Abel Tasman National Park

 Today we will spend the whole day exploring Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand's most popular National Park. Located North West of Nelson we need to drive to the township of Kaiteriteri which is where most of the tour options for the National Park are centred. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Nelson.


The National Park has a maze of walking trails, hence the symbols on this map

As we have only one day to spend in the park, we have opted to take a boat trip up the coastal shores of the park, incorporating a drop off to walk a section of the park and pick up on the way home.

The full map of available walks in the park is above, it contains multi day walks with huts in between that can be booked ahead for accommodation, or there are camp sites as an alternative.

We signed up for a cruise that left Kaiteriteri at 9.15 am, went all the way to Totaranui with drop offs of passengers at different bays along the way depending on which package they had booked.  We stayed on board for the trip North and got off at Tonga Quarry to undertake the Tonga Quarry to Medlands beach walk, and then picked later for return to Kaiteriteri

We had booked our tickets yesterday to avoid turning up and finding they were booked out. Arrival at Kaiteriteri was about an hour before departure time, so we plenty of time to get our hard tickets, buy some wraps for lunch and water for sustenance on our walk, and have a bit of a look around. Our first surprise was that our boat was not leaving from the beach in front of where we parked, but from Little Kaiteriteri Beach which could be accessed by walking along the beach and over some rocks around headland (at low tide) or we could walk along the road over a bridge and follow a track over the headland. There was already plenty of water to wade through on the beach from a stream that runs into the ocean under the bridge we are told to cross, so we opted for the path.


The beach route required crossing these streams

As with all walking trails in NZ, everything is uphill, and steep.


However you are usually rewarded with a great view and this one was no exception.


Little Kaiteriteri Beach

Soon after we arrived on the beach our tour boat arrived.



Passengers materialised from everywhere and soon we had a near full boat and we on our way.


Heading up the coast

 As we leave Kaiteriteri we head up the coast past a number of pristine beaches (with real sand) and crystal clear water. Highlights are pointed out along the way, the first one being Split Apple Rock, a huge granite boulder that has a perfect split down its centre.


Split Apple Rock


We stopped at Torrens Bay to offload some guests who were going ocean kayaking. A tender came along side and picked them up.


Next stop was at the nearby Anchorage Bay, so named because it is one of the few safe anchorages along this coast where the tidal range is 5 metres.


Boats anchored at Anchorage Bay


Those doing the walking tracks near Anchorage Bay were dropped off on the beach

There was a short stop to drop more walkers off at Medlands Beach.


Along the way we saw fur seals sunning themselves on the rocks on Tonga Island.



By mid morning the SE breeze had strengthened as we continued our trip North. We saw this small barge with a food container on board coming South. We are not sure where he has been, possibly Awaroa.


                        

The ocean kayakers may be having second thoughts

Awaroa Bay was our next stop to drop off walkers. There is quality accommodation here so some people may be staying.


Awaroa Bay (stairway leading to Awaroa Lodge)

There is a large estuary here that can be crossed at low tide but there is no alternative route back at high tide.


Our final port is Totaranui where we turn around a head back South. We are dropped off at Tonga Quarry to commence our walk to Medlands Beach. A granite quarry operated from here in the early 1900's as the best granite in the area came from here. The steps of the Cathedral in Nelson were made from the granite from this quarry.



All of those going ashore are off and our boat prepares to leave

We are welcomed ashore by a NZ Weka which appears to be the NZ equivalent of the Aus "Bin Chicken"


At one of the stops along our walk we found this advice about the Weka. 


It is about 11.30 am when we are dropped on the beach at Tonga Quarry and we will need to be at Medlands Beach by 3 pm to be picked up and taken back to Kaiteriteri. The walk is about 5 km, with plenty of ups and downs, and heavy erosion of the track in some areas. Nevertheless we should easily do it in the time allowed.

Of course as soon as we get on the track we start to climb. It runs through quite dense vegetation so we have plenty of shade.

                             
           

There are plenty of trip hazards

The track took us quite a way inland from the coast, but we got some great views from the altitude we ended up at.


We crossed a swing bridge over a stream with waterfalls. The bridge had a sign specifying only 5 people at a time may cross the bridge.


                

                    





Wandering on further through the bush we found a second timber bridge, this time crossing a stream with more modest falls.



                    

Looking upstream from the bridge


Looking downstream

Soon we reached Bark Bay. By now we were very hungry and were able to find a seat in Bark Bay Hut, which is there for serious hikers as an overnight stay, to rest our weary legs, enjoy our lunch and conversation with some fellow walkers. After a good rest we only had to walk another 600 odd metres to Medlands Beach where we expect to meet our boat home.


There is a bit of Maori protection on the trail

Finally we are at Medlands Beach, an hour ahead of time. Fortunately we weren't the only ones, so we got to chat with a few fellow travellers whilst we waited for our boat.




The boat arrived about 15 minutes early and we were all on board within about 10 mins, heading back to Kaiteriteri. By 4pm we were on the beach at Kaiteriteri, on the way to our car, after a great day out in the Abel Tasman National Park.

Next challenge was coping with a bit of peak our traffic getting into Nelson, which was surprisingly slow. However, we were home by about 5.15 pm, having had a big day and plenty of exercise. We had little interest in going out for dinner, so bought a pizza from a restaurant about 100m away and enjoyed it with one of our last bottles of RuRu wine from Alexandra.

An early night was in order as tomorrow we drive to Hokitika on the West Coast, a drive of at least 4 hrs, maybe more.




























































































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