Day 19: Abel Tasman National Park
We got up with the sun and booked it toward Abel Tasman – good thing too – when we arrived at 8:30AM, we were just in time for the safety instruction for a day-long, self-guided kayak/hike tour.
Up with the sun & on the water for breakfast
While the rest of the kayakers were hugging the coastline, Igor wanted us to go off on our own (of course) – so we paddled around the outside of Adele Island and found a seal colony with about half a dozen very active seal pups!
Baby seals!!!
Seal-cuteness overload!
Adele Island – home to a seal colony in Abel Tasman Park
As we pulled into the bay, we found a secluded beach to have lunch. After a nice break in the sun, we finished the first half of our journey by pulling our kayak up on the shore at Anchorage Beach.
Kayaking to a secluded beach in Abel Tasman for lunch
We had a 4-hour hike through the (cold & dark) forest to the Abel Tasman Trailhead. While it was very pretty scenery, Lindsay was not appropriately dressed, so she was very happy to get out of the woods and find a RV park for a hot shower, and a warm dinner.
Leaving our kayak at Anchorage Beach
Lindsay was too excited for sunny weather – she had to borrow Igor’s sweater by the end of the hike through the shaded forest
Breath-taking views through the trees – Adele Island in the distance