Abel Tasman National Park

I am not sure what it is about intense sunshine, azure blue water and a long stretch of deserted beach that moves the mind and body directly into relax mode but I do believe it is a universal truth J  and we were confronted with it upon arriving at Abel Tasman National Park.  After a long windy drive to this super popular park (the DOC campground actual will hold 850 camper vans) we found ourselves in luck with a pretty empty campground.  So we decided to take advantage of the breezy beach (translation – no sand flies) and while away the afternoon.  The first picture is of the beach we relaxed on taken from the Abel Tasman Great Walk Track.  The next couple of days we found ourselves walking for our normal amount of time but only making it half the distance (we still can’t figure that out – perhaps the sand, river crossings, or just a time warp).  The second picture is of an estuary that we crossed at low tide.  This estuary will become full by high tide as the tidal changes here are amazingly large!!!  When we awoke on the day we were leaving the weather had taken a complete change and the water took on a different but also beautiful look (pictured).  The storm had passed by the afternoon, by which time we were on the other side of the park and planning a kayak venture for our final day in Abel Tasman.  We had good luck for our day of paddling, with blue skies and calm water.  Again, the tidal changes are so huge that you put in at the point where the water hits the road.  But by 4:00 in the afternoon they are using huge John Deer farm tractors backed up several feet into the surf to load the kayaks and boats and pull them up to shore; it is pretty crazy to watch.

Next stop Nelson.  This is actually a big city for NZ and we’ll use our city time to “restage” the van, and then we are onto the Marlborough Sound for some more walking and hopefully kayaking.