We arrived early the next morning back at Kaiteri and left for Awaroa Bay Guest lodge where our guide Michelle took us for a wonderful day paddling along the coast of Abel Tasman Park; having NZ fur seals swim up to the boats and watching their pups play on the rocks. Many beautiful coves, tidal rivers, and spectacular beaches. Bonnie and I were thrilled to visit this area as we hiked the Abel Tasman Track in 1981. We paddled under the swing bridge, now much improved, that we had to cross along the way as well as remembering our crossing the Awaroa River estuary wading 1/2 mile on a very fast incoming tide to get to the other side. Amazing how quickly you can wade with a backpack when the water is rising! At that time the only access to the park was walking the track or by private boat. Now there are scheduled water taxis and 3 lodges on private inholdings. Swimming at Frenchman's bay was awesome including a float through a tidal current, lunch on the beach, and floating over crystal green water while we watched manta rays flying across the sand bottoms under our boats. We finished our paddle back at the bay where we hiked 2 hours upland to Anchorage Hut, including a stop at Cleopatra's pool which is a rocky basin and natural slide on one of the creeks flowing into the bay. Anchorage Hut is now rebuilt to the tune of $700K, sleeps 35 with 50 camp spots for tents. A far cry from the old wooden shack, no windows and mice running everywhere we stayed in, but the beach was every bit as beautiful.
A great day and we couldn't expect more...but indeed more showed up as we had dinner at the Apple Shed restaurant on Mapua Wharf. Bonnie and I are enjoying a lovely meal and suddenly her eyes popped and she said, "It's Carson!" I, knowingly, suggested that everyone has a doppelgänger, but sure enough, James Carter and his wife, Ismelda Staunton of Downton Abbey and Harry Potter fame ambled in and sat down for tea and dessert. No, we didn't bother them, but who would have thought??
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| Swing bridge over Falls river |
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| Frenchman's Cove Abel Tasman track |
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Anchorage bay hut
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| Estuary between Torrent and Anchorage bays |
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| Downton Abbey sighting |
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