Position 40 49.475S  173 00.248E

On the way to Abel Tasman, whose namesake first sited NZ in 1642, had a quick walk along the beach at Ligar Bay.  Actually really nice spot.  You can cycle from the camp site, at Pohara, all along the bay(s).  Geared up for those thousands of summer visitors.  The campsite was huge and the lady said fully booked between mid-December and the end of January. A variable oyster catcher and me on a tres jolie seat. Note trousers rolled up and no jumper.

And a bit of tumble weed.

Wow what a road trip to the Park.  If you ever come here you have got to do this.  You would not believe the gravel track.  Sheer drops, and I do mean sheer, with van hanging over the edge in places.  Good job trees give you a false sense of security.  Lots of landslides which don’t.  Some of the views across Wainui Bay before going overland to the DoC campsite.  The RHS black blobs are huge black buoys used for green lip mussel farming.

We climbed and descended two big hills to get to the DoC campsite at Totaranui.  It was about 60km and took an hour and a half.  View of Abel Tasman Park across Wainui Bay as we descend the first hill.

View of Totaranui bay in the distance and the road ahead as we descend the second hill to the campsite at Totaranui.

So after lunch and recovering from the road trip went walkabout.  Have I mentioned walking on sand is difficult?

The river exited into the sea at this end of the beach.  You can see the sand bar forming in the water here.  Paul sitting waiting for me to stop using his camera.

Various tidal levels.  And Paul pushed this log back into the sea.

Me trying to create a channel to the sea – unsuccessfully.

The Abel Tasman Track goes through the park, another long walking track.  There are two routes, the inland which takes between 3-5 days and the coastal, which takes 2 -3 days.  The good thing about the coastal route is that you don’t have to do the lot.  There are loads of water taxi’s that will drop you off and pick you up at spots along the way.  In the summer you have to book.  Couple of the water taxis