fresh equipped for the Abel Tasman National Park Motueka we arrive and check in at the White Elephant. We get a nice cabin with en-suite and enough space to repackage for the 4-day tour we have planned. A pretty cat has the most noticed and also draws spontaneously.
White Elephant - charming hostel in Motueka Our route is from Marahau to Bark Bay Hut, from there to Awaroa Hut, on to Whariwharangi hat and on the last day for the domestic track back Totaranui . go Overall, about 60 km in 4 days. The cabins have We booked in DOC in Nelson. The DOC is the Department of Conservation and takes care of conservation of hunting licenses to maintenance of the huts in NZ at all. The reason is that the New Zealand migrant network is created on former hunting trails. These were needed to get to the explosive increase in wildlife (pigs, goats, deer) under control. Later, the houses and roads were also used for recreation. We have also booked a water taxi that took us to the end of our tour pick up and bring back to Marahau.
The night before departure, we fry onions and ground beef to the first stop Spaghetti Bolognese cooking. Always makes a good impression of the other opposite. For the next few days freeze-dried backcountry meals are planned. This salami, cheese, pumpernickel bread for lunch. For breakfast there are cereals with soy milk powder and weetbix. Weetbix are one of NZ breakfast items: a bar of pressed whole-grain cereal.
Unfortunately strikes overnight in a cold and I lay me down flat. But it all comes out pretty well: We booked a Water Taxi to pack for the second stop for the next day, the new Food and extend the hostel for a day. A sunny, warm day, take good care of Christine and the society of the cat let me again recovered quickly.
Ready at Water Taxi The next morning we go! We drive early morning to Marahau and park our car in the parking lot of the Water Taxi Company. Because it will be cold at night, on my backpack emblazoned also a rolled fleece blanket. I hope the attendees think that I would no longer need, Kiwi style. The sleeping bag is hidden from view in the backpack.
On the way to the first stop, we put a group of day trippers from the Torrent Bay, are migrating directly to the 4-hour road to Marahau. The coxswain does not forget us vorbeizuschippern before at the landmark: the Split Appel, a nice rock formation.
Appel Split Rock - Round Rock, split down the middle We are exposed to Bark Bay. Dry ground, which unfortunately means extra half an hour walking time. Actually, we have to get used to wet and cold feet! But the weather is great: the sun and heat in the middle of winter. The search for the shortcut, which is possible only when the tide begins and ends at some river or stream that flows over the mudflats and too deep to traverse is. We decide then but for the alternative flood route.
No Tunnel, only the transition into the bush The track leads through the bush and on the beach between the many bays along. In between, steep climbs to overcome, if it goes over a cliff to the next bay. The beach stretches, however, prove to be especially debilitating, because you always sink so low.
on the beach quite exhausted we reach the first hut at Awaroa Bay, which is already in the oven, and the first hikers have set themselves. Overall, we are not more than two handfuls. Quite enough going on this season. A short, more ritual washing outdoors the sink refreshes immensely.
Awaroa Hut Bay - Abel Tasman Coastal Track The day passed with a fantastic sunset, then it is pitch black. The furnace roars nicely to himself, and a few guys make sure that no one will be cold by adding wood continuously.
Sunset in Awaroa Bay The next morning we leave the hut as a last resort. A look back reveals: Everything clean, tidy and the timber is refilled. Tramper honor. The next stage is only accessible at low tide. Nevertheless, happened, what we absolutely wanted to avoid, despite waiting for the lowest level is a permanent flow of water nachgeströmt and we have to take off their shoes and wade through a part. After about 5 minutes you can feel the pain but not cold and there's more cheerful. Later, the sun is high in the sky, distributes interrupt the morning cold and rewards us with extra blue sky. On the other track we duck cover the picnic spot and take the opportunity to lunch break. From the other direction we will meet a couple from Auckland. Nice as we are, we pass our seat stone after a short conversation and move on. Again, it goes up and down, through great bush terrain and every now and again along fantastic, secluded beaches. Soon we get to the campsite in Totaranui where we can finally fill up our water bottles.
a road, lots of trees ... Shortly before we met another hiker. Alone, hunted and on the way to Awaroa. We try to persuade to return, as it will arrive only in the dark and at high tide in the bay, can no longer in the hat and there is no shelter. But she continues. We hope that she is like the other unprepared, ill-equipped young people we encounter every now and again: that their luck they somehow saves the life that it is not raining and would not freeze it or they do not break her ankle in her little shoes.
