Koewis little water stories

As already reported, we had to postpone our first planned kayak trip due to storm and heavy rain. Instead, we set off for the first stage of the TA Trails on the South Island - the Queen Charlotte Track. At the northernmost point in the Marlborough Sounds, there is a beautiful hiking trail that follows the water's edge. It is one of the Great Walks NZ and can be hiked in various ways. The TA walkers start in the north and walk through the Sound for about 3-4 days. We started the day in Nelson. Spoiler alert - we stayed here at least 4 times because Nelson was the best stopover towards Abel Tasman Park. And believe it or not, it rained every night, just like this time. We took the bus to Picton. From there, we were taken to the starting point of the QCT by water taxi. The ride was quite rough and rainy. It's crazy that you are brought to a point by water for two hours, just to walk back along the water. Anyway, it was interesting and we reached our destination in the afternoon - Ship Cove, James Cook's headquarters back then. Since it was already relatively late, we had to hike another four kilometers to the first campground, where we spent the night, with water from above again. But in the morning, the rain stopped right on time and we started three great days of hiking with sunshine, blue bays, dry nights, and funny wild chickens that steal everything from the walkers, especially food that is not securely stored in the tent and containers. After getting a lot of rain, we enjoyed the summery weather and the opportunity to take a swim in an idyllic bay. Andreas plunged into the water ..., but not for long ..., Andreas froze ..., Shadows in the water!!! Stingrays were swimming all around us. The same ones as in the photo from Wellington. The fun in the water was abruptly interrupted. Stingrays are not dangerous, but they lie hidden in the sand. If you accidentally step on them, you might get hit by their sting. So we got out of the water again, I wanted to take some photos, but the respect outweighed it. Nevertheless, it was very interesting to see these animals in their natural habitat. The next swimming bay came the next day, and the feeling of jumping into the water after a strenuous day was wonderful. And because we had eaten couscous and mashed potatoes again so diligently, we were rewarded with a nearby hotel restaurant with delicious food, white wine, beer, and a very nice conversation with a Dutch couple😁. On the fourth day, we stayed at a campground right by the water. Remember - ebb tide and flood tide. The place was officially designated for camping. We set up our tent idyllically near the shore. But then the doubts came, whether the flood would do what we were thinking. So we checked the flood times and got up at 3 in the morning to check if the tent stays dry. It stayed dry, including a fantastic view of the clear night sky. All in all, a very successful start to our hike. We decided to hitchhike to the next town to prepare for our second chance for a kayak tour. This time we waited for about an hour to get picked up. A very nice German guy was our trail angel that day and safely brought us to Havelock. A very cute little town. Havelock is known for the world's largest green-lipped mussel farming and production. We also tried the mussels - very delicious!!! Oh, and it rained continuously during our stay. Our tent groaned under the water pressure and had to give in. Up to this point, we had already received more rain on the South Island in two weeks than on the North Island altogether. And it got worse. On to the kayak tour, stopping again in Nelson. Rain at night, rain in the morning, we were picked up by a shuttle and immediately asked if we wanted to cancel the tour. That was pretty damn annoying! The weather report promised heavy rain, but dry weather from the next day onwards. We decided to go for it, went to the kayak base, and tried to find a place to stay for the night, so we could kayak on the Tasman Sea for two days. When we arrived, it was pouring buckets. Nevertheless, young people were getting ready for their kayak trip. Madness. The sea couldn't be seen because of all the fog. Even the guides said - pointless, but business is business. We managed to get the last cabin. That meant a dry place for us and our completely soaked luggage. Wonderful!!! A cabin is a little bungalow and includes two beds, a small table, and a shelf. Ours had a heater. So we spent the rainy day, watched the campground drown, had a view of the sea, although we couldn't see it. And then in the afternoon, the sun came out. We were ready to go. We can't put our impressions of the two days into words. A brief list: great weather, a paradise-like campground, white sandy beaches, lagoons, sea lion families, giant cormorants, and oystercatchers amidst unique nature. For us, it was again an adventure, the first time in a professional kayak, on the sea with various water conditions, wind, currents, and rocks. It was definitely worth it that we "fought" for this trip. So the rain had something good again. It led us to two perfect days. Last night, we happily arrived back in Nelson. We stayed at the "Anti"-Paradiso Backpacker. It felt like there were 800 teenagers accommodated in various rooms, the dining room was like a mega-shared flat, our health department would have been thrilled. Now we are in St. Arnaud, which is about 80 km away. A gateway to the alpine region in NZ and our reentry into the TA for about 450 km. The region is not necessarily known for good internet reception, so the reports may be less frequent, but we will try to keep you updated as soon as possible. Stay curious. Oh yes, and it's supposed to rain tomorrow!☔

Conclusion: If water destroys your sandcastle, build it up again. Even if it might be a bit smaller this time.

Best regards and see you soon

Susi and Andreas