Kayaking

Our Christmas present to each other were kayaks. We were itching for the weather to settle so we could use them. Eventually, the wind died down, so we strapped the kayaks onto the trailer to christen them on the Takaka River.

Boo went with Bernie and I had Oakly. Paddy was happy to swim along behind. We may have been dreaming by thinking the dogs would perch themselves on the kayaks and calmly watch the scenery float by.

Oakly was semi-settled but Boo was keen to jump into the river or onto my kayak. Eventually she leapt overboard - into the swiftest part! And off she went ... 

Not being strong enough to swim out of the current, Bernie quickly went to her rescue. Being a determined and somewhat stubborn wee dog she declined assistance and insisted on swimming to shore.

The riverbank consisted of fallen branches, which prevented Boo from climbing up the side. Bernie reached out to help her. He was waist deep when he tried to jump back into his kayak ... and....up tipped the kayak and over he went!

My laughter sounded much louder than I meant it to, as it echoed off the rocks! 

Once Coastal Acreage … Now A Rainforest Scenic Reserve

Milnthorpe Park is a popular Golden Bay scenic reserve. Once, it was an un-used coastal site of 400 acres. In 1974 the Department of Lands and Survey began a project to turn this area into a rainforest.

By 1976 it was apparent the soils were too poor to nurture native plants. So Plan B was put into place. Exotic trees, adapted to grow in impoverished soils were planted. These trees (such as eucalyptus and acacia) grew quickly and provided a canopy of shade and enriched the top soil.

Tens of thousands of native specimens were then successfully planted. As the forest grew and pest control was introduced, the bird population flourished.

Now over 40 years later ‘Milnthorpe Park’ attracts many visitors. It has numerous walking tracks scattered all over. Sculptures created by local artists can be seen hidden amongst the trees.

Some of the trees we saw were; rimu, rata, totara, kahikatea, miro, matai and the initial exotic species that were planted.

Many birds seek safety amongst these trees. Although we heard a range of different birds we didn’t have much luck sighting any. However the park is host to tui, bellbird, wood-pigeon and fantail. Less common birds include; weka, tomtit, fernbird, grey warbler, shining cuckoo, morepork and falcon. And being near the coast there are several varieties of sea birds.

Located by the main entry is a box of pamphlets  - these share information on the area and have a useful map showing named tracks. And there are lots!

We appreciated that it was a dog friendly reserve. With so many paths to follow it never felt crowded, even though the carpark indicated otherwise.

Floundering About For Flounder

I’ve heard about floundering and seen flounders served at restuarants but I’ve never eaten one or fished for one. That is until last week.

Bernie went out in the evening on low tide and put a set net out in the estuary. The next morning we woke to the alarm buzzing at 5:30am...it was low tide again, time to check the set net.

We arrived at the estuary as the sky was hinting at becoming lighter. Bernie with Oakly by his side, waded out to the net. As he started dragging it in he noticed a few spotties had been eaten out. It looked like lice had had a feast.

There were no flounder and Bernie realised if there had of been, they too would have been eaten by lice. We wondered how to get around this from happening again? After asking the question online, we learnt we needed to bring the net in earlier – or better still not to leave it out overnight.

It wasn’t a wasted trip though. We got to witness a spectacular sunrise and the dogs enjoyed exploring.

Realising I didn’t know anything about flounder, I went home and googled about them. Here’s some information you may find interesting …

Flounder are a group of flatfish species that live at the bottom of coastal lagoons and estuaries. When flounder are hatched they have one eye on each side of its head. As they grow one eye moves until they have both eyes on the same side of the head.

Flounder are carnivorous and highly predatory animals. The flounder hides on the sand on the sea floor waiting for potential prey, which the flounder ambushes once it has been spotted. Flounder prey on a variety of bottom-dwelling marine species including small fish, shrimp and crabs.

Due to the secretive nature and good camouflage of the flounder, it’s rarely spotted by predators. Large fish, sharks, eels, humans, and marine mammals all prey on the flounder when it can be spotted.

In its lifetime, a flounder fish undergoes unusual transformation in its structure. When the egg hatches, like most other fish, it has eyes on both sides of its head. After a few days, it begins to lean to one side, and the eye on the opposite side migrates to the side to which it leans. In this way, the side that has both eyes becomes the top of the fish, and the eyeless side starts fading and becomes the bottom.

