Nov 15
Wed
Over night the weather turns from a deep grey sky, steady rain and storms, to a hot sunny day with a cloudless blue sky. In the morning we walk another section of the Abel Tasman Coast Track, the Anapai Bay Track. From the campsite to Anapai Bay takes about an hour, and then the same way back. The beach is described as «one of the loveliest beaches in the park». Although it's pretty, it's not outstanding. Maybe our eyes are spoilt by all the stunning beaches we've seen, but the bays on the way to Anchorage were far more beautiful (in our opinion, anyway). But the journey is the goal and this is nice. Lush rain forest with high humidity, breathing out makes little clouds as if it were cold but it's hot today.
Totaranui Beach · more Abel Tasman NP pictures
Afterwards we drive back along gravel road which is dry now and looks quite different when the sun is shining. We drive on the inner lane today and that makes us feel better ;-) We're on our way to Pohara now.
Gravel road from Totaranui to Pohara · more Abel Tasman NP pictures
We go for breakfast at Penguin Cafe there. Sometimes penguins cross the road here, but we don't see any. At the campground we get a nice powered site, flat, directly by the beach and shady with some trees. We feel lazy today, just have a shower and take advantage of the laundry facilities and a clothes line in the sun and then lie down on the lawn under the trees.
Penguins and other beings in Pohara
After a short walk to the harbour we have diner at Windjammers. We didn't plan to dine out so often, but it's all so tasty and the seafood so fresh! I have Thai Sea Food for $23. It's a generous serving of green-lipped mussels, octopus, scampi, mixed fish filets and crunchy vegetables on rice with a coconut curry sauce.