What a difference a day makes. This morning, after a deep,
decadent sleep, we woke up to paradise. The skies were blue and the birds were
singing. This was the post card Abel Tasman.
We dressed in the only clothes that made it in our overnight
packs and headed to a late breakfast at 9:30. We were scheduled to meet our
all-day kayaking tour shortly. Dave had pancakes and bacon. I had granola,
yogurt, fruit and a fried egg. We befriended the waiter who told us to be sure
to visit him at the pizza and beer café down on the hiking track later.
We were all covered in the strongest possible sunscreen and
we started the 300m walk down to the beach. Halfway down the trail we found
Kate, our kayaking guide, who was on her way to the resort to gather us. She
was a cheery, native, New Zealander who told us we had a good-sized group
today. There would be four kayaks, including hers. We could live with that.
We arrived on the beach. The peaceful, beautiful Awaroa
Beach. The same beach that wouldn't welcome boats the day before. Now, it was a
gentle, small bay, with a few people and four kayaks awaiting our arrival.
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Gearing up for the day ahead. |
After short introductions and a brief kayaking refresh, we
were in our bright yellow boats and ready to paddle out for a full day of
frolicking with seals in paradise.
Abel Tasman is an unusual national park. It is a short
coastline at the Northern end of the South Island. It traces the coast above
Nelson. It’s the smallest national park, but the most visited. Probably because
of its golden sand beaches, turquoise blue waters, seals, sunshine and palm
trees . There are no roads to reach it. You can either stay in a city to the
North or South, hike through it, or be lucky enough to stay in a wilderness
lodge tucked into its depths.
We kayaked along the coastline South from the lodge for
about two hours. Hugging the rocks and checking out mama and daddy seals
sunbathing and the baby seals anxious to learn how to swim (that comes next
month for them). Before low tide stole
it away, we glided into Shag Harbor – a really special little inlet that was
only a foot or two deep and only reachable when the water was high enough. It was
tucked back into the rocks. Tropical bush leaning over the edges of the rocks
into the water. A private spot in a busy national park.
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Known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Rock. |
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Heading into Shag Harbor. |
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Hanging out in Shag Harbor. |
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Leaving Shag Harbor, heading back out into the Tasman Sea. |
After Shag Harbor, we paddled over to a small secluded
beach. For the next hour we ate sandwiches, drank French press coffee and orange
juice and enjoyed carrot cake. I collected shells. Dave went swimming in the
ice-cold Tasman Sea. We chatted a lot with Kate and learned her six-year
history as a kayak guide in Abel Tasman.
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Dave swimming in the icy ocean. |
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Kayaks, resting during lunch. |
When we finished lunch we paddled over to Tonga Island to pop in to a
seal colony. Along the way, we saw some shy penguins diving and floating in the
blue waters. They didn't appear long enough for photos, but they gave us
glimpses of their sleek little bodies gliding through the waves.
The trip lasted five hours. It was a great workout,
incredible views, beautiful sun, bright yellow boats and lots of smiles. Picture
perfect.
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Birds hanging out on the rocks around Tonga Island. |
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Enjoying a day of kayaking. |
We ended the journey on the same beach that the boat dropped
us off on the day before. Believe it or not, it’s actually a little slice of
paradise. You could have never convinced us of that the day before. The sand
was golden, the sea calm and blue to match the sky. We said goodbye to Kate and
the other paddlers and we started our hike down the beach toward the trail.
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What a difference a day makes. Tonga Island in the distance. |
Once the water taxis took the other people away, we lingered
for awhile, completely alone on this amazing beach. We waded in the surf and
checked out the colorful sea life. Sand dollars, shells, crabs and angry sea
gulls. We spent about an hour dragging our toes through the deliciously soft,
warm sand. Then, like déjà vu (only the complete opposite) we put our shoes on
in the same spot we did the day before. This time, we were dry and warm. And
then we walked the hour back to the lodge. This time, with sun sparkling
through the palm trees, and no thunder quickening our steps.
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This is the same place we trudged through mayhem the day before. |
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The view from the trail back down onto the beach. |
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Sunshine sparkling through the palms. |
It was about 6 p.m. and we emerged from the bush to the
small Awaroa Lodge pizzeria and beer café where we found our waiter from breakfast
that morning. We sat there under the sail canopies and enjoyed – you guessed it
– pizza and beer on a wooden bench, with Eastern European techno and breezy
palms and noisy birds. It was one of those extremely content moments in your
life that you never forget.
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The Awaroa Lodge through the bush on the Abel Tasman Track. |
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The way down to the lodge from the track. |
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Pizza and beer. |
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Contentment. |
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Dinner. |
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Awaroa Lodge's organic gardens. |
After sharing a pizza and the ubiquitous sand fly bites, we
worked our way back to our room and showered off the sand and sunscreen from
the day. Hurried into clean clothes from our luggage (which had been delivered
while we were out kayaking, as promised) and headed out to the Awaroa Lodge
lounge area. For the past hour, Dave and I just shared a bottle of wine
watching the sun go down. Dave was reading about New Zealand National Parks
(planning the next trip here) while I was writing the blog about yesterday’s
adventure. We just topped off with coffee and carrot cake and moved inside to
the leather couches to read and finish today’s blog. A little surfer jam Jack
Johnson on the overhead speakers, white wine is relaxing our senses and the
warmth of today’s sun is still wrapping us in ease.
Yesterday’s turmoil was
replaced by a day of pure contentment. I couldn't image a more relaxed state of
mind. And the good news is, we get to do it all again tomorrow.
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Lounging with wine, carrot cake and coffee. |
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Our front porch. Just charge everything to room 13. |
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