Whinging Our Way Through Abel Tasman National Park

Sister Power!

One lesson that I make it a rule to live by - but broke completely today - is to always psychologically prepare for an event, especially with children.

From the top of the Lookout Loop Trail. Totaranui Beach in the foreground and the rest of Able Tasman spread out behind.

In this case I never mentioned to the kids that AFTER the Queen Charlotte Track there would be more hiking. Ooooo, I was not a popular person when I announced that we were going to drive in to Abel Tasman National Park (about 45 minutes up and over a gravel road from our campsite in Pohara) and hike part of that trail as well. After some horrified negotiating by the kids we decided to compromise with a shorter loop trail, rather than a full day water taxi trek. Two hours of hiking seemed a logical request from the gang rather than the five or six I was originally thinking of. (Overachiever, me?)

Despite the renegotiated shorter walk we still had the most whinging of the entire trip. Ah well, not all of the trip could go off as perfectly as the Queen Charlotte! Well, I've learned my lesson, and I still reaped the reward of a beautiful hike. It was splendidly dazzling scenery and almost empty of other people. (Or maybe they just heard the whining train coming and hid.)

The golden color of Totaranui Beach is stunning, even with clouds

Totaranui Beach is a the last stop on the water taxi circuit and it was so neat to watch the water taxis zoom into the beach to drop off and pick up tourists all here for the same thing as us. To spend the day in natures splendor. What a beautiful beach. We had it on a cloudy day, but even so it is 1 kilometer of intense golden sand. I can see why many people make the extra effort to come here for their summer holiday.

After our hike we drove back to Pohara and decided to check out an interesting sign that we'd seen driving in the previous day. At the Anatoki Salmon Farm we were given a fishing pole, a net and a cooler. And off we were sent into the fish farm to catch our own fish. And oh how much fun we had casting away. For the first time in my life I understand the obsessive nature of fishing. Liam and I especially were hell bent on being the first to land dinner. But alas, we didn't. At closing time the owners had to reel US in and, feeling sorry for us, let the kids have a go in the holding pen where they each caught a salmon. And the best part about it is that the fish farm has a huge smoker where our fish directly went and, voila, within 20 minutes of catching the fish we were feasting away.

Liam and Juliet caught the first fish

Dig in!

It doesn't get much fresher that that, or tastier!

Beautiful Golden Bay Sunset Walk

So with full bellies we headed back to our Golden Bay campground to enjoy the last of the day. Tomorrow it's on to Westport and the North Western part of the South Island.