The day began slowly, then we started the drive back towards Nelson. After renegotiating the drive out of Abel Tasman National Park, we first went to visit a small area called The Grove near Takaka.
It is an area of strange boulder and rock formations, overgrown with ferns and trees of all descriptions. It was quite surprising as we ventured further in, and even included a lookout point over the valley, reached via a remarkably small gap in the rocks.
Next stop was the walk to the Rawhiti caves, also near Takaka. The first part was easy enough, a gentle trail following the creek bed. Then after about 20 minutes of walking the trail started to climb the side of the gorge. 25 mins later, completely exhausted, we arrived at the caves. It was well worth the climb!
The cave is a hollow hole in the side of the gorge, full of stalactites and stalagmites, but of a very particular type. As they are growing near light mosses and ferns grow on them on the light side. These in turn get covered with the calcium rich water, and become part of the stalactite. Thus they grow in a bend, towards the light.
Along the way we also came across this fascinating example of a dead tree trunk from one of the fern type trees.
We drove back over the Takaka Hill, then down into Mapua, where we visited a winery, then a brewery, before finally arriving at our chosen campsite for the night, close to the beach by Tasman Bay.
There are rabbits all around the site, which is surprising large for a very cheap site run by the Tasman District Council. There are also Tui birds in the trees', but they are very difficult to get a photo of!
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