Hector > Kohaihai DOC camp site (75km, 4h35)

Well, that’s the day to make a choice between to different ways. My first idea was to come back to Picton and miss the north west part of south island. I could go from Nelson, visit and cone back but with more time. So, I chose the second way, much harder, certainly more beautiful and with that way I will visit all the north west area. I’m going to do the Heaphy track. I’ve booked yesterday and I’m going to follow the west coast until the end of the sealed road. After that point, it will be hard and wonderful :-)

Map.

Level.

I had a great peaceful night and right this morning before I put the first feet on my pedal a guy coming from the opposite way stopped his motorbike and come to me. I was surprised but it was a adventurer like me ;-) he has been cycling all around Australia and starts his travel more than three years ago! He is travelling in NZ since few days and when he saw my set up, he stopped directly haha :-) He gave me some tricks about Australia, like snakes, spiders, heat… I’m more confident now to do it even if I won’t have time to go all around the continent. But anyway, I’m now front of a hill, 400m to climb and then I will co e back to the sea level as where I am now. Let’s go!

It’s now the beginning of Karamea bluff. I should reach the top in 2 hours I think.

45 Min later

Hey, finally it’s easier than I expected. I was riding beside the river 45 minutes ago :-)

It’s more clear from here…

Nice view from here :-)

The summit is there, I should arrived in 10 minutes Max.

35 km later

It’s nearly 12:30pm and I’m arriving to the first village : Little Wanganui.

I wanted to stop in the village but there was nothing so I kept going. But I’ve just found a access to the beach.

A good place to have my lunch :-)

Left view.

Right view.

Let’s continue :-) I’m full for a while and Karamea is 20km ahead. In about one hour, I will reach the last “city” of the west coast.
I’ve never take any picture of those birds but since I’m I knew Zealand I can see them every day. There are always in couple, always. And the male and the female has make a clearly distinguish sound. They seams to communicate each other by repeating every time the same word. I will make a video next time.

Then the curious cows :-)

Welcome to Paradise… of gay?

Karamea-meaaa!

Ah, not yet…

After the bridge. :-)

Oooh, colorful here. That’s the toilet place (from where I’m taking the picture).

I’m in the information centre because I changed the last place where I want to stop during the track. Then, the woman show me a flyer of a future new trail that New Zealand is going to build. And it’s especially for riders! “The Old Ghost Road”

It will be open for summer 2015.

Looks so great!

An old style hotel :-)

“For hundreds of years Karamea Estuary has been a home, a source of food and materials, and a link to the outside world. Early the Māori used the estuary as a summer camp along the pounamu (greenstone) trading route from AD 1500.

A trading vessel.

It used to be a train here.

Like this… And there is some part of the railway farther.

The first part of the visit is about the human history.

The track is following the ancient railway.

It used to be a bridge…

The city there is Karamea.

The second part is about the nature life. I’ve seen already the black birds when I was in (a look on my map) Opoutere in Coromandel :-)

This the estuary :-)

:-)

Yes, those birds again :-)

I’ve tried to get closer but they left.

The tide is coming up.

A foot print of the Tōrea Bird.


Finally I’ve decided to go to the DoC campsite. It’s only 15km. Tomorrow I will have 15km more the reach the first goal of the Heaphy track. I need time to prepare my bike!

On more sunset and it’s really nice to cycle during this time.

Behind me. It’s so great.

The last part is a gravel road but only for 4km. I will change my tires tomorrow.

I should be onto this kind of landscape for 4 days :-)

So great!

Roh, yes :-)

Kahurangi National Park. This the area I’m going to cross through the north!

When the moon met the sun.

One more sunset.

But there is this thick clouds layer on the horizon like 2 days ago.

I’m almost arrived :-)

Today left, tomorrow right!

Ready for the night :-) see ya!

One thought on “Hector > Kohaihai DOC camp site (75km, 4h35)

  1. Ah bah ! En Australie, avec les araignées et les serpents !!! Et tu vas y aller ?? Pas de camping sauvage là hein? Et d’ailleurs pas de camping du tout, ce serait encore mieux!

    C’était vraiment le drapeau gay ? c’est sûr, c’en étaient les couleurs. Il y a le mariage pour tous aussi en NZ ?

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