Posts filed under 'Abel Tasman'
Finished up the New Zealand AT today - it’s 3:30pm and I’m back in Marahau after 15 km and 6 hours of hiking. I’ve got the smelly hiker clothes in the washer and a belly full of goodies I left here. Next on the agenda is a LONG HOT shower, but I’m waiting to get my clothes on the line first. It seemed like a long day today, but maybe I was just tired from yesterday and anxious to get out. In 2 days on the Inland Trail I only saw one person - a German girl who I met today at Castle Rocks Hut. Hard to believe that there are hundres on the coastal trail and no one inland.
I passed about 20 punters once I got down to the coastal track for my last 30 minutes to Marahau - a rude awakening back to tourist reality. I’ll stay here the night to rest and hopefully find some ice cream and maybe a beer. Then tomorrow I’ll head off to Nelson Lakes National Park. With 9 more days until the Parental Visit, I think I can manage one more tramp.
March 2nd, 2003
A great day of tramping today - hard trail, high energy, and NO people, not a soul to be found (except for the one wild pig that I saw). It’s amazing that there are SO many people on the coastal track, and here inland there is no one! What a shame too, because the views this morning were great, looking down at the Farewell Spit and the Tasman Sea (even though it was raining).
It was a long and challenging day - took me 9.5 hours to do the 24 km and there was a LOT of uphill climbing. But I wanted to do it, (1) for the challenge, and (2) so I can finish the tramp tomorrow. Now I am set up well for a 6-hour walk out and a hot shower and ice cream in less than 24 hours!!
There is no one else at this wee-little 4-person hut tonight, and I’ve opted to set up my tent after reading all the stories about mice in the hut book. Hopefully they won’t find me out here. What a great feeling to be tired after a long day. I’ll sleep well tonight.
Tomorrow it’s Tip-Top ice cream for me!
Rainy morning on the AT
A break in the clouds for some views!
March 1st, 2003
Doin’ OK on the AT (that’s the Abel Tasman, not the Appalachian Trail). I think I did about 22 km (15 miles) or so today. I kept myself busy for sure. Had a late start so that I could cross the Awaroa Inlet at the low tide. From there I cruised along from bay to bay and the time somehow passed along. I stopped for about an hour in the afternoon to lay in the sun on the beach. Hey, I am doing a coastal walk, so why not? The sun was really hot today and I would have loved to go for a swim but the water is just too cold!
When I got to the hut there was no one else camping! What a treat, I’ve got this big ol’ campsite to myself. I spent the evening talking with 2 American couples staying in the hut. I was glad to have company after last night in the ‘couples’ campsite where no one spoke to me at all. Occasionally I meet a cool couple, but most times they cling to each other and don’t speak to anyone else, especially not a single girl. Tonight’s company was good. Both couples are here on short holiday and it’s fascinating to me to hear what they talk about - Walmart’s prices vs. REI, property values in Tahoe, the price of salmon - it all seems so foreign to me. I have been away a long time.
Crossing one of the tidal inlets
Beaches of the Abel Tasman
Te Mata O Te Moana - The Edge of the Sea
February 28th, 2003
Not a bad day today at all. It’s only my first day on the Abel Tasman, and I’ve already done half of it!! In the book this (coastal route only) is listed as a 5-day tramp. Took me 7 hours to get here from Marahau (25 km). An early start in the morning kept me away from the crowds for a few hours, but eventually I caught up to many others, and it was a series of’Hello, Hello, Hi, Hello, Hi. Hi, Hello’s for most of the afternoon as everyone came through. I knew there would be masses so it didn’t really bother me, and I took great pleasure in passing people with daypacks about 1/10 the size of my pack, as usual.
I’ve still got another day of coastal walk to go, but so far this track doesn’t impress me too much as far as the scenery goes. It is beautiful, but I think I’ve been on walks in New Zealand which were more dramatic and spectacular, like the beach walk on the Heaphy or the seal colony at the end of the Hollyford. At least now when I tell people I’ve been tramping in NZ and they ask oh, did you do the Milford and the Abel Tasman (as they always do), I can at least say YES, I’ve’done’ the Abel Tasman. Otherwise I haven’t actually been tramping in New Zealand, according to them anyway.
Princess of Tides…Today I had to plan my day around the low tide twice and tomorrow I’ll have to do it once more. Basically means I can start late, probably around 10am, because I can’t cross the Awaroa Inlet until 12:45pm. No big deal, just means I’ll be finishing a bit later, and it’s still light here until after 9pm so I have plenty of time.
One funny comment I got today was from an old man who called me a’land skier’ because I hike with two poles. Never heard that before!
Love those trees
Beaches of the Abel Tasman Track
February 27th, 2003
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