After hatching from the eggs, the tiny creatures appear with eyes on both sides of their head. The newborns drift along in the waters, freely feeding on plankton and midget crustaceans. As they reach their adulthood, they move to the bottom of their habitat, where they adapt to a bottom-dwelling existence.

Depending on the home ground of flounder fish, the camouflaging coloration may be dappled to match different colors along the bottom or in some areas with sandy bottoms. Some flounders camouflage their bodies and appear invisible to predators, as they dig themselves into the bottom, using their fins to settle the ground material over their bodies.

A Fairytale Experience.

Discovering the ‘The Grove’‘ was like stepping into a fairytale scene. Every shade of green smothered the landscape. Rocky, limestone outcrops fringed the track and the bush was humming with bird song.

The Grove’ is a scenic reserve hidden away above farmland at Clifton in Golden Bay.

To get there from Takaka – travel along the Abel Tasman Drive towards Pohara. Just before the small beach settlement of Pohara turn right into Clifton Road and meander towards the foothills.

From the carpark a track winds through trees following natural cracks, ravines and outcrops created by water-worn limestone.

It’s a haven for native birds. Fantails (piwakawaka) flutter and dance closeby, the chortles of tui can be heard, while bellbirds prefer being high up in the canopy. Native wood pigeon (keruru) like to feed on the nikau berries and can be heard swooping from branch to branch.

It’s an easy walk among limestone blocks, pillars and gullies, twisting among green nikau palms, surrounded by gnarled old rate trees.

A viewing platform offers a birds eye view of Golden Bay and to get there you walk through a narrow limestone corridor with roots of the Northern Rata trees curling down like octopus tentacles.

Wainui Falls & The Beaches and Bays On The Way

The drive around the bays and beaches to Wainui Falls was and is spectacular. Pohara Beach, with a grey, sandy shoreline that stretched for miles, was our first port of call. Many families flock here during the summer holidays as it must be ranked as one of New Zealand's safest beaches. It's little wonder the Pohara Motorcamp was bursting at the seams with campers. Tents and caravans were so close you could stretch out an arm and touch your neighbour!

Tarakohe Harbour is just around the corner from Pohara. This rock-walled harbour was built by the Golden Bay Cement Company to ship cement made out of limestone from the quarry across the road. The quarry and works are now closed, however the wharf and harbour are still used for barging dolomite that is quarried elsewhere in Golden Bay. The fishing and scalloping fleet unload and anchor here, and there’s also a marina for commercial and pleasure boats.

Looking back towards Pohara with Tarakohe Wharf behind.

In 2009 fifty nesting boxes were installed at Tarakohe Harbour to provide housing for penguins. They were dug into the newly created breakwater to discourage the penguins from crossing the road in search of nest sites, and to provide a safe place for them to live.

From here the road sweeps under a rocky limestone archway before winding and twisting it's way to Ligar Bay. On a full tide this bay is stunning. Golden sand and plenty of space are an inviting feature. It’s very tidal - when the tide is out there’s a bit of a walk to reach water deep enough for a dip.

After Ligar Bay is Tata Beach, well known for its golden sand and deep water. It’s popular for water skiers and kayakers. A destination often paddled to, are the Tata Islands, Ngawhiti and Motu Islands. These islands formed from limestone, have steep cliffs and archways. They're also a safe haven for colonies of seabirds.

Wainui Bay is the next bay along. It’s another safe beach with golden sand - and a great spot to collect mussels and/or explore rock formations. Only a stones throw from here is the turn off to the Wainui Falls walk.

From the carpark the track crosses farmland for a short distance.

After crossing a few small creeks (however after a rainfall, I'm sure they wouldn't be quite this small) the track moves into native bush and there's a gradual climb to a point where you see the river far below. The walk continues through a forest of nikau palms, rata trees, pungas and ferns.

It’s an easy 40 minute return walk along a well maintained track. A swing bridge provides a spectacular view of huge boulders and the river below.

A few minutes after crossing the swing bridge I heard the roar of the waterfall. A fine, misty spray curtained the falls making the rocky path around it damp.

If you're keen for a swim you can plunge into the pool at the base of the waterfall. It's a popular walk during summer so there are usually people standing where you can view the entire length of the waterfall - be prepared to wait.

The walk back was along the same track - the bush was simply stunning. I couldn't help but stop every few minutes to take photos.

                           

As I came to the end of the walk I stumbled across a track, partly concealed by vegetation, leading down to the river. I followed it, to find someone had created stone pillars balancing precariously on top of river rocks.