New Zealand > Abel Tasman in Nelson

We have breakfast on the terrace of the communal area. We leave bread and spreadable cheese behind for the two German girls and an American woman. They are working here for a few weeks and will continue travelling afterwards. They are very happy with our food. They explain that they order all their groceries online from the supermarket in Havelock, and the order is then delivered two days later by the mail boat. We take the water taxi back to Te Mahia. We say goodbye to Linley with a big hug. Mike’s brother, Phil, takes us back across the water. He is clearly more talkative than his brother. Two older friends of Linley are also travelling to the other side with us. We help them in and out of the boat. In Te Mahia our car is waiting neatly for us. We load all our luggage back in. On the other side of the peninsula lies Waterfall Bay, less than a five-minute drive away. Although this bay is also beautiful, the name promises more than it delivers. From the pier, we can neither see nor hear a waterfall. We drive back to the Queen Charlotte Drive and turn off towards Havelock. Along the way we have magnificent views over the fjords. We stop from time to time to enjoy the scenery. Every viewpoint is beautiful again. Havelock is the mussel capital of the world—at least, that’s what they think. We decide not to check. Just outside Havelock lies the Pelorus Bridge nature park. We take a walk along the Circle Track. From the suspension bridge over the creek, we see people sunbathing on the rocks and swimming in the water. It’s perfect weather for recreation. The largest city in this region is Nelson. In Nelson, there is supposed to be a statue of Abel Tasman. We cannot find its exact location online.

New Zealand - A seagull on the statue of Abel Tasman

There is talk that the statue may have been moved. Is that why we can’t find it? As we drive back a little, we spot the statue. Tasman is gazing out over the sea. A seagull is using his head to take a short rest—a lovely combination. Opposite the statue, we order lunch on a terrace. It is about another hour’s drive to Kaikerikeri. When we arrive at the booked address, we find ourselves at a private house. We ring the doorbell. “Ah, you’re from the Netherlands!” the man greets us, telling us he is originally Canadian and also lived in Leiden for half a year. We receive instructions about the apartment: no shoes inside, no drying towels indoors, and don’t set the fridge to the highest setting. The list of what is and isn’t allowed seems endless. The owner also organises tours. He is clearly disappointed that we have already booked the kayak trip for tomorrow. He claims he would have had much nicer tours. After the explanation about the toilet and shower downstairs—accessible from outside—we are finally alone in our apartment. The view over the beach is stunning. We walk along the shoreline. The tide is just coming in. The difference on the beach between low and high tide is several hundred metres. At low tide, the entire bay lies dry. The centre of Kaikerikeri is two kilometres further. We drive there by car. The centre appears to be little more than a beach and a campsite. In the small shop, we buy some supplies and have a drink in the restaurant. For dinner, we drive on to Marahau. Tomorrow, the kayak trip and hike through Abel Tasman National Park will depart from here. On the terrace with a sea view, we naturally have fish for dinner.