Day 233 -235

---

Walking shoes on and off to Te Mahia Saddle to walk part of the Queen Charlotte track. After some local input we opted to walk from Te Mahia to the lookout at Puroa Pt. Which is about halfway to Anakiwa. The track is excellent for both walkers and mountain bikers (grade 3). The lookout rewards you with views down the Queen Charlottes Sounds South to Momorangi/Anakiwa, East to where the Cook Strait ferry enters the Titoki Bay arm to Picton and views down to the entrance of Omahou Bay/Mistletoe Bay. Returning back to the start (about 3 hours return but we set a fairly fast and expected to do the walk in about 4 hrs). We then ventured down a steep road to Mistletoe Bay and Eco Lodge. This is another lovely little inlet with Eco friendly camping/lodge. The climb back out of the Bay via James Vogel walk was for experienced walkers due to the track being steep and covered in Beech Tree roots. You just had to be careful where you put your feet, and you wouldn’t want to do it in the wet. This Mistletoe loop back to carpark takes about 1 hour.

Our next adventure was trying to fit the Motorhome into a small DOC site at Picnic Bay (Kenepuru Sounds). It didn’t work! After a 30 point turn we finally extracted ourselves out and back on the road. Oh well you gotta try sometimes. Off to Nikau Bay DOC camp where we found the perfect spot for the night😊.

After our big day yesterday we awoke to misty rain and a bite in the air. Decided to hit the road and go for a Sunday drive on Thursday. Leaving Kenepuru Sounds and heading over a saddle to the isolated Clova Bay and Waimaru Bay (Both sit on the Pelorus Sounds). The road is very narrow, windy, steep and just to add to the mix it is on gravel. Pick of the Bays would be Clova. Lance found a property for us to buy there on the waterfront……..…all good as long as you don’t expect any visitors. Heading back we found a place to rest for the night at Totaradale which is on the edge of Ohauparuparu Bay (Kenepuru Sounds). Lovely peaceful spot right on the waters edge.

Friday morning the weather has not changed so off to Kenepuru Heads DOC camp for a change of scenery. The camp is lovely especially when the tide is in. Lance went for an afternoon run whilst I read my book and contemplated going for a swim. We both ended up braving it and getting wet, but we must have missed the tide as we walked out 200 metres to get waist deep water! It was still nice and refreshing as we wallowed around in the mud😊. Lucky they have a cold shower here to wash off afterwards.

---