Again it is sometimes steep hills, on perhaps the most isolated part of the track. Totaranui goes no further than the Water Taxi and so is fairly quiet even in summer. At a campsite, which is designed for kayakers, we make the final break and discover a sea lion in the water, swim parallel to the beach. Although we can not photograph, but still we run after him to find out why he has such a hurry. Unfortunately without success. Strengthened it goes on the last leg of the day. After a steep descent to open a rock window to an Impressive arrangement of nature.
's view through rock window little later goes uphill again, one can imagine the end of the park and we know it now goes to the last hut. On former farmland is going downhill and we arrive at perhaps the most beautiful cottage in New Zealand. A hat for the converted farm house circa 1890.
Whariwharangi hat re-burn the stove, sitting outside in an unknown couple in the sun and we drink a coffee. In the hut we meet the Belgian, which we earlier are met. She sits next to the stove again and can be as low for the night. As the wooden box is empty, I chop out enough logs for 5 nights and we address ourselves in the 1st Floor above the furnace. Soon it will be warm and we are in the common room by candle light conversation.
sport timber go to bed when all the, Belgian woman decides to sleep next to the stove at night to stay warm. At about 3 clock watch Christine and I: It's safe to go above 30 degrees in our room and we hear constantly below the oven door and. The heat rises and we are as on the grill grate, in spite of frost and poor insulation.
morning, then the surprise: What would have been enough for 5 nights, was burned in one night! My observations that a furnace heated at their best when the door is to have been ignored and so was all the wood had been burned by it at night. To my horror, she reports that their inventories were at night, gnawing of a mouse. She had planned an 8-day tour to save the water taxi was traveling alone and had to food: 8 bananas and apples for breakfast, 32 slices of bread and 8 cans of tuna for lunch and dinner. This is too little. She also kept asking if we knew what the weather would. As an explanation came that it had no rain gear and only the jeans that she wears, it would have. Even someone I had recommended to his guardian angel.
Before we start, we explore the area and discover old farm tools and other ruins. Again as the last, but with perfect weather and after cereal and coffee, we left the cabin something sad - we would have liked to stay two nights - and follow the signs back to the domestic track to Totaranui. First, there is a steep uphill, but the view compensates for everything.
nice view We also come to a Place at which it is a fantastic response. After some Rumalbern it goes on and we are in for a surprise out more. In all directions, it looks great!
panoramic view on the Gibbs Hill Track
At the highest point, the Gibb's Hill, after a final climb we do in the heat of midday break, enjoy the view and empty our water bottles. Almost 1.8 liters per person we had there. Fortunately, it is not too far to Totaranui. With the heat we have, however, not expected. Nor is it, to the north island and the northernmost tip of South Island can look to.
In Totaranui we have plenty of time and cook again for a coffee. Relaxed waiting for the water taxi that took us on the way back passes or at a sea lion colony and us with a rather unimpressive hole in the rocks on the North Island and the Australian clears.
"Formerly New Zealand was one island This split into three The. most of it drifted far, is now called something like Australia and is quite insignificant. The other part, north of here, is pork country and the people of pigs Landler. The most important and greatest, however, the South Island, where we live. The only drawback is that Landler by the pigs their rock hole can take a boat. We in about 10,000 years ago but also. "
On the way is laughed a lot and we get biscuits while we gather certain groups. In the evening we fall back in the White Elephant, and end the tour at the Indians with really good food.
The Guardian Angels have meant well by all, our rain gear and fleece blanket, we have dragged completely free
