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The Queen Charlotte Walk 26-30.01.11
We packed our rucksac with 2 sleeping bags, sleeping mats and the tent, and packed our day bags. We travelled by Endeavor Express backpackers boat to Ships Bay, at the far end of the Charlotte Sound. Ships Bay is where Captain Cook landed and lived for a while on the South Island. The boat left taking our bai back pack on to Furnaux Bay, where we were walking to. It was an undulating secondary rain forest walk, 4hour. We were glad to arrive at the lodge, eat and drink before putting our bed up for sleeping. We camped at Miners Bay Site, 2 minutes from the lodge in an apple orchard. This was Endeavour Inlet
The cockeral woke us up at the crack of dawn by tottering round crowing beside the only 2 tents in his field. It was really funny.
Day 2 To Punga Cove This was a 4 hour walk round to Punga resort. We enjoyed the rest of the day sitting on the decking overlooking the bay. We watched a pod of dolphins playing, a stingray, a giant eel, and a star fish about a metre across. Various people came and went and chatted, and a fisherman came in with his catch of blue nose cod. He was so delighted with his catch that he cooked one on his boat and shared it with Damian and I. How lovely it tasted!!! We pitched our tent at dusk in its allocated space and listened to the weka birds pecking and squawking around the tent, then the possums tumbling, sniffing and fighting, then all was quiet. The dawn chorus at 5.30am was splendid..the Tui of copurse started it all off. Day 3 Punga Cove to Portage Bay This was a 24km walk along the ridge with a few steep parts, quite exhausting, but we made it in 8 hours with plenty of viewing and water styops along the way. I was glad to get to Portage Bay Resort, though it wasn't as pretty as the last cove. We pitched tent and rewarded ourselves with a meal and a drink in the resort restuarant. Day 4 Mistletoe Bay We had chosen to walk 4 hours today, approx 10 km because this is the steepest section and Mistletoe Bay is very pretty and does not have a reort there. It is an Eco camp site with a few very high standard cabins...all totally eco. The walk down through the red beech forest was wonderful, and the bay was beautifully natural with a ferry coming in twice a day. So peaceful, and just 2 other tents and a camper van on site. Day 5 Anakiwa Another 10km day to the end of the track and our ferry pick up at Anakiwa and back to Picton. All went well, weather had stayed fine throughout and the ride back to Picton was great. On the way back to Colin and Jana's we stopped for a bowl of mussels at Havelock where the main industry is big green mussel farming...yum yum!
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