Able Tasman

The Able Tasman is located on the north of the South Island, about 60km north of Nelson. The guidebooks describe this area which is a National Park as “a stunning beautiful area with an international reputation, and packs in some real beauty: golden sandy beaches lapped by crystal-clear waters and lush green bushland, all interspersed with grantite outcrops and inhabited by abundant wildlife”. I would agree with this on the late afternoon when we arrived, the beach was gorgeous and the weather was lovely and hot. So sunbathed we did, would have been rude not too. But, behind us where dark clouds and the wind had a wee bit of chill in it.

Woke up the next day for our day trip - sailing on a catamaran, and the sky was grey and overcast. We thought that we’re on holiday so shorts it was and that the sun would burn the clouds away. Luckily, we did pack for all eventualities. And wore ALL the clothes which we had taken. It was the wind that was from the northeast and had the chill in it.
We sailed from Kaiteriteri, north, on the way we saw the famous Split Apple rock, a boulder which has split and fallen into two halves.

At Anchorage Bay, we stopped for lunch, went we got off the boat, we had to put our feet in the water and to our amazement, the water was far warmer than the air temp. We where just on land for an hour to have a packed lunch and a nosey around the bay. One the way back, the weather had picked up. Even though it was overcast and grey, I am finding that it is still bright here and I definitely need to get some prescription sunglasses. The water was quite choppy and some of the kayakers we passed didn’t seem to be enjoying it too much.

Not too far from home, a wave crash the side of the catamaran, and soaked both Stella and I. I was sat with a towel over me, for extra warmth, but where I had got wet, I looked like I had wet myself !!! A shower was very welcome at the end of the day. I have already decided that I am going to go back to the Abel Tasman area, when the weather is more guaranteed.