Abel Tasman Coast Track Report

[whynotwalk]

A forested section of track

Awaroa Inlet

During October, quite early in the NZ tramping season, two of us did a slightly truncated walk on the Abel Tasman Coast Track. It's one of NZ's "Great Walks", and probably deserves that moniker. It's a reasonably easy walk on a well-marked track, with lots of pleasantly varied scenery. It certainly isn't wilderness, with water taxis, sea kayaks and other boats zooting about everywhere. A few sections can even be accessed via 4WD, and there are "baches" (holiday houses) and even a lodge or two along the way. But we thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful coastline, with beautiful beaches and inlets, and patches of deep forest.

We chose a water-taxi-out/walk-back option, as this was easier than the long bus/car trip via Takaka. Also we were able to walk back to our car and motor off at the end. We missed the Wainui Bay section, and only glimpsed the Totaranui area. I've started my account of the walk on my blog here http://www.naturescribe.com/2014/11/it-is-promisingsign-when-walk-begins.html

As you'd expect from a Great Walk, the huts are fantastic: mattresses, sinks, flushing loos and good wood heaters. The only thing they don't provide are gas cookers (which most other Great Walks have), so it's BYO cookers. The 1 year old hut at Anchorage is dubbed the Anchorage Hilton, and is certainly quite grand by hut standards. In October there weren't many people walking the whole track, although there were lots of day walkers, especially the nearer you got to Marahau/Kaiteriteri.

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

I've now posted day 2 of my track report, in which we face some "meteorological challenges" on the Abel Tasman Coast Track. http://www.naturescribe.com/2014/12/abel-tasman-coast-track-2-weatherproofed.html

Into the gloom above Awaroa

And then the sun shone on Bark Bay!

cheers

Peter

[wayno]

i went kayaking at Abel tasman, guide bragged he'd never had anyone capsize... he got us to use our paddles as sails holding them up high.. we were hit by a gust of wind and wave at the same time in our double kayak, that was enough with our upright paddles to push us over. so got to practice getting out of a kayak upside down, wasnt half as scary as I'd imagined it would be, we were shown how to get our spray skirts off quickly to get out of the boat before we started and the practice worked, only tok a few seconds to get out of the kayak and surface.... my camera was in a waterproof pelikan case, after we got back in teh kayak and pumped the water out and got back to shore i opened the case to find. water sloshing around in the case... alas salt water isnt good for electronics... let alone metal.. the camera would take photos when i turned it on... which was how i ended up taking photos until i could get it to a repairer.. $300 later.. and he replaced the coroded component that had been hit by water...

[whynotwalk]

Oohh ... sad story wayno! I thought Pelikan cases coped with that sort of dunking. Glad that at least it was salvageable. Mine had a happy ending - and no $300 bill - but I'll finish that story next post A great area though, eh?!

cheers

Peter

[wayno]

its awash with people in summer, 200,000 go through, if you dont like crowds, find another time of year

[whynotwalk]

Then I can recommend October. We had 5 people in our first two huts overnight, and maybe 15 in the palatial Anchorage Hut. There were certainly lots of day visitors in the southern part of the walk, so if you're after a wilderness walk, this wouldn't be your first choice.

cheers

Peter

[RonK]

Great pics. I hope to heading over to Golden Bay on my touring bike in March. Hopefully it will be quieter then. When does the busy season end Wayno?

I'll check out the water taxi/walk/kayak options when I get there.

Walked the Queen Charlotte Track a few years ago using the water taxis to port my baggage. It was a novel and relaxing way to go after several long and hard treks in Nepal.

[wayno]

starts quietening down over march, eases right off after easter.

[whynotwalk]

Aussies and Kiwis are really like siblings - with all the baggage that entails Our third day on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, reported here http://www.naturescribe.com/2014/12/abel-tasman-coast-track-3-win-some-lose.html saw an improvement in the weather AND in my "sick" camera. We even hit the right places at the right times - such as here crossing Torrent Bay.

Crossing Torrent Bay at low tide

But just when we were ready to smile, a Kiwi ranger put us back in our place. Gotta love New Zealanders!

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

Nobody does feral pests as well as the Kiwis It means they've become VERY good at finding new ways to eradicate them. Like this Goodnature compressed CO2-powered stoat wacker that we saw along the Abel Tasman Coast Track. It kills, then reloads itself.

A "Goodnature" possum trap

I've now finished my report on walking that track. You can read the gory details here http://www.naturescribe.com/2014/12/abel-tasman-coast-track-4-short-walk.html It makes me glad we don't have stoats ... and that possums belong here!

cheers

Peter

[dagsands]

Partner and I just completed 5 nights on the ATCT.
We went from marahau to wainui. 60km plus side trips. We walked half the distance in the first two days then the rest was cruisy as planned.
It is graded moderate. While some parts are dead easy, others are pretty tough, straight up and down ... over and over again. Lots of people think it's 'flat', but it ain't. Moderate fitness required.
We camped at watering cove, onetahuti, waiharakeke, and the beautiful mutton cove, then stayed in the heritage wharwharangi hut on the last night. As a couple, we were pleased to get to the hut early as there was a twin bunk room, what a treat ... Especially for the other trampers who arrived later, as my man is quite the snorer.

The first '3 day' section to totaranui was busy with lots of day trippers, school groups and people in a bit of a rush. We preferred the two day section between totaranui and wainui. The track was quieter, less formal and no large groups. The scenery also was more beautiful, in my eyes anyway.

One bus company can take you from Nelson to marahau (7:30 am dep, arrive 9:20 ish) and other takes you from wainui back to Nelson (11:20 dep, arrive 2:30). The drive back over the range from wainui to Nelson is breathtaking.