New Year, New Attitude in New Zealand’s South Island
Gettin lucky
Sailing to Picton in New Zealand’s South Island is a dramatic event. I woke up at 4 am, organized an Uber and made it to the Interisland ferry terminal in Wellington, NZ with plenty of time to worry about the three and a half hour journey across Cook Strait. Yesterday, my hiking buddy Mark made the crossing. His ferry ride made the front page of the newspaper. Rough seas and high winds caused several cars and trucks to shift on board and crash into each other. One person was injured. Many more lost their lunch. Cook Strait, as I learned from a quick google search, is “regarded as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world.” Oh boy.
But I got lucky. Linda, my Wellington host, advised me to buy the local sea-sickness prevention medicine “Sea Legs.” I did and took a dose three hours before sailing. By the time our ship, the Aratere, rounded the last bay out of Wellington and headed into the Strait, I was dozing. The up and down motion of the ship navigating the swell rocked me right to sleep. I woke up an hour later as we entered the placid Marlborough Sound. We practically drifted through the fjord-like channels as the mountains rose from either side of the ship. I left my seat and wandered around the outside decks absolutely captivated by the beauty. I felt so lucky that for the next two months or so, this Island would be mine to explore.
Finding new trails
I didn’t stay in Picton long, just a few hours as I waited for the bus to take me to Nelson, the oldest city in the South Island, and gateway to the beauty of Tasman Bay and the Abel Tasman National Park. On the bus ride, we passed through TA trail towns Havelock and Pelorus Bridge. I craned my neck to look for hikers as we sped by. Did I miss being on trail? Kind of, but not really. I knew I may be leaving the TA behind, but I was not trading my trail runners for sandals. As soon as I dropped my stuff off at Bridge Backpackers Hostel, I headed out. First stop, Tahunanui Beach. Yeah, a beach, but more like a beach peninsula, and I would not have enough daylight to hike the whole way around, but I gave it a good try.
The next day, a Sunday, I found myself at Nelson Baptist Church, which I later learned, is the first and oldest Baptist Church in New Zealand. I met plenty of lovely people there, and Ngaire, a red-cheeked and wind-blown beautiful soul about my age, invited me to her house for lunch. She’d biked to church, hence, the red cheeks, so couldn’t drive me to her home, but gave me the address and we agreed upon a time. Lunch was wonderful, but the setting and conversation were even better. Rod, her husband, and I discussed the TA and he guided me on “not to miss” hikes in the South Island. Both Ngaire and Rod showed me around their home, which they planned and built. The heat-collecting concrete floor: they helped pour. The wood: they milled. The clever slide away room dividers: they designed. It was a well thought out house where you feel at home in every nook and corner. It was beautiful and welcoming. After lunch, Rod said, ‘Let’s go for a hike!” My kind of people. We walked through Miyazu Japanese Gardens and up, up and up to the Centre of New Zealand Monument, which marks the central survey trig point of New Zealand. On the way back, we walked through the field where the first rugby game was played in New Zealand. At the moment, some older guys were playing a pick up game of soccer. I wanted to join in, but, you know I’m not really in soccer shape. I said goodbye to my Nelson friends and thanked them for a lovely day.
Abel Tasman Coastal Track, another Great Walk
There are ten Great Walks in New Zealand. I’m not sure exactly what the criteria for a Great Walk is, but they are considered the cream of the crop as far as accessible and easy to follow trails go here. The scenery is diverse and spectacular. The actual trail is well maintained and it is considered an easy or intermediate level hike. They are multi-day tracks but many people day hike sections. They are very popular. People travel from around the world to do them. I have been lucky enough to have completed two of them on the North Island: the Tongariro Crossing and the Whanganui Canoe Journey. I came to the city of Nelson for a few reasons, but the main one was to get on the Abel Tasman Coast Track.
I had only one day to hike part of the Abel Tasman. I took two buses to Marahau and crossed under the Maori carved arch to start the walk north. It was a busy place on a beautiful day. Most people hop on a water taxi and are shuttled up to the many bays and jetties along the 37 mile track. You can hike, fish, swim or just hang out and marvel at all the nature. The more adventurous folks thru hike it in three to four days. The year-ahead planners snag a cozy bunk in the Department of Conservation Huts. The regular planners camp out in their tent. The Abel Tasman National park is New Zealand’s smallest national park, but it is the most visited. I would only get eight miles completed that day, but I fell in love with the place and can see why it is so popular. The trail is easy, not much elevation gain, and with the opportunity to hike down a few steps and visit beautiful coves, bays and beaches. I ended my hike on the beach in Anchorage where there is a hut, a bathroom, and shade under palm trees. As I sat at the beach eating my lunch and waiting for the water taxi, I regretted that I hadn’t planned enough days in the area to thru hike this marvelous track. But I make it a habit to not let regrets get in my way, so I turned my mind to the days ahead: Hiking the Queen Charlotte Track with my New Zealand friend Christine.
