Exploring The Top Of The South...

 This is a map of the whole of the Golden Bay area...

Clifton and Pohara at the bottom and Farewell sand spit
across the top...

 This one from Tarakohe and Pohara, where I am, to Takaka...

 From Takaka north to Collingwood...

 And from Collingwood to Puponga and Farewell Spit.

This map is the top of the West Coast... The Wanganui Inlet...
Generally referred to by the locals as Westhaven.
I was out and about for the day with two friends. Our destination was
 Anatori where the Anatori river mouth is. Apparently it's a great
white-baiting spot, there are a few old white-baiters huts... But it's not the season.
There are also two areas for freedom parking, with some people...
A tent and a motor home, enjoying the wilderness and solitude.
I'm told it's a place that floods easily when it rains so if you go
there keep that in mind.

 

We set off... Our first stop was the Farewell Spit cafe with

very nice coffee and a selection of delicious food.

The most spectacular was the view. It was a cloudy

day so we couldn't see the spit, and the tide was out.

There is a telescope but even with that it was too cloudy.

There is a walkway down to the sand and you can walk along the

inside of the spit to the pine trees in the distance. I want to go

back by myself and do that. There is also Farewell Spit tours

that go along the beach as far as the lighthouse.  

I did that years ago but would like to do the trip again. 

There is another walkway that goes

over farmland then over sandhills to Wharariki... A hard flat

west coast beach with rocks sculpted by the wind.

I kept a look out for parking for my bus when I go back there

and take my time to explore in more detail. Wharariki Beach

Motor Camp would be the place.

We went back to the Pakawau Inlet and turned west onto a gravel

road that went a long way. Along Pakawau Bush Road, turn into 

Dry Road and just keep going.

These photos are a few glimpses of the inlet as we drove along.

We passed places called Muddy Creek, White Pine Creek, Bone

Creek... All with narrow bridges and nowhere much on

the side of the road to stop.

The is the mouth of the Wanganui Inlet... Bar Point on the right

and Melbourne Point on the left.

We came to Mangarakau and found this old wharf...

Still in use. It's where the Crayfish boats load up their pots...

Which is what the two men on this boat were doing.

I love eating crayfish so I asked if they would take a passenger?

They were more than happy but weren't returning till Tuesday.

Three days in a little boat if the weather turned rough...

Much as I wanted to go I declined.

On the information board are graphic pictures and a warning

about the weather and the bar at the inlet entrance.

Mmm... It would have to be very calm for me to go.

We continued our journey...

The Only Road To Takaka... Over The Hill...

This is where I am heading... Golden Bay... With
Farewell Spit at the top... My destination - Pohara.


 There is only one road to Takaka... The 50km winding 

Takaka Hill road that goes over the hill that separates the

communities of Golden Bay from the more populous

Tasman Bay.In this aerial photo you can see the flat area

of Motueka and Riwaka on the right. The yellow winding

line is highway 60 that goes right over the top of the hill

and down the other side to East Takaka then another

15 minutes of flat road to Takaka town.  
 Of the ten top roads in New Zealand this is Number three.

 
This photo is looking back over the

hops growing at Riwaka and Tasman Bay.

 
This view from the summit down the other side to
Takaka Valley.

The summit at 791 meters. The distance is not great

but because of the steepness... And in my bus I

travelled at about 30km all the way... It takes

a while. There is also lots of stops to look at the views.

 Just before the summit is the unsealed road to

Canaan Downs, a 12km drive then a 40 minute

walk will take you to the 183 meter deep Harwoods Hole

A spectacular hole and cave system... For

very experienced cavers only.

When I first came over this hill about 25 years

ago the road was metal, more windy and much

narrower. Now it is sealed all the way, has

been widened and as the locals say "It's

Just A Hill - Get Over It".

This is the steepest tightest corner... But if

this big milk tanker can get around it...

So can I!

Care is needed though, accidents do happen.

The rocky outcrops on the top portion of Marble Mountain, 

the colloquial name for Takaka Hill, so called because 

it's the source of New Zealand's only quality marble... 

Used in the construction of Parliament buildings and 

Nelson Cathedral. This beautiful marble it's colours 

and textures is the inspirational material for several

well known Golden Bay sculptors. 

This spectacular and unusual terrain was also used

as a location in 'The Lord Of The Rings' film trilogy

 - Chelwood Forest - recognise it? And The Hobbit

It's a mysterious place and an experience driving over this hill.

This marble hill is typical karst country has weathered into 

many strange forms with numerous sink holes, cave

systems and underground rivers.

There is the stunning Ngarua Caves

with its extensive and breathtaking variety of stalagmites

and stalactites and and excellent skeletal  display of the 

extinct Moa. This is a family friendly adventure for all ages.