Picture this - brilliant blue seas, perfect half moons of golden sand backed by vibrant green forest, the gentle slap of waves on canoe and paddle - this is kayaking in the sub-tropical national park of Abel Tasman, at the top of New Zealand's South Island.
We hired a kayak and tent and a water taxi whizzed us up the coast and dropped us off at a sandy beach. This meant we would be paddling with the wind and current, rather than against it, which proved to be a good choice as the breeze was creating quite a swell. When the taxi left it did feel a little bit daunting as we had chosen to go alone rather than as a group. Our route took us down the coast, past islands and bays. the water was so clear we could watch a blue penguin as it swam near us. We paddled past fur seals and their pups sunbathing on the rocks. At times the paddling was quite energetic and a bit nervewracking in sideways waves, fortunately we managed to stay upright and keep all our stuff dry.
There are a number of bays where you can camp, going to sleep after fabulous sunsets and waking to perfect sunrises. swimming in the morning in warm, clear water. So peaceful, so calm and in the middle of nature, this was a really special experience which we both loved.
