (5 metre tides here
compared to 2-3 metres back home). In search of deeper water we walked out onto the white sandbanks at the Northern end of the beach. What a lovely spot and a nice swim. It felt like we were in the Pacific Islands.
It’s Wednesday and our backpacks are loaded with food and essentials. 9.00am pick up for our water taxi just across the road from camp. Boats on trailers everywhere we climb aboard and the tractor tows us down the road to the boat ramp and straight into the shallow waters and out quite some distance before being able to float the boats off the trailers. We booked our trip through Abel Tasman Marahau Water Taxis. This is one impressive outfit. They have 13-14 boats (hold about 16 passengers per boat) and today they were running them all day. Boxing day till the end of February is their busiest period where the boats are running non-stop. In the winter they only run 1-2 boats. The line-up of Ford tractors in the water is a great photo shot. The various water taxis head off to different drop off spots up the coast, with many of them loaded with kayaks. On
the way we head around the southern point of the bay to have a quick look at Split Apple Rock. I’m not normally into rocks but this one is pretty impressive (see photo). We are dropped off at Bark Bay to start our walk. What a lovely beach, there is a basic DOC Camp for all the walkers/kayakers doing the Abel Tasman. The track is excellent and very busy at this time of the year. As we headed South we did the side tracks into Medlands Bay, Sandfly Bay - where the Falls River mouth is, Torrent Bay - at low tide you can take a shortcut across the mudflats but we opted for the longer High tide track (extra hour) so we didn’t miss Cleopatra Pools. The climb out of some of these Bay’s, required a bit of grunt in the heat but well worth the effort. We noticed so many walkers didn’t bother to venture down these tracks……they just don’t know what they were missing. Our last stop and pick up point was Anchorage Bay, a chance for a rest and a couple of swims before heading back on the Water Taxi to Marahau at 4.30pm. Favourite place
was the gorgeous Sandfly Bay. Anyone that loves the coast and a decent walk I recommend this is a must. Do the whole 60km track if you can this is no less than spectacular.
We are all a little tired from yesterday but on yer bike they say……..actually on yer SUP board in our case. Someone had kindly given me a voucher for SUP Boarding for my birthday. Togs and plenty of Sunblock we paddle out of the Bay and around the corner to Split Apple Rock. It took us about an hour. It’s so peaceful and relaxing paddling around…….well until one of the Water Taxis speed pass and there wake starts bobbling us around. Sorry to disappoint you but none of us had an unexpected swim today. I am sure the people on the water taxis armed with cameras were hoping for the photo shot. A quick paddle around the rock then it was time to head back to Marahau. Bugger a head wind! If you have ever had to paddled these things in the wind you would know what I mean. J and I ended up kneeling and paddling to reduce windage. What a long unpleasant grind
back to shore. We were absolutely buggered! Tip of the day: go earlier in the morning when there is no wind! Back on the road we head down to Kaiteriteri Beach. This place is Iconic, beautiful, but oh soooo busy. A well-deserved fruit ice-cream, rest on the beach, swim, and then lunch. This was a very pleasant way to end the day. Last stop for the night is McKee Memorial Reserve (Ruby Bay). A great budget camping ground that goes for what seems miles along the beach.
Friday we head to Nelson stopping in at Mapua wharf for a wander around. From here you can catch a ferry across to Rabbit Island. Plenty of cyclists boarding the ferry today as this is part of the Tasman Cycle Trail. This is a lovely spot but is a little more commercialised than it was when we visited about 10 years ago. The rest of our day has been spent mooching around Nelson city and wandering around the Marina here.
This is Noah-Genda we now have 2 on-board. We fare welled our daughter off at the Airport this morning. We have worn her out and now she is going back home
for a rest😊. This afternoon we biked the Tasman Cycle Trail from Richmond to Rabbit Island for a swim. Moturoa Rabbit Island is the largest group of sandy islands lying in the Waimea Estuary at the head of Tasman Bay. Owned by the Tasman District Council with part of it put into reserve for the Public, the rest is in Forrestry. One road in and out and the only other access is via Mapua Ferry. The gates close to this island between sunset and sunrise. What a lovely expansive surf beach here (about 8kms). The water was so warm today, in fact it was warmer than some of the Pacific Islands we have been to. We dragged ourselves off the beach late this afternoon for the bike home (about 1 hour). Another primo day in a beautiful area.
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