Five Days Of Bliss

Day One in Abel Tasman Park:
Marahau river launching, paddling up the coast exploring tidal caves stopping for lunch around Watering Cove, setting up camp in Anchorage Bay (where we also went for a walk on the Coastal Track over to the highly photogenic Te Pukatea Bay, and then for a night hike to a glow worm grotto and a weta cave).









Day Two:
After assisting Kyle with the latest installment in his practical joke war with the DOC team, we paddle up to explore the tidal estuaries past Torrent Bay (one into Sandfly Bay that leads back up into Falls River) and lunch at Bark Bay (where we also set up camp) then a paddle over to see the fur seals at Pinnacle Island.












Day Three:
Paddling up to around Able Head for lunch at an unnamed beach that only appeared during low tide. Then a decadent paddle back to Bark Bay stopping at a high-tide-only accessible Pa at Shag Harbour and a paddle around Tonga Island to visit with the seal colony (including the "nursery" where many baby seals frolicked - yes frolicked - in the protected bay). We tried our hand at kayak sailing for a bit too.



















Day Four:
A quick departure in the hopes that we would catch up with a passing dolphin pod (we were unable to) then a leisurely paddle along to Torrent Bay where we followed the tidal push to the very back for lunch by Cleopatra's Pools (natural waterslide included!). Our campsite that night was at Observation Beach where Keir, Barry, Sandra, Paul and Kyle dove for the evenings appetizers - fresh green lipped mussels!

















Day Five:
A paddle over to Adele Island to hear the magical birdsong of a pest-free island then up to Fisherman Island for lunch, a story and a swim before heading back to our original launching site.