The next day was perfectly clear, and the mountains certainly looked different when the sky is blue.
Tag Archives: new zealand
Kaikoura – Whaling Around
Kaikoura is famous for its abundant marine life, especially the whales that live in the area all year round. Unfortunately, the proved to be quite elusive when I visited. There were plenty of dusky dolphins though.
However, during the 3 hour cruise we managed to only spot one whale. I later found out that they ran into 22 whales the day after. Well, dems de breaks.
Kaikoura – Sunrise Beachscape
I had to get up early the next morning to go on whale watching. Gave me a few moments to soak up the crisp air on the shingle beach.
Kaikoura – Oncoming Storm
There was a storm approaching on my first afternoon in Kaikoura. I’ve hardly seen a sky so menacing. Very Lord of the Rings-like.
Kaikoura – Mountains and Sea
On one of my trips to NZ, I made a substantial stay in the little town of Kaikoura. It is about 2-3 hours north of Christchurch, locked between the mountains and the sea. Now, NZ is full of exquisite scenery, but Kaikoura is certainly up there as one of my favourites.
Abel Tasman NP – The Beach
But the highlight for me is still Awaroa Lodge on a balmy winter’s afternoon, watching the tide rollup in and out of the estuary. Perfect.
Abel Tasman NP – The Detail
We some interesting things around Awaroa – remnants of colonial machinery, interesting rock formations…
And rainforest streams.
Abel Tasman NP – The Estuary
We stayed two nights at Awaroa Lodge, that’s perched at the edge of a pretty estuary. It was lovely to be able to kick back after a day’s walk.
Crossings across the estuary is entirely determined by the tides. At low tide we can wade across in knee deep water. At high tide, a boat is needed.
Abel Tasman NP – The Overview
But the highlight of the Golden Bay area is undoubtedly the Abel Tasman National Park, particularly its coast line. I came to the area specifically to walk its coastal track, the very cushy way. It’s a really beautiful part of the world, with golden beaches, estuaries and rainforest, and the walking is actually pretty easy. In August the temperature was perfect for walking, there were no biting insects, and best of all, we had the track all to ourselves.
This photo was taken from Tonga Saddle, the highest point on the walk.
Golden Bay – The Spit – Part 2
The sea-facing and bay-facing coasts of the Spit may only be 2 kilometres apart, but it’s amazing what a piece of land can do to buffer against the wind. From the rough beach, the walk cuts through the sand dunes to the bay-facing east coast, where all is very, very calm.
In August, there is still snow on the far-off peaks, and the clear winter’s day produces some lovely reflections on the sand.
Static and Silence 