The Scenic Abel Tasman Coast Track, New Zealand
Bob and I had an early morning start on our first full day on the South Island of New Zealand. We were headed to Tonga Quarry for a hike on the scenic Abel Tasman Coast Track.
A motor launch picked us up at 9 a.m. at the beach in Kaiteriteri.
The sunny town of Kaiteriteri is one launching place for excursions into Abel Tasman National Park. Under the early morning sun, the golden sand beach shimmered while turquoise water lapped at the shore.
A number of eager hikers awaited the arrival of the powerboat that would ferry them to various beaches for access to the Abel Tasman Coast Track.
We could hardly wait to get underway.
Known for its golden beaches and lush coastal native bush, the Coast Track in Abel Tasman National Park attracts loads of trekkers on its 60-kilometre long walking track. With six convenient access points up and down the coast, most trampers choose to hike a portion of the trail on a single-day outing.
The distance to Tonga Quarry, our chosen starting point, was not that far along the coast but took until 10:15 a.m. to get there. The boat had to stop multiple times at different beaches to drop off hikers who had chosen different sections of the Track to explore that day.
The boat ride was not without interesting sights between the drop-off points. New Zealand Fur Seals were spotted a few times either swimming in the Tasman Sea or basking on the rocks. The headland at Separation Point is home to New Zealand Fur Seal colonies, but that location was further north than we would be going.
Found mainly around southern Australia and New Zealand, these Fur Seals were almost hunted to extinction after the arrival of Europeans to these two countries.
The captain of our boat drew everyone’s attention to Split Apple Rock where it sits in Towers Bay. Somewhat of a tourist attraction, the rock had a naturally occurring joint that eventually split under the effects of wave and rain action.
I much prefer the traditional Māori legend to explain the perfectly halved boulder. It is believed that two gods were feuding over who owned the rock.
In the end, the gods used their combined strength to cleave the rock. The Māori name for the rock, Toka Ngawhā, means “burst open rock”.
Drawing our eyes to other rocky points were groups of Spotted Shags.
On our approach to Tonga Quarry, the cruiser made a wide sweep further north providing us with a view of Reef Point and a tidy little anchorage where kayakers could haul their vessels onto the shore.
Another drop of several people was made at Onetahuti Beach which lies between Reef Point and Tonga Quarry. Bob and I were quite amazed at the number of wide sand beaches along this coastline, each one picture-postcard perfect.
At each Coastal Access Point, a few trekkers disembarked from the powerboat, and then it was our turn to set foot on the sandy beach called Tonga Quarry.
The location is referred to as Tonga Quarry because from 1900-1910, granite rock was quarried here. Along the coast of Abel Tasman National Park, the main rock type is granite. At over 135 million years old, the granite has had ample time to split along natural fault lines and break down to form the golden quartz sand beaches all along this coast.
The area around Tonga Quarry is filled with historical remnants, but now only a handful of foundations are left. These include the winch block, discarded granite blocks and the remains of the old wharf that was used to transport the granite to Nelson and Wellington.
It was 10:30 a.m. when Bob and I began our hike. We had to be at the pickup point by 3:15 p.m. so we were able to go at a leisurely pace.
It didn’t take long to gain a bit of elevation, and through a window in the foliage, Bob and I had a view of Onetahuti Beach seen by us only a few minutes earlier from the powerboat. Had we been hiking in the opposite direction from Tonga Quarry, this is the first beach that we would have encountered.
On this day, Bob and I opted for a hike of modest length since we were unfamiliar with the condition of the trail. Our end point would be Medlands Beach only 4.1 kilometres away. The estimate time required was 2 hours.
Younger hikers beetled on ahead of us many of them wearing only flip-flops or even in their bare feet. We, on the other hand, sported hiking boots and poked along looking for birds and animals. This Black Tree Fern caught my eye when once I glanced off to the side of the trail.
Black Tree Ferns, also called Mamaku, can grow up to 20 metres tall. The fronds, once unfurled, can extend up to 5 metres and have up to 40,000 leaflets on one frond! To me, the uncurled frond resembled the furry tail of some primate.
Other than a few steep sections, the trail presented no challenges for Bob and me. Recent rains, however, left in their wake silt-filled culverts and washouts.
The trail led us over a forested saddle around Bark Bay Lagoon’s waterfall.
Because the tide was out, we were able to use the lower section of trail that brought us out to the sandy beach at Bark Bay.
A bit of excitement ensued when Bob and I realized that we had to remove our hiking boots to cross the tidal flats.
The tide was coming in so the water was frigid!
The cold water soothed our feet and refreshed us, but we had not come prepared with a towel to dry our tender tootsies.
As Bob and I wandered the beach, Caspian Terns wheeled in the air above us while a number of Shags were drying out on nearby rocks.
Bob and I began to look for a spot to have our picnic. In so doing, we were thrilled to spot a Variable Oystercatcher doing her best to remain hidden in the sparse vegetation at the edge of the bush.
It seemed odd that the Oystercatcher did not move when we were approaching the area. It turned out that she was brooding, so we made certain not to disrupt her important mission.
Variable Oystercatchers are endemic to New Zealand. They are also known as Red Bills, and it is during breeding season that their long needle-sharp bills turn bright red.
Another Variable Oystercatcher was using its long bill to forage for molluscs and worms in the sand along the seashore. Perhaps it was the mate of the one sitting on the nest.
In no particular rush, Bob and I enjoyed our lunch overlooking Bark Bay before pushing on to Medlands Beach.
Having climbed back up to the Coast Track in order to continue our hike, Bob and I looked out over Bark Bay. Beyond the distant point, a corner of Medlands Beach is just visible.
In a short space of time, Bob and I achieved another viewpoint looking back on Bark Bay. A multitude of kayakers either landed or preparing to be picked up lingered at the shore, while campers busied themselves setting up their tents in the adjacent camping area.
Fueled up after having a hearty lunch, Bob and I were energized for the remainder of the hike to Medlands Beach.
A curious Silvereye flitted about the branches of one finely-branched bush. This diminutive passerine is native to New Zealand, but was self-introduced in 1832 when a storm swept a flock of them eastwards. Silvereyes are omnivorous and consume many insects that are harmful to produce.
Bob and I were captivated by the scenic Abel Tasman Coast Track with its spectacular views and superlative beaches.
Together with the interesting plants such as this colourful Fern, we found that the time spent on the Abel Tasman Coast Track passed very quickly.
The distance from Tonga Quarry to Medlands Beach was covered in about 15 minutes, so we arrived with time to spare.
Never ones to miss an opportunity to add another bird species to our Life List, Bob and I spent the next 20 minutes patiently waiting for a Sacred Kingfisher to alight on a perch near us. The Māori were superstitious about Sacred Kingfishers because they frequented sacred places and burial grounds.
The shuttle boat was right on time to pick up hikers for the return journey.
Bidding adieu to Medlands Beach, Bob and I concluded that, having enjoyed the hike so much, we would return the next day and explore another section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track. Everyone disembarked at the beach in Kaiteriteri around 4:30 p.m.
Frame to Frame – Bob and Jean