Queen Charlotte Track: back on Te Araroa
Christine and I kept in touch. Way back on my North Island TA journey she welcomed me into her home in Te Kuiti, then the next day drove me ahead to the Timber Trail, where I got back on trail. She accompanied me for the first couple of miles before she turned around and headed back to her car. I have gotten to know many people during my New Zealand travels. Most have been friendly, kind and helpful. Meeting Christine was different. Yes, she is these things too, but the moment she opened her front door and greeted me, I felt like we had met before. Old friends, soul sisters, pilgrims in another life reunited. She’s busy renovating her new home while working full time. But she still found the time to meet up and hike the QC with me. I thought it was going to be an easy walk-in-the-park kind of hike, but I should have known better since it’s a part of the TA.
Christine works for Air New Zealand, got lucky to score an empty seat on a flight from the North Island and met me in Picton. We boarded the 9 am boat for the hour long ride to Ship Cove, the beginning of the track. The 44 mile QC is not a Great Walk. I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing it may be the rocky terrain, the fact that more than half of it is on private land and it’s not a “walk.” It’s a (Kiwi term) “tramp.” Try tramping from 0 feet (sea level) up to 1,500 feet all day. Up and down. Made for long days. The total elevation gain for the track is over 10,000 feet. We felt every foot. But it was beautiful. When it wasn’t raining.
Plan C
By the time we got to Portage, we were thoroughly soaked. That morning we knew it was going to be a tough one. Sixteen miles of hiking with rain forecast in the afternoon. We got an early start and powered up the first few hills. But the afternoon came and the dark clouds caught us as we headed back down to sea level to our campsite. I know “wet” is one of those adjectives that is not gradable, even though I just did it at the beginning of this paragraph. Wet is wet. But when it started to rain, we had hoped that we’d just get a “little” wet. That the clouds would clear, the rain cease, the sun would come out and we’d skip into camp with smiles on our faces. An hour and a half later, we both stopped trying to avoid the mud puddles. The trail had turned into a stream. Water dripped from my hat and into my eyes. My rain jacket was soaked thru and I knew if I stopped walking, I’d freeze. The last half mile seemed like forever and when we made it to the road to the Portage Hotel, Christine turned and said, “Let’s see if they have a room.” Exactly what I had been thinking the last hour.
So we stood in their lobby shivering and dripping water all over their lovely tile floor and tried not to cry when the nice young woman behind the desk explained that they were totally sold out. We moved off to the side and Christine got her phone out to inquire about water taxis to town. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the nice young woman behind the desk differentially place a yellow Wet Floor sign in the spot we had just vacated. The water taxi was $300. Then we’d have to find a place to stay. Christine got back on the phone to explore other options. Just then, the nice young woman behind the desk approached us with an older man at her side. “This is Murray. He may be able to help you.” Again, the trail provides. An hour later, we both had had a nice warm shower and were tucked into Murray’s semi-renovated granny flat. We shared the double bed and confirmations of our good luck. And went to sleep warm and dry.
Bringing it home
We finished the QC two days later and we did get to do some skipping on the trail. The last day was a pleasant seven mile skip and downhill saunter. The trail was wide enough that we spent the morning side by side talking, laughing and cementing our friendship. When we got to Anakiwa, the terminus, Christine took me to the NZ Outward Bound campus, where she had attended a 21 day program some years ago. We walked around and she showed me where she slept in a primitive boot camp bunk room. The hall where she ate and did kitchen and clean up chores. She talked about the fun times and the tough times. She described the amazingly hard physical and mental tests campers had to go through. She didn’t have to say it, but this is the place that changed her life. I knew it. I could see it in her face and hear it in her voice. This is where Christine became a warrior. I remembered back to when I first met her and it felt like we had met before. It made sense now. No, I never got the opportunity to attend an Outward Bound Program, but I have gone through some hard life-changing programs in my time. And also come out a warrior. We were trial and trail tested sisters. Christine and I had just spent four days conquering the QC. We started out as mostly strangers, and ended as confirmed Queen Charlotte Warriors. We had some celebrating to do.
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