A Golden Day in Golden Bay

Real-time

I still have another 2-3 blogs from our time at Pakawau to do but I thought I'd post this one now to let you know it'll be my last blog for a week or so- we're moving tomorrow to an area that has limited internet so it'll be a good opportunity for me to take a wee break.....providing the weather stays warm and sunny like it has done for the last two days.

We've been parked at the NZMCA Park at Port Tarakohe in Pohara, near Takaka, for the last two days. There was a POP here the last time we passed through, although we actually stayed at the Top10 Holiday Park back along the road. The park is overlooked by old Port Golden Bay cement silos from the long abandoned cement works. 

It's a great site overlooking the harbour and Golden Bay beyond. The only problem is it's very boggy underfoot because of all the rain we've had lately. There's a patch of gravel in the centre and that's where most of the arriving vans have been parking up. Not us! We don't mind a bit of mud (and a bit of space).

I said the only problem was the boggy ground but actually that isn't quite right. There's a short-term problem on the wharf opposite; trucks are arriving on a regular basis loaded to the gunwales with huge rocks which are then dumped in a pile on the wharf- they must be for a seawall somewhere. There's a massive crash and a huge thump as they up-end the trailers which gives you a hell of a fright when you're not expecting it. And then the bulldozer moves in; scraping, pushing and tumbling them into a row. 

The best bit is that they start at 6am and don't finish until 6pm! Though I can report that after a few hours of rumbles you suddenly don't hear them anymore....until they startle you awake again the next morning. It actually doesn't worry us too much, we've got used to so many different sounds while we've been on the road, nothing fazes us now. But I bet those on limited holiday time have silently cursed them.

ETA- a local FB friend has told me that the rocks are actually being barged across the Strait to Wellington and are for use on the new Transmission Gully motorway; a 2+ year project so the noise is going to around for awhile yet!

I walked to end of the breakwater last night to catch the sunset but it had been such a brilliant blue sky day that there was nothing to write home about. I'm not complaining though, it was so nice to see the sun, and to have a bit of heat in the day. And such a peaceful way to end the day.

I checked out the Little Blue Penguin nesting boxes hidden in amongst the rocks along the way; I wasn't wanting to disturb them by scrambling about the boulders. I didn't need to. I could smell the ones that were occupied. Poo what a pong!

Since I was already awake, courtesy of the rock dumping this morning, I walked back to the end of the breakwater again to see if the sunrise was any better and to watch the fishing boats leave for the day. This one's from the mussel farm just out in the bay.

Sunrise was nothing spectacular either but it was going to be another stunning day. I waited awhile watching the sky lighten as the sun rose, hidden behind the rocky outcrop at the back of the harbour. 

And then this afternoon I took a little tiki-tour up the road, I've taken photos along this stretch of coastline during our last visit but I'm always keen to revisit places and see them in different lights and seasons. This is Tata Beach- the last time I visited here it was well before dawn, I'd come to see the Spitting Shags.

Tata Beach from the top of the road with the Port Tarakohe breakwaters in the background.

And just over the hill from Tata is beautiful Wainui Bay and the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park.  Can you see the two people exploring the sandflats. 

I headed back to camp stopping to take a photo of the 'hole in the rock' near the the harbour. And look who's taking centre stage, our happy little home 'Out There'. As a matter of interest, tomorrow, October 4th, marks our 4th year on the road, we've certainly found ourselves parked in some very interesting places. Here's the blog from that day- Shell Shocked.

And that's it for a few days, here's hoping for some good weather! See you soon.