VISIT ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK AND COAST TRACK

Joseph de Ca'th Lon arrives to the helicopter

Tonyi Tamaki wants to visit Abel Tasman National Park at the north end of the South Island. She wants to kayak. She and her friends are spending the last days in New Zealand and they want to discover some natural places that they haven't visited yet.

They have got only one day to visit this wonderful site and they have decided to rent a helicopter to fly over the Abel Tasman Coast Track, a 60 kilometres long walking track within the Abel Tasman National Park.

Before starting the trip, The Grandma has studied a new lesson of her First Certificate Language Practice manual (Grammar 28).

More information: Verbs followeb by -ing or infinitive

 

Abel Tasman National Park is a New Zealand national park located between Golden Bay and Tasman Bay at the north end of the South Island. It is named after Abel Tasman, who in 1642 became the first European explorer to sight New Zealand and who anchored nearby in Golden Bay.

The park was founded in 1942, largely through the efforts of ornithologist and author Pérrine Moncrieff to have land reserved for the purpose. Moncrieff served on the park board from 1943 to 1974.

Walking along Abel Tasman Coast Track

The park was opened on the 18 December 1942 to mark the 300th anniversary of Abel Tasman's visit. Those in attendance at the opening ceremony at Tarakohe included Charles van der Plas, as personal representative of the Netherlands' Queen, Wilhelmina. The Queen was made Patron of the park.

The idea for the park had been under consideration since June 1938. The Crown set aside 15,225 hectares, comprising 8,900 hectares of proposed state forest, 5,809 hectares of Crown land and 554 hectares of other reserve land for the national park. The Golden Bay Cement Company donated the land where the memorial plaque was sited. The area's primary historic interest was the visit of Tasman in 1642, D'Urville in 1827, and the New Zealand Company barques Whitby and Will Watch, and brig Arrow in 1841. The site was also of significant botanical interest.

More information: Department of Conservation-Te Papa Atawhai

By 1946 the park had reached 15,534 hectares in area with additional land purchases. A further 844 hectares at Totaranui, formerly owned by William Gibbs, was acquired from J S Campbell in 1949 and added to the park. About 6,100 hectares have been added since. In 2008 an extra 7.9 km2, including the formerly private land known as Hadfields Clearing, were added to the park.

Covering an area of 237 km2, the park is the smallest of New Zealand's national parks. It consists of forested, hilly country to the north of the valleys of the Takaka and Riwaka Rivers, and is bounded to the north by the waters of Golden Bay and Tasman Bay. It contains some of the islands off the coast including the Tata Islands in Golden Bay, and Tonga Island, Adele Island, and Fisherman Island in Tasman Bay.

The Grandma is ready to kayak

The park does not extend beyond Mean High Water Mark on the adjacent coast. Between Mean High Water and Mean Low Water Springs, the beaches are gazetted as a Scenic Reserve, covering 7.74 km2 in total. The Tonga Island Marine Reserve adjoins part of the park.

Some of the birds that frequent the park are petrels, shags, penguins, gulls, terns, and herons. Possums, wild pigs, deer, and goats also frequent the park.

The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a popular tramping track that follows the coastline and is one of the Department of Conservation's Great Walks; the Abel Tasman Inland Track is less frequented. Other walks in the park, such as the Wainui Falls Track are considered short walks.

Access to the park is usually via the small settlement of Marahau. The nearest large town is Motueka, 20 kilometres to the south.

More information  Department of Conservation-Te Papa Atawhai

The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a 60 kilometres long walking track within the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand. It extends from Marahau in the south to Wainui in the north, with many side tracks. It is one of two main tracks through the park, the other being the Abel Tasman Inland Track, which stretches for 38 km between Tinline Bay and Torrent Bay off the main coastal track. The coastal track is well sheltered, and with mild weather in all seasons, it is accessible and open throughout the year.

The Grandma & Claire contemplate the split rocks

As one of the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) Great Walks, the coastal track is well formed and easy to follow. It is the most popular tramping track in New Zealand, with most of the approximately 200,000 visitors to Abel Tasman National Park walking at least part of the track.

It can be walked independently or with commercial operators with guiding, camping, lodge stay and boat stay options. Following a protected coastline, many people combine walking and sea kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park.

To walk the entire track takes from 3 to 5 days. Single-day walks are popular, as many points are accessible by boat from beaches along the track. The only road access other than the start and end points, is at Totaranui. One of the most popular sections for walkers with limited time is from Bark Bay to Torrent Bay, a distance of 7.8 kilometres, which incorporates some steep paths, beautiful views over the two bays and a crossing of the Falls River by a 47 m swing bridge.

More information: New Zealand

To stay overnight in the National Park, visitors must use officially recognised accommodations. Independent travellers use DOC campsites and huts that must be reserved in advance during the most popular months. A small number of commercial properties occupy parcels of private land within the boundaries of the National Park and provide lodge-style accommodation. Some backpacker accommodation is provided by boats moored off the coast.

With one of the largest tidal ranges in New Zealand, the coastal track includes some tidal crossings that can only be negotiated at low tide. Independent walkers and sea kayakers need to have information on tides in the area to plan their trips.

More information: New Zealand

I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife. We also went along the Hurunui River on horseback in the South Island of New Zealand.

Antony Gormley