September 18th - Awaroa Hut to Whariwharangi Hut - 14 kms
 
Woke up this morning on our platform amongst the rafters feeling particularly tired and puffy eyed, but my shoulders were surprisingly unachy and my feet weren't too sore. My groin ached though when I moved my legs?? We lay in bed until everyone else was up. We got up at 8.20am and wandered down to the water's edge. Andrew's shoulders are very tender. We had a wash in the freezing water from the taps outside and then had breakfast of chocolate cake. Then I swept the floor, while Andrew wrote in the hut book. I then settled down to write up days of this. I would have sat outside in the lovely sunshine if it hadn't been for the biting sandflies!! Inside I had to dodge the tens of sparrows eating breakfast and leaving 'little presents' behind on all the benches etc. It seemed to take for ever for the tide to go out…

Awaroa Hut.. waiting for the tide to go out

'The actual water - 3 rivers - weren't nearly as bad as everyone had said and in reality came up to our knees'

We actually set out at about 1 o'clock after having lunch of sausage rolls and pickle. Low tide wasn't supposed top be until about 2.30pm though. We decided to walk across the sand/mud flats without our boots on, which turned out perhaps, not to be the best idea because of all the shells on and in it. Still it gave the soles of our feet a good massage/acupuncture stint!!??- just what we wanted when they were sore anyway!!! The actual water - 3 rivers - weren't nearly as bad as everyone had said and in reality came up to our knees, not the thigh high slap bang on low tide we'd heard about. We met three people coming the other way as we reached the other side of the water and another chap as we put our socks and boots back on. It had taken us three quarters of an hour to get across the estuary - so much for the one one and a half hours to Totaranui estimate!!

Andrew on the sands of Goat Bay

Granite rocks at the end of one of the beaches
We climbed over a low saddle through dense subtropical rainforest as usual, with tree ferns etc. The path wound its way precariously along the cliffs, with trees hiding the view of rocks with crashing waves below. We did get the odd glimpse of green water and rocks though. We then descended to walk along the first sandy beach of the day in Goat Bay. We then climbed up over the next headland (Skinner Point) and stopped at a bench (all too infrequent in my opinion!!!), where we had a drink and raisin stop while looking down at Totaranui beach below. We descended to this, walking amongst the scrub and trees behind the beach until we came out at the huge campsite. We walked along the road/track to the information point, which though open, was all shut up really at this time of year. After looking in there and staring longingly and changelessly at the Coke machine we headed inland on the road through the avenue of trees on the Gibbs estate of old. The second from little toe of my right foot was very painful by now but we trudged on, turning right up another road/track which soon turned into a path as it wound its way up over a saddle. We avoided the headland track, not having the energy or the time today. We both felt tired today, possibly because of the beautiful sunny day which was quite warm. We descended after quite a climb to Anapai beach, which was lovely and stopped for a very quick chocolate break, being eaten alive by sandflies even in that short time. We crossed over a small headland, across a boulder strewn beach and then onto the next sandy stretch of Mutton Cove.

View from near Separation Point

View looking back the way we had come from before going west and descending to Whariwharangi Bay Hut.
It was getting on and so we decided not to go to Separation Point to see the seals, but missed the turning we wanted so ended up going nearly all the way there anyway before turning back west towards Whariwharangi Bay and our hut. The climb up out of the cove was huge and by the time we reached the top we were sweating buckets and stopped for a drink at a second bench of the day. A group of four germans passed us. We then descended all the way to the hut, which was nestled lovely in the trees and bushes, which in turn were nestled in a pretty valley.

We arrived just after the germans who had taken the last beds downstairs. It was incredibly busy!! We wondered if we were going to get a bed at all!! We did in a little room upstairs with 4 beds. 2 girls were already in there, a nice german and a rather spaced out New Zealander doing the coastal track in 6 days!!!! The German couple form Awaroa Hut, who'd got a boat across the estuary from the lodge were already there. We cooked tea of two packets of risotto and then washed up in the sinks outside and then went to bed exhausted of course. I discovered I had a small blister on my second smallest toe!! The first one of our first 45 odd kms so far - not bad. We've now entered the realms of long distance walk well and truly!