The Grove, 2018

We visited the Grove in 2014 and had to return. It is merely a couple acres of bush and limestone, but it is fascinating to look at the extent that plants will go to survive at the differential erosion, and at the ongoing struggle between rocks and trees. Trees always win, over the long haul. Anyhow, the place reminded us of Cambodia, Angor Wat, specifically, and some of the temples there half-buried in jungle. No temples here, but still interesting, even the second visit.

Cleft, leading to viewing platform

Thus, tucked into a small ridge between the mountains

And the Bay

Us, there

Whanganui Bay And Beyond

After Whaririki Beach we were in need of a place to camp and so decided to try the 44km gravel road that heads south and over to the west coast, via Whanganui Bay, a swamp or two, some cliffs of interest, and finally the wild Tasman coast. Except for a ranch or two, this is completely undeveloped territory, not as wild as it gets, but wild enough. It was a bit of an explore, although we were guided, as in various other adventures, by Scott Cook's indispensable NZ Frenzy.

A bit of the enormous Whanganui Bay, at low tide mostly, and
mostly mud flats

Interesting cliffs and karst formations along the drive, a great
gravel road

After the Bay and the swamp, finally a view of the coast and
the sea

The mist from the crashing surf making visibility pretty limited

The road does not go ever on from its junction with the Anatori
River; there is a ford, of sorts, but not for us or for ordinary
vehicles; we stopped just short of the beach and camped there

In the company of two partying Kiwi families

The surf was perhaps a quarter mile away but audible through
the night

Next morning we drove up and around to the beach; a primitive
DOC campground was there

Bush; note the interesting palms

Wild Tasman Sea

More cliffs

A big cave in the limestone

Not exploring this one, however

Big dune hill...but those black things cascading down...are tires!

Another cave

10-11 km from the Anatori is another huge, accessible beach

Driftwood everywhere

We pondered waiting a few hours for the low tide to begin
registering and going for a walk south along the cliffs...but
decided we'd had enough adventure

Plus the visibility remained poor

And so we moved on, back to civilization

And enjoyed seeing Whanganui Bay with water in it

Even a maelstrom with the tidal change

Definitely a do-again kind of place

Whaririki Beach, 2018

With some time on our hands before the ferry to Wellington and the North Island, we decided to return to the Cape Farewell area, on the far north side of the South Island, to the beach at Whaririki, redo a few short hikes we had enjoyed in 2014, maybe a bit of the far Abel Tasman, and perhaps even undertake a serious explore back down the west coast.

To get to Cape Farewell from Motueka you have to cross the
nearly 3000 ft of Takaka Hill, known as one of NZ's top ten scenic
roads, also listed on the "dangerous roads" website; 3000 feet is not
very high, unless you're driving from sea level; it's a very demanding
30 or so km of high angle and hair pin turns; two lanes with the
occasional passing bay; anyhow, at the top are these interesting
karst limestone formations, which fairly cover the broad summit
(also some large sinkholes); and the Hawke summit lookout and
track, a bit of which we walked

From the lookout

Looking toward Motueka and Nelson, across the bay

Pano

At the Whaririki beach car park, one of the hungrier peacocks
I've encountered

Environs heading toward the beach; mostly dunes beneath, I think

Vicki in a sort of dune-ish holloway

On the beach, high tide beginning to roll in, so we didn't have
quite the walk we did in 2014

Only one tired seal pup on view

Tidal pool

Conglomerate rock; you'd think it would all have washed away
by now

Tide coming in, fast and furious

War lodge; or so we'd call it in Montana

Sea caves

Walking back to the camper