Jan 30 – We set off for our Great Walk on the Abel Tasman with 14kg on Brent’s back and 13kg on Bron’s back (plus 3kg of water each). The first day of an epic 5-day/4-night adventure.
We drove up to the park from our accommodations in Upper Moutere. The sun was warm, and the sky was brilliant blue. By all measures it was a great day for our adventure. First things first – a final proper coffee before our time away from civilization. We only had 12.4km to walk so there was no rush.
We set off from the community of Mārahua, travelling north towards Anchorage for Day One. Gentle ups and downs along the coast provided spectacular views over bay after bay. The only real challenge was the final hill which had a steepish grade and no shade – the heat being the primary challenge.
We got to the hut in plenty of time to snag lower bunks, enjoy the beach, and play some crib.
This 24 point hand was real! Brent was skunked (or it might have even been a double skunk).
Jan 31 – Day two took us from Anchorage to Bark Bay by crossing the estuary at Torrent Bay. The shorter (and flatter) distance across the estuary at Torrent Bay is 8.4km. The short day was nice as we didn’t get much sleep due to the extra loud snorer in one of the bunks in our room. The walk was still gorgeous and we were greeted by another beautiful beach and some bold Kākās (parrots). A quick swim in the bay was refreshing, and there was even a fresh water shower to rinse off with – luxury!
Feb 1 – Day three dawned with a colourful sunrise outside the hut after a much much better sleep. There was a super loud snorer in the cabin, but he very considerately had moved his mattress to the kitchen as to not disturb everyone.
Bark Bay
The trail brought us along the shorelines of the Tonga Island Marine Reserve on Onetahuti Bay to Awaroa Inlet over 13.5km. We proceeded along the high tide route to get a longer run at the first ‘hill’ which saw us ascend 100 meters from the beach. It doesn’t sound like much, but it sure felt like a grind with our packs first thing in the morning. The trail was in great shape, the water a surreal clear teal, and the play of sand in the tides was mesmerizing. The best day of scenery so far!
North Island in the distance – across Cook Strait 
Awaroa Inlet
Feb 2 – The fourth day was the longest day at 16.9km from Awaroa to Whariwharangi. (pronounced Fari-farangi). The route crosses the Awaroa Inlet and could only be crossed near low tide (09:30am for us). We followed the ranger instructions to walk straight across, and appreciated this advice immensely as we watched several other people get stuck in mud off the line. The worst we encountered was knee deep clear water. The trail continued through gorgeous forests full of huge ferns and past secluded golden beaches. There were steep drop offs on the edge of the trail much of the day, but the trail was wide and smooth.
How did they build this? Impressed. 
It was a bit of a shock going past Totaranui midday as it has road access and was full of campers vans and vehicles with people enjoying a long weekend. We had a quick snack lunch there but didn’t linger. The end of the day was another climb over towards the west-facing coast. It was a dramatic change to much wilder and windier coast (and not as many people hike up this far so it was really peaceful). The hut at Whariwharangi is an old homestead which was quite quaint, and also a welcome sight to take our boots off. The evening was spent reading on the beach and chatting with the hikers who’d been in the huts with us each night. Some were continuing directly onto the Heaphy track – hardcore!
Day 4 – Hair is getting fun. Last hill of the day conquered!
Feb 3 – The water taxis can only go as far as Totaranui so the last day is a 9.8km walk back there. We added a 1km (but reportedly 1 hour extra on the signs) detour to Separation point – the final section is a bit of a rock scramble, but worth it. Separation point has a seal colony, but they must have all been out fishing when we were there as none were around. Some seabirds posed for us though back at Mutton Bay.
We had arranged for an AquaTaxi to return to Mārahua from Totananui and it arrived right on time. The wind was up compared to other days and there were a few moments when we weren’t sure if the tiny boat with 25 people and packs on it was going to make it, but the boat driver did a great job. We even stopped to help a capsized kayak!
Back on dry land it was time for a celebratory fresh fruit ice cream. The fruit and ice cream (or yogurt, if you choose) are whipped together for each cone and topped with a cherry. It was delicious. We’ll also be happy to NOT eat anymore freeze dried meals for a while. At the end of the trip we had heaps of extra food – good info for the next time.
The first hot shower was amazing, as was a real bed and pillows. However, the walk was such a good experience that Bron immediately signed up to do the Kepler Great Walk (60km over 4 days in the mountains) in a few weeks. Brent, while enjoying the walk, is far more sensible and is planning to visit Dunedin then instead.
Brent And Bron Abroad 