Thursday 23 March: Weather 12°C to 20°C
Heathy Hut to Kohaihai Shelter: 16.9k walk
Accommodation: Karamea Baches
Track near wild dangerous surf
Highlight was getting to the end of the track at the Kohaihai Shelter.
Awake at 7am. Breakfast of Muesli and tea and after sweeping the hut, we’re all out the door by 8.20am. Everyone has a bus/taxi/car/plane to catch about 12.30 midday. It’s misty rain and we can’t see the coastline, but it’s not cold. We’ve put on wet weather gear again. It’s all downhill and after two hours of tramping through rain forrest, we arrive at the Aorere Shelter . This is really bad sandfly country and after checking out the beach which has even more sand flies, we return to the shelter for the fastest coffee ever on the hop - can’t stand still for long. Just a two minute stop then off along the undulating track beside the pounding surf on the rocks below - treacherous. There’s the whip of a dead whale below - apparently many whales get washed ashore on these west coast beaches.
Cold clear water stream
Misty wild surf
Aorere Shelter - more sandflies
Fish and Chips at Karamea Pub
By 12.15 we're at the Kohaihai Shelter where there’s a gathering of trampers waiting for transport. Some go in the Heathy bus to Nelson, 6 others to the airport and we go with Ian and Hilary in the small van to Karma where Brian, our driver, also works with a family member - we think his mum. It’s only a 15 minute drive and we’re soon in our 2 bedroom shack. A nice hot shower, loads of washing, and a walk 1.5k up the road to the 4 Square.
Them back to the famous Karamea pub for fish and chips washed down with a few beers and a bottle of NZ save blanc. We notice all the locals order their beer by the jug - not to share around but for themselves to have a continuous top up - a local habit we’re told because beer is much cheaper by the jug. Home to beat 8.30pm