Abel Tasman National Park Xmas Trip

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ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK XMAS TRIP 24-12-76 1L9 We spent Christmas Eve at Tinline Bay camped on a large cleared grassy area, devoid of any suitable rocks. This resulted in several trips down to the nearby stream carrying heavy, slimey rocks back to the campsite. We spent the night digesting the first of our vesta meals and the mosquitoes spent the night digesting us.r P.S. 9 We had our lovely lemon 'crud' served by a topless waitress, dancing on a park table. 25-12-76 Woken up to a wonderful meal of lumpy pog, coconut and milk, to match the compliments of Claire. We started off well until the gradient changed to 90° and this slowed us up remarkably. Many hours later a stop was celebrated with Christmas pud and refresh. The more ignorant of us thought this was- lunch. However, this was still to come. 3 o'clock was celebrated with a lunch of Tararua biscuits. We stayed at Castle Rocks. One-bowtie appeared at.Christmas dinner. Menu - beef and mushroom. Comment a none. Hit the.pit. (Well,some of anyway). Woken up at 11.45 p.m. by an alarm-clock. Why was there an -alarm clock on a tramping trip? 26-12-76 3A We reached yesterday's destination at 11 o'clock and spent the remainder of our rest day at Moa Park. Weather was really hot and most people spent the day getting sunburnt. Retired to pits reasonably early with our usual company (mosquitoes). 27-12-76 A - - a An early start - up at'six. Cold. Packed our gears After eating brekky etc., we departed about 7.30 a.m. Followed- a slippery stream. The.sign said six anda half hours to Totoranyi. Aifew of - apty o- us who resented being at the back took off never to be seen again (few hours). We got an ear-bashing. Everyone shorttempered. When putting up tent flies at Totoranui it was windy and raining. Wonderful chicken chow mein with crispy (burnt) noodles. 28-12-76 Second rest day. Raining from six in the morning. No one got up till about twelve when weather suddenly turned nice. Everybody went their own separate ways. A few went on a walk to Anapai Cove, which might have belonged in a tourist brochure. Stayed an hour or so. Back at campsite filled in time washing and other useless occupations. 29-12-76 As I write up the log book (bog rol1), I keep hearing unmentionable remarks about the sandflies. I don't remember them ever being so bad, but memories are short. I ended up sleeping outside in the morning to get away from the deadly onslaught (my memory is coming back). Most people embarked on a return trip to Separation Point in the morning. Had lunch about two. Sunbathed. Was very hot. Left for next camp at Goat Bay about 4.00 p.m. Picked up food-drop on way. When we got there we set up camp amongst wekas. Went fishing. Lost four sinkers. (I caught first and only fish - a six inch spotty). We even ate the fish (three ways). Ate dinner in dark. 30-12-76 Woke up at 5.00 a.m. (what's happening?) Went for a dip at six. Had to wait at Awaroa Inlet until the tide was low enough for us to cross. Walked along fire break. Arrived at Tonga roadstead at 11.30 a.m. Five fools - Chris, Claire, Robert, Nigel and I, set off on a twenty minute walk to Shag Harbour. It was really nice - a tidal inlet with the bush coming down to the water's edge, Rata flowering and the tide out. Because of gorse on the track we decided to go back round the coast. Large, purple and yellow crabs were in amongst the huge rocks we had to scramble over. When we could no longer surmount the rocks we had to bash through pig fern, bush lawyer, vines and crawl through gorse tunnels. There followed more rocks, more bush bashing - : more rocks. Four hours later we got out, physical and mental wrecks. Had lunch and set up camp at Tonga Quarry next to a rubbish hole, along with '150' other bods. 31-12-76 Set off for Bark Bay - one hour's easy stroll and we bombed into Bark Bay and joined the local loopies (boaties). We all went swimming and hunted for mussels and shellfish. Liz and Rob caught one little fish on a shark hook. New Year's Eve was celebrated by nothing besides Claire setting the gorse on fire. 1-1-77 Another rest day. Weather hot. Rob and I caught eleven fish, Barbara and Hazel chatted up the Park Ranger and ended up joyriding in his boat. Let off a sky-rocket - climax of the trip. 2-1-77 Left for Torrent Bay. Was very warm, The beach was full of boaties. Eventually they left - but not soon enough. Weather turned sour. Tried to wash hair in the sea - it is impossible to get a lather up. 3-1-77 Neil departed, homeward-bound. The more adventurous set off for Cleopatra's Pool, They got back about 4 o'clock and then we set off on the final leg of our journey. We reached Stilwell Bay, the place at which we had decided to camp, only to find that there were no suitable campsites. So on we went to the next bay, but there was nowhere suitable there either. Then it started to rain really hard and we trudged on to yet another bay but "no camping" read the sign. So on out to our starting point, Tinline Bay, where we met some fellow Tongue and Meats. We had to admit that night that we weren't as badly off as the two Americans who spent a wet night under the table at which we had had our first meal.

4-1-77 Still raining. Watched Americans depart (very wet). The weather eventually cleared about twelve. Went down to beach. Found many fat mussels, which a.few of the more adventurous ate. Had tin billy-tainted pineapple for dessert. Chris was served 8 cups of stew and spuds which he dutifully sat down and swore he would eat. (I saw him visit the rubbish hole). 5-1-77 The morning was spent packing up and in the early afternoon we were met by the "luxury" coach and headed off towards Picton. Those on the trip were: Chris Garton (leader), Glynis Hadfield, Neil Woodrow, Adrienne Hall, Elizabeth King, Robert Hughes, Nigel Jackson, Barbara Gavey, Claire Mahoney, Don McPhail, Morris Moller, Iona McPhilips, Hazel Reynolds. -000000000000-