Abel Tasman, 2023: Totaranui And Skinner's Point

After our Bark Bay hike, we decamped and drove across Takaka Hill to the Cape Farewell area, the far north bit of the South Island, to see several sights there. On the way back, however, we drove over to Takaka port and then the twisting 13 mile gravel road to Totaranui, the only stop on the Abel Tasman coast track one can actually drive to. Our intent was to do a little day hike north of Totaranui...which ultimately was foiled by high water on the trail. Instead we walked south along the beach to Skinner's Point. But the drive to Totaranui was interesting in itself.

At Takaka harbor

No stopping

Why it's called "New Zealand" and why Tasmania is called "Tasmania"

Colonial/imperial version..."discovery" of New Zealand

Tasman Bay

The first encounter did not go well for the Europeans [click to enlarge]

Maori version, such as it is

The monument

The gravel road is a place of excitement, especially after heavy
rains

But we made it

Walking south of Totaranui, looking north

High tide, big surf

Unusual cross section of a fern tree...try counting
those tree rings!

Kiwis are very serious about eradicating all the
foreign-introduced predators that attack the native
(flightless) species; one sees traps like this on trails
everywhere; and other types, even in cities

View from Skinner's Point, toward Whariwharangi

And toward Awaroa