Swimming In The Sea

Here we are in Kaikoura. It is wet. Again. However tomorrow it will be sunny and we are going to play with whales. Yes, more wildlife.

Abel Tasman got even better. We booked into a holiday park which was also a farm and took a water taxi a substantial distance along the coast to walk part of the Abel Tasman great walk. The taxi ride also involved a bit of a nature cruise including yet another feeding Little Blue Penguin. James properly saw this one.

 The beaches are incredible here, especially when the tide is out and there are many many lagoons. This walk was hot! And we took a swim in Apple Tree Bay just before the end. Most of the walk was under the shade of beautiful forest. Pretty much a perfect day out.

We followed it up with a morning sunning ourselves on Kaiteriteri beach before hiring paddle boards for a bit and burning James’ shoulders. To round things off we then took the bikes onto a local mountain bike park where we discovered that we are not intermediate level mountain bikers.

As evening drew in we took to the road, pausing at Nelson for tea, and ending up at Marfells beach campsite in the dark at about 10pm. This turned out to be totally worth it as we had a wonderful beach walk towards Cape Campbell right outside our door this morning. 

We then headed to our current position hoping to do a whale watch cruise this afternoon but they have all been called off for bad weather! I think the whales must have gone to Abel Tasman where it is hot.  Anyway, we will try again tomorrow. Only three more sleeps until we hand the van back.