Wharariki Beach

This trip started out because of a Grab-One offer for a 4-wheel drive trip to the lighthouse on Farewell Spit. We left Blenheim on Thursday and were scheduled for the tour on Saturday. We found out late Friday that the trip was cancelled because the lagoon was flood and we couldn't get across to the spit. Disappointed yes but we pushed on because there were still a lot of things to do in the Golden Bay area (http://www.goldenbaynz.co.nz/).

We drove out to Wharariki Beach. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, a lot of points of interest in New Zealand are only reached by hiking in. This beach was no different. The drive to the car park was on unpaved road for a good portion (another common thing here). The signage said the walk to the beach was about 30 minutes. We started up the hill (with Ernie commenting that everything is always uphill) and came to the first stile on the trek. After crossing that, we followed the narrow path on the side of the very high hill and noted that it was just us and the sheep. Crossed another stile and were now on the side of the hills facing the dunes and the beach. Of course that now meant that we were walking in sand - not the hard packed sand one finds near the water but the loose sand like on sand dunes thus making walking harder. We tramped our way up the hill and we finally awarded with a view of the beach and the sand dunes. It was amazing. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story:

Gravel roads

A fresh Ernie at the first stile.

Narrow path on a high hill - a slip would have been dangerous!

Just us and the sheep!

I hate soft sand!

Did I say that I hate soft sand - and steep hills!

Our first view of the ocean and the beach

That's a rock in the water and what appears to be rocks in the center and right side of the photo are actually sand dunes.

More sand dunes

Not exactly a friendly looking sea!

A great silhouette of Ernie!

Little birdie feet in the sand

Ernie doesn't look so fresh at the end of the trek to the beach and walking the beach for a while. Unfortunately, we still have to walk back to the car park. So sorry Ernie!