The one where I paddled and walked

[From The Joyous Journal]
12/8

I’m on a boat in a storm!

Yesterday was great. (Or at least good enough to miss Wellington for…) Went sea kayaking in Abel Tasman Park, up in the north of the South Island.



Group of 7. Holly, our guide, who kind of doesn’t like tourists but was pleasant enough. A nice family from Holland, mom + dad+ two sisters. My kayak was w/Caroline, from ~Paris. (27, in NZ for 1 year, used to work Paris/London@[her company], now working for a room at [her hostel] in Nelson)

My original tour was only me so I got ‘upgraded’ to the “seals + otters”, or something like that, tour. Started by catching a water taxi north to Onetahuti Beach/Big Tonga Bay in the Tonga Island Marine Reserve. Had breakfast (we’d all eaten, but it was part of the company’s ‘experience’), got instruction, then headed out to Tonga Island. Slow going at first—had trouble adjusting the steering to stay in a straight line, C + I weren’t in synch, whatever… But the island was amazing—seals just hanging out, catching some rays or cooling in the water. Some of the kids came over to play w/us + show off—I could have easily reached out to pet a couple of them. Hard to take pictures—unbind camera case, remove camera, wait to start up, find the mode, take picture, reverse, all while making sure not to splash at all.

Then continued down the coast, exploring lagoons, stopping for lunch (good sandwiches, hot coffee, muffins, juice, fruit…), eventually making our way to Anchorage to end the day.

Stayed on a boat.
Aquapackers is a floating hostel aboard a 22m. WW2 Navy patrol boat. Just 6 of us; me + C, Amy from San Fran, Adam/AJ from Wellington (by way of London and 26th + 6th), a German guy. And Chris, the innkeeper. We’re anchored 60 yards offshore (at low tide). Had a barbie—cole slaw (good w/ no topping!), a veggie casserole, sausages, steaks. Same meal for 9 mos. straight for Chris but I liked it. Beer + wine in the fridge.

Went to sleep about 10 and woke up to a storm. Surf’s not too bad (would kill a kayak, but the boat can handle it…we’ll see about the raft trip over a bit later…) but it looks yucky out there—sideways winds, pouring rain. (Okay, but you know what I mean). And yesterday was 25º, sunny, and really calm! But we only have a 3-4 hr walk through flat ground to do by 3:30pm today—even if I have to get soaked + be miserable for a coupla hours it’ll be fine.

We’ll see if I walk w/C, alone, or with the whole group…

(Oh, and…)
Swam over to the beach + took a walk last night (~6pm). Loads of cool shells, and the west end (we’re anchored on the east edge of this N facing bay) had this amazing area where the beach met the forest with lots of caves. And [a giant rock with a hole through it:]



I thought—wow, I’ll have to come back tomorrow (w/C) to explore + take pictures…lots of pictures…

Today, back to Marahau, then Nelson. Tomorrow, bus to Punakaiki. Need bus next day to Glaciers, and to hike one of them, then to Wanaka to relax for 1-3 days,…

[journal entry ends]

We all walked together to Cleopatra’s Pool, then Caroline and Amy and I went south while the others went north. C had to be sure to be back earlier and Amy and I turned out to have some common acquaintances and she’s in graduate program I was really interested in at one point so I stuck with her. She turned out to be just one of the awesome people I’ve met along the way, nearly all of whom I’ve had no further contact with since…but maybe I’ll send her a link to this entry… Pictures of Able Tasman are here, including the group from the Anchorage.

sg