Location: Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, New Zealand
Steps: 22,415 (new personal best!)
Km walked: 14.35
Ask anyone who’s traveled throughout New Zealand and they’re likely to all say the same thing: the south island is where it’s at! The north island, being closer to the equator and all, is full of beaches and big cities. The south island, however cooler, is like the wild child of the family: rugged, untamed and breathtaking. I was eagerly anticipating my foray into this southern wonder.
I left cold and wet Wellington to journey across the Cook Straight on the inter-island ferry. While the fog had rolled in at the start of the voyage and left us unable to admire the view, Mother Nature made up for it a few hours later when we approached Marlborough Sound, the gateway to the south island. Low clouds kissed the tops of the hills as the sun started to peak through, and the water shimmered in its presence.
I stayed a few days in the quaint little town of Nelson, to organize my onward travels (such as applying for the entry visa you didn’t realize you needed in 2 weeks…) and with just enough time leftover to explore the main draw of the area: Abel Tasman National Park.
Although the smallest of New Zealand’s national parks at just 237 km2, it offers a variety of activities: paddleboarding, kayaking, boat cruise, seal watching, camping and of course, the New Zealand classic of tramping. Now my North American friends will need to get their heads out of the gutter (yes, I mean you over there). Tramping basically means hiking. Those Kiwis sure love to amble through the wilderness. The country is home to some of the best trails in the world. Referred to as the ‘Great Walks’, these trails can be conquered in hours or even over several days. As a solo traveller, and an last-minute-not-always-prepared solo traveller, I didn’t feel that multi-day hikes were for me this time and instead opted to explore by foot the various trails that could be done in a few hours. So that’s how I found myself on a bus, which brought me to a boat, which brought me to the trail!
Abel Tasman National Park was named after, wait for it, Abel Tasman! He was the first European explorer to sight New Zealand in 1642 and anchored in Golden Bay, which now forms one end of the perimeter of the park. The Park is only accessible by boat from Kaiteriteri Beach. Boats serve a dual purpose: as simple water taxis, ferrying hikers to various starting points in the park as well as sightseeing cruises, bringing passengers along the various bays and past the local fur seal colony. I chose a combination of both and thought it was raining, the scenery along the way was still impressive.
There are many local landmarks along the way: Slit Apple Rock likely being the most unusual. Made of granite, the rock takes on the appearance of an apply that has been slit in two.
Another popular tourist attraction are the park’s permanent residents: the fur seals. The seals can be spotted fairly easily, just look for the big immobile lumps of brown on the rocks. Those are the fur seals, sunning themselves and snoozing the day away, Some playful pups can often be seen frolicking in the water as well.
Luckily, the rain started to die down as soon as I stepped off the boat and onto the beach, ready to begin my tramp. The walk takes approximately 3h50 and covers about 13 km of trails. My boat pickup was scheduled for 4h15 after departure. I wasn’t sure what to expect of this trail and was a little paranoid that I’d miss my pickup, which is apparently a big deal. So, I hustled. Happily, the surroundings were quite scenic and the pathway superbly well maintained that the hours flew by.
Most of the hike takes place in the forest, the canopy of trees creating a natural shelter from the elements. The National Park, as is most of New Zealand is predator free, so no worries about impromptu bear encounters here. The walks takes you from one bay to another to another, so every once in a while, the trees part and you’re greeted with a spectacular view of the beach and water.
My hike ended at Anchorage Bay, home to the most golden sand I’ve ever seen! And, as I had booted it the whole way, I arrived with plenty of time to sit and enjoy the view: the 3h50 hike had only taken me 3h, leaving me with 1.5hrs to sit. In the rain.
So I did what anyone else would: I watched videos of cute seals!
Dear uncomfortable traveller,
My puritan sensibilities were sent into an unusually high state of excitability by your page-burning tale of romance and adventure in Abel Tasman’s (aka “the little Tasmanian Devil”) tramping ground. How furious I was to read that the French tourists tricked you into going deeper into the libidinous landscape, to catch a glipse of the elusive “phoques néo-zélandais”.
Like Kurtz in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Dampness”, you tramped deeper and deeper into the wet canopy of the Kiwi countryside (perhaps those tourists were Belgian?). Your words convey the tension of a deeply-rooted ambivalence, as you “hustle” without a hint of timidity but your pervasive anxiety about “getting picked up” is palpable, steaming in the background like a geyser waiting to explode.
No Harlequin romance has left me more teary-eyed than your grand finale: you, sitting, alone, in the caressing rain, fingers stroking the golden hairs of Tasman’s sand, reminiscing love’s past, the Navy Seals of Waikiki Beach . . or Switzerland perhaps, dreaming of one day being reunited with your lost footwear, a tad travel-weary and encrusted in mud but willing and ready to keep “booting it” all the way to everywhere. . .
Disclaimer: this blog may contain adult subject matter. Parental discretion is advised