Te Araroa 12/12/25

Day 82, Black Rock to Davies Bay campsite (1808)

A bright dry morning allowed me to get everything packed away dry for an early start.

A very small flat space

Morning view

The Queen Charlotte Track continued on its good path over the hill, round a spur and down to Torea Bay Saddle.

Good path

It was a steep climb and the sun was getting hotter so I was happy to reach a shady bench near the top.

Kenepuru Sound, a different colour.

The views again today were impressive, Queen Charlotte Sound on one side and Kenepuru Sound on the other.

Down again to Te Mahia saddle, I was tempted here because there were signs pointing down the hill on both sides to coffee shops.

Just spectacular 

I decided that it wasn't worth the detour so continued on up the other side and round the hill and headland past a couple of viewpoints and down to Davies Bay where there is a reasonable size campsite.

Great path

Only three of us here tonight, Christian from Germany, Bill from the USA and myself. It clouded over and with the increased wind it felt almost cold.

Amazing place

Went to bed early.

Te Araroa 13/12/25

Day 83, Davies Bay campsite to Havelock (1831)

There was a bit of rain last night but clear skies in the morning. However the campsite is surrounded by trees and the sun didn't rise high enough to dry the tent before I left.

Sunny but not at the campsite 

The Queen Charlotte Track ends a short distance on at Anakawa and there is then a path that runs alongside the road through dairy farming country to Linkwood where there is a filling station with a broken coffee machine, it had ice-cream though.

Track to Anakawa 

Anakawa 

The path then comes to the Mahakapiwa Arm, an inlet from the Pelorus Sound, and follows that before climbing the hillside above the road to a good bush path that goes round the headland.

Cattle country 

The Mahakapiwa Arm

Havelock soon came into view, a small town with a big marina, and the path came down to the road before taking a boardwalk over the marshes to the centre of the town.

An interesting water feature, part of the stream actually runs through the roots to come out here

Havelock

Not much here but there was a supermarket to let me stock up with ten days supplies for the next section.

Boardwalk over the marshes 

A nice bed in a cabin before I head for the hills and plenty to eat!

There was a little museum which had this little Barclay saddle tank loco outside 

I ate at The Mussel Pot so I could get the experience of eating green lipped mussels at the heart of the production area in the Marlborough Sounds.

There is another connection as well; the mussel spat is all collected from Ninety Mile Beach and brought here to grow. I have followed the track of the green lipped mussel!

Te Araroa 11/12/25

Day 81, Endeavour Cove to Black Rock campsite. (1786)

The day started with an overcast sky but it soon started to clear and it turned into another bright sunshiny day.

The top of Endeavour Inlet 

I don't think this will do much work again 

The track continued to be good underfoot but there was rather more climbing today, 1200 meters.

Reminds me of Spain 

The bush was a bit thicker today so the views were more limited but possibly even more spectacular than yesterday's when they appeared.

Wow

The track followed the coast of Endeavour Inlet round Big Bay to Punga Cove where it climbed up to the top of the ridge and stayed there to reach the tiny campsite at Black Rock.

Queen Charlotte Sound 

There is a cooking shelter with a lovely view across Queen Charlotte Sound to Picton, a toilet and a small, sloping, lumpy, camping area. Five people here tonight.

View from the cooking shelter 

Te Araroa 10/12/25

Day 80 Picton to Endeavor Bay (1758)

It was a beautiful morning when I took the boat from Picton to Ship Cove and it stayed hot and sunny all day.

Training ship at ship bay

Queen Charlotte Sound

The views as we travelled down the sound were spectacular and the New Zealand sail training ship was anchored at Ship Cove to make it look even better.

Clouds, ship and islands from Ship Cove

Captain Cook visited Ship Cove five times on his world voyages of discovery and there is a monument to him just above the beach. 

Cook memorial

I was walking the Queen Charlotte Track which is suitable for mountain bikes and so the walking was easy although there are still some quite steep parts.

Queen Charlotte Track

The bush isn't too thick on today's section and I kept getting views through the trees of the incredible coves and inlets.

View from the track

After the climb over to Resolution Bay there was a small shop selling coffee and ice cream at the campsite there, a very nice lunch stop.

Lunch stop views

There were about twenty other people walking the track today, all going from cabin to cabin with their luggage being transfered by boat, as well as myself and three girls who were just doing the South section of the TA. 

The scenery was incredible 

A nice little orchard campsite at the head of Endeavor Bay was far enough for today and I pitched my tent with a little help from a Weka that kept running off with things and poking into everything looking for food.

Weka looking for something to steal 

9

Nothing there, but what's this?

A good campsite with a kitchen, tap, sink, gas ring and barbeque as well as a firepit and at least two resident Wekas. 

Nice campsite 

A German South Island TA walker turned up later looking very clean, easy to tell it was his first day.

A great day

It was a very still evening and there were quite a number of annoying insects, the start of the sandflies.

Te Araroa 9/12/25

Day 79, Wellington to Picton (ferry) 

A beautiful bright sunny day with a calm sea for the crossing to the South Island.  

Leaving Island Bay South of Wellington 

I met the old gang again on the ferry and enjoyed breakfast with Owen and Ruby before joining SJ. Di and Daniella on the upper deck.

Ruby,Di and SJ

Daniella relaxing

Some good reminiscing and great views as we approached Picton.

Charlie had crossed the day before and was going on the boat to Ship Cove with Owen Ruby and Daniella soon after we landed.

Waikawa (part of Picton)

I don't expect to see them again as they all have a tighter time limit than I do.

SJ and Di on the front at Picton

SJ and Di are going to Ship Cove in the morning as I am, but on a different boat, so we may meet again.

Picton waterfront 

I did some shopping and dumped everything in the hostel, a fantastic place that I can thoroughly recommend, and wandered round the little town.

Atlantis Backpackers

Very touristy as you would expect for the main ferry port for the South Island but no tat and very clean and tidy.

Picton Christmas decorations 

I went to a little museum that has been set up to preserve the hull of the 'Edwin Fox' a sailing ship that was built in India and involved in various trades including taking emigrants to New Zealand, convicts to Australia, tea to the UK (known as a tea tub then not a tea clipper) as well as all the usual trade including guano.

The Edwin Fox

She is well rotted after being used as a refrigerator for NZ lamb and a coal hulk but did manage to be towed to her new home in a dry dock where she is being preserved, not restored.

A whale boat at the museum 

The excellent weather helped but it is a beautiful place, the Christmas decorations look very odd with the sunshine and people in tee shirts eating and drinking outside the cafes.

It's beautiful 😍 

I found another almost genuine Irish bar for a Guinness (or two) before returning to the hostel to make dinner and retire for the night.

I only went for the consultation