Day 2 on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track
In the morning, we organized our packs and set them on the beach awaiting
our kayaks, our guide, and a water taxi that would transport our packs to
the next hut at Awaroa. Not more than a few minutes past the time planned,
our guide showed up with kayaks, equipment, and our lunch fixings. About the
same time, the water taxi picked up our packs and promised they'd be a Awaroa
in the afternoon.
The clouds began to thicken and a light breeze came from
the west as we "dressed" for the day. Our plan was to kayak to Bark Bay camp
in a sheltered lagoon for lunch and then head out a bit farther from shore
and paddle around Tonga Island where there is a seal colony within the boundaries
of the Tonga
Island Marine Reserve. We would then come to shore at Onetahuti Beach
and hike overland to Awaroa Bay where our final hut was located.
The group of eight of us made it to Bark Bay in good
time, had a modest lunch of sandwiches, fruit, and drinks, and left for Tonga
Island. However, the light breeze had turned into a pretty good headwind
and, though the guide deemed us fit and strong enough, he decided that our
progress would not be fast enough to complete the trip by the time the kayaks
(and he) would need to be picked up. We on to Onetahuti Beach.
