New Zealand Diary, Day 6

Day 6: Tidal Timing

Arawoa Bay & wetland

Christmas Day! This morning we packed our lodge bags to be moved to Torrent Bay, and got ready to walk over the ridge to Tonga Bay, where we would begin our sea kayak trip. We started down the beach in the same direction as the day before, but took a right turn into the bush before we got as far. This track took us up fairly quickly to a view about 100 m above the wetland, then up another 50 m or so to the saddle of the ridge.

On the way, Whitey pointed out a "Honeydew tree", and encouraged us to sample it. The trunk of the tree had thousands of tiny translucent filaments sticking out of it, each with a droplet of clear liquid. Whitey instructed us to gently gather a number of the droplets on a finger and taste the liquid. Some of us did, and declared it very sweet. Whitey then told us that it's "bug feces." There is an insect which females eat a burrow into the tree's trunk, and the only substance they don't use is the sugar. The filaments are their waste elimination channels, where all that sugar goes.

Tonga Bay and inlet

From the top, it was down a winding track to Tonga Bay, where we faced a rising tide. We could have avoided it--by leaving at 5:00 am. But Team Extreme was undaunted, and we proceeded to remove our shoes, lift our packs over our heads, and wade across the inlet! It was only about 40 m total to cross, after all. Whitey and a couple of the taller guys spread out and found the shallowest parts for the shorter members of the group to use.

Team Extreme!

After crossing and putting our shoes back on, or not, we walked down the beach to a campground for lunch and coffee. We also met Sophie, the second guide who would be joining us for our ocean kayak experience. We got our gear and packed our chosen kayaks, adjusted them to our legs, and received instruction on how to use the skirts. We would be more likely to need them on the ocean, as the waves (and boat wakes) could splash over the kayak.

Once we were all ready, we set off paddling past Tonga Island, where more New Zealand fur seals were lounging around or playing in the water next to shore. Whitey told us that the pups were still young enough that they wanted to stay close to mom, but in another month or two they'd be jumping up on the kayaks.

Sailing, sailing

After paddling past Mosquito Bay to about Bark's Bay, Whitey had us "raft up" (where all the kayaks come alongside each other and the occupants hold them together by hand). He broke out a sheet of parachute nylon, and had the two outside rear paddlers tie a corner to each of their paddles. He then gave the other two corners to the outside front paddlers, and after a brief instruction, had the mastmen raise their paddles. Lo and behold, we were sailing! The sea breeze blows southerly along the Abel Tasman coast, which happened to be the way we were going. After 15 or 20 minutes, we had passed Sandfly Bay, and Whitey decided we needed to resume more control of our heading, so we put the sail away and went back to paddling.

We stopped for a snack and toilet break in Boundary Bay, a nice large crescent of a beach. There were a few other people, there being a campground, and some cruisers and sailboats moored, but the closest living things to our group were the gulls and the sandflies.

From there, it was just a short paddle further to Torrent Bay, one of the two planned communities on the Abel Tasman coast, with actual named streets (two). The Wilsons Torrent Bay Lodge is on Lagoon Street near the corner of Manuka Street--not that we could see that from the bay as we paddled in to the beach.

We cleaned up and gathered in the great room of the lodge, with dining tables in the center and a large seating area along the windows. We discovered that we would be joining two other guests already there. Once everyone was there, the staff brought in a huge chocolate cake with a candle on it. Not only was it Christmas Day, but one of Team Extreme's birthday!

One of the new members of the group was a former rock guitarist who now ran a concert equipment company. He told us of a poster he had for one of his old bands' concerts, with the phrase "Special Guest Van Halen" on it.

After cake and some conversation, it was time for supper. The staff brought out a huge whole ham, accompanied by a pasta salad and mixed vegetables. It was served buffet-style because the ham was too large to put on the table. After that, none of us thought we could possibly eat dessert, but we were served Pavlova, which thankfully is very light.

After supper, DW & I took a walk toward the south end of the beach, which wasn't very far. On the way back, we decided to walk to the north end, which is only a little farther. There we discovered a small community park with a rope swing, and took turns pushing each other on it. With darkness growing, we headed back to the lodge, where we met a few others coming out to see the phosphorescence of the sea. We were exhausted and still full, so we went to sleep looking forward to the next day--Whitey had promised us a hike with a surprise!