Today was a day we were going walk up to the Asbestos Hut which is up the Cobb Valley, however with the cold front blasting its way up the South Island it would not have been a nice tramp in and out so opted to attempt the walk tomorrow when the weather would be a lot better. Today will be an easy day with a return to the Anatoki Salmon Farm for more salmon fishing and brunch. We arrived at 1130hrs and there was no one else there so it looked like we’d be the only ones fishing. The young lady who greeted us rememberedRead More →

Monday morning had a clear but cool start to the day but that suited us nicely as we prepared to hit the Abel Tasman Trail to Whariwharangi Bay. It starts off on the same track we used to go up to Gibbs Hill but instead of turning right after a 2km climb at the top to head up to Gibbs Hill, we turn left and descend 3km to Whariwharangi Bay Hut and Camping ground and on to the Whariwharangi Beach. As we started off on this walk it was cool but as we got into the ascent we appreciated that coolness. The backpack being loadedRead More →

Couple of wet days to pay the debt collector back and now have another 5 days credit for more good weather. Morning coffee finished and off to the Rawhiti Cave. The carpark is in private property where the owner has allowed access via their farm. Arriving at the carpark there was only one vehicle that had just arrived at the same time. Jude and I changed into our tramping boots, put on our camelback bike packs and grabbed a walking pole and headed off into what was track shaded from the sun and made for a really a cold start. The first couple of hundredRead More →

Opened the Moho blinds to a frosty morning and the sun shining brightly into the Moho warming her up just nicely. A cup of coffee knocked back and we’re off to walk a track I found while looking at maps that were up the Parapara Valley Road. When arriving at our destination there was no carpark that we could find and for that matter we couldn’t find where the tracks started. It wasn’t until we backtracked along the road that we spotted what appeared to be a narrow gap in the bush on the side of the road. We found a wee space on theRead More →

[Feature Photo- Top Row: Hani, Kasharnae, Adam, Dae-Maree, Arlie Bottom: Te wi, Te Aowera] Wednesday was a special evening as my Tamariki Adam, Dae-Maree and Kasharnae got together for an evening meal (well fish’n’chips anyway lol). It was special because they arranged it amongst themselves, the downside was Jude and I were in the top of the South Island at Port Tarakohe, Pohara and therefore could not be there for this special occasion, but that’s how timing is sometimes. It was so cool that Adams mum and dad Brian and Isabel (long story 😁) also visited Dae-Maree and Danial’s to meet them and most ofRead More →

Today was another stunner day and just what we needed to climb Gibbs Hill, a 5.3km uphill hike that reaches 450m above sea level. Starting at the Wainui carpark at the start of the Abel Tasman Trail you gradually climb up the winding track the track divide at 200m where one track descends down 3km to Whariwharangi Bay and turning off to the right the track continues on 2km climb to the high point called Gibbs Hill at 453m. We managed to get to the divide in 40min, 20min faster than the time DoC had on the sign post at the start where I gaveRead More →