Our day started early with the usual stop for coffee, on our way to Marahau at the edge of Abel Tasman National Park, about a 50 minute drive. We'd booked a water taxi to take us from Marahau to a Torrent Bay so we could hike back along the coastal trail. Odd, but our boat ride began by getting on the boat in the parking lot. The tides are as high as 5m in the park, and where they launch is a very long beach, so they just back the boats into the water with the tractors wherever the water happens to be.
A fun 45 minute ride put us wading to shore at Torrent Bay, where we started our 18km hike back. The trail is a mainly shaded, fairly flat track that follows the coast line, dipping inland around rivers and hills at a few points. Not too much elevation change, peaking at about 300 feet. We made one short diversion to a set of pools in a waterfall called Cleopatra's Pool, which wasn't as cold as the glacial streams, but close.
We then found a beach access point about halfway to stop for lunch and a half dip. It was a bit chilly to get all the way in, but the view and colour were incredible.
A panoramic from one of the lookouts.
Our excursion today was followed by dinner at an English pub, watching the NHL all star skills competition on TV with a couple of Americans at a neighbouring table.
Tomorrow we are back to Marahau to kayak partway up the coast with another lunch stop on one of the gold sand beaches. It really can't get much better than this!
Neat solution with the tractors for dealing with the tides! Fabulous colours too. Too funny that you'd be in an English pub in NZ, watching NHL with Americans - very international.
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