Abel Tasman Costal Track:

Booked our watertaxi and got our permits at the DOC Desk at the Nelson iSite yesterday. Was impossible to find a campsite in Motueka at 6pm, glad Liana and Simone are here as well and they found a room in a shared house so we can camp in the garden/driveway.

Day 1

Early start to Kaiteriteri to catch the watertaxi to Totaranui. It's a really scenic 2 hour boat drive via split apple rock (see picture above) along the coast to the northern tip of the Abel Tasman NP http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abel_Tasman_National_Park

Started the first day at 11:30 from Totaranoui to Tonga Quary. Some parts of the trail are tidal crossings and can only be crossed in a certain time frame between the tides.

The Abel Tasman coast has one of the largest tidal ranges in New Zealand. There can be a range of up to 5.2 metres between high and low tides. This feature creates spectacular tidal estuaries that change from wide lagoons of calm, azure water to expanses of golden sand laced by trickling streams. Quelle: http://www.abeltasman.co.nz/NationalPark/Tides.aspx

Day 2

OMG - Had the worst night ever... Bought a really cheap sleeping matt in Nelson yesterday and my back still hurts. Continued our amazing track along beautiful golden beaches.. The scenery reminds me a little bit of the black forest with the tiny little difference that there is no coastline in the Blackforest which reminds me of a mean proverb "Wenn Frankreich nicht wär, läg Freiburg am Meer" meaning if France was not there we would have a beach in Freiburg. Particularly mean as one of my dear fellow travellers is from France (Sorry Ann-Claire.. I am just kidding... ;-)

Day 3

Night was better than last night (softer underground) but still painfull. Continued our trail and are all really looking forward to get Pizza and Beer tonite. It has been an amazing trail and we were really lucky with the weather, the rain just caught us on the last hour of the trail.