Oh, It’s A Tough Life….

Takaka Hill Summit looking down to Upper Takaka & across to Golden Bay

After a slow climb up and a steady drive down the horrendously winding road over the Takaka Hill we have arrived in the beautiful Golden Bay and settled into another all but deserted, beachside holiday park, the Pohara Top 10 where we were once again told to set up camp “wherever you like”.

A quick explore along the road revealed another memory from Mum & Dads’ home movie, the one they took on their South Island tour with friends over 45 years ago (mentioned at the end of this post); the hole in the rock at Port Golden Bay. This car should be a grey & red Austin Cambridge and there should be a few arms waving out the windows as it drives by.

But there was no sign of the “long drop” (outhouse) that featured in the movie just after the hole in the rock. It had us kids in fits of giggles whenever we watched the movie. It was positioned over a big crevice in the rocks on the edge of the water and emptied into sea below. I have a feeling it was located on the rocks beside the Abel Tasman Memorial. I shall have to ask some locals.

Port Golden Bay cement silos from the long ago abandoned cement works. The road through the hole in the rock is located in the dark patch to the right of the point.

The marina at Tarakohe Harbour, Port Golden Bay.