Category Archives: Youtube Video

39. Milford Track, Day 4

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Dumpling – Sandfly Point (22.1 km)
Steamers Beach (see March 6, 2013)
Wednesday, March 13: Some low cloud at first, clearing with dramatic cloud patches left behind. In Te Anau hot
GPS Tour
Youtube video
Mackay Falls, exposure bracket

Mackay Falls, exposure bracket

A few were up from 6:30 onwards, and Andrea & Kobi seemed to have difficulty getting up at their 6:45 target; but in any case I had enjoyed a restful night’s sleep and was pretty much ready to go. Only Franklin had started snoring once, but I woke him and got him to turn on his side; and the Belgian guy did snore very softly and it was over when he turned. The Israeli guys were impeccable. All in all we were about 95% snore-free which, for an impromptu revolt, was not bad. Continue reading →

38. Milford Track, Day 3

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Mintaro – Dumpling Hut (18.5 km)
Tuesday, March 12: Some low cloud at first, afterwards sunny throughout
GPS Tour
Youtube video
Fog blankets the Clinton Valley in the early morning

Fog blankets the Clinton Valley in the early morning

The republic of non-snorers had its first success last night; except for one snorer who had slipped in, and Mark who snored a little around 6:00, we were 90% or more snore-free.

So the wake-up call was just after 6:00 when people started to congregate in the kitchen. Had my breakfast and let most people leave before me, before brushing my teeth and sending an OK with the spot. Just after a couple of posh hikers arrived to check out our digs, I took off up the track. Continue reading →

37. Milford Track, Day 2

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Clinton – Mintaro Hut (20.6 km), excursion to Mackinnon Pass (8.0 km)
Monday, March 11: Cloudy at first, with a few drops of rain, later mainly sunny with a few clouds
GPS Tour
Youtube Video
Whio (“blue duck” – Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) wading in the Clinton River

Whio (“blue duck” – Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) wading in the Clinton River

Was up at 6:00 – surprisingly snore-free night, although the other hut had copped more than its share of snorers – and had breakfast with Alissa (student of landscape architecture) before most people were out and about. Packed up my stuff and was away just after 8:00, after sending an OK with the spot tracker & getting a satellite fix for the GPS. First partner was Franklin (engineer from New York) and then we caught up with Alissa who was visiting all of the ponds. Lots of shots of robins playing around and saw a whio flying at a pool @ 4 miles. Continue reading →

36. Milford Track, Day 1

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Glade Wharf – Clinton Hut (7.1 km)
Sunday, March 10: Cloud at first, then mainly sunny apart from one cloudy period
GPS Tour
Youtube Video
Bridge over the River Clinton at Glade Lodge

Bridge over the River Clinton at Glade Lodge

Up at 7:30, which was cutting it fairly fine, especially after the cooked breakfast of baked beans from some abandoned food and fried eggs took about twice as long to prepare as it should have, due to the defective can opener. Continue reading →

35. Kepler Track Walk-On

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Kepler Track: Te Anau – snowline and back: 29.6 km
Steamers Beach
Saturday, March 9: Cloudy at first, clearing, with a weaker wind
GPS Tour
Youtube Video
Lake Te Anau redux. Tree on the right has taken a bit of a hit, and the perspective has changed a little, but eminently recognisable

Lake Te Anau redux. Tree on the right has taken a bit of a hit, and the perspective has changed a little, but eminently recognisable

Consulting the maps this morning revealed that the row to the Monument might take longer than expected, so I chose the Kepler Walk-On instead, meaning to go all the way from Te Anau as far as I could, but starting as early as possible, rather than at one in the afternoon. Went to the DoC, booked my transfers and picked up my tickets for the Milford Track tomorrow, and was ready to go by 10:00.

On the way to the control point I teamed up with a young Japanese nurse, Yoya, and got on well with her for the rest of the day. Continue reading →

28. Abel Tasman Coastal Track 4 – Marahau (water taxi) – Murchison

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Whariwharangi – Totaranui (12.1 km)
Riverview Holiday Park, Riverview Rd, Murchison. $25 (+ $4 for a shower) for single standard cabin, required bedding
Saturday, March 2: Cloudy at first, increasing into the afternoon & then becoming fine
GPS Tour
Youtube Video

The first signs of dawn activity were at about 7:00, which was early enough. I got all the rest of my things together and was ready to go by 8:30. Robin and Shirley were off to their carpark and then to the Heaphy (70 L packs, they must have been carrying everything), and as Will & Kelly were going over Gibbs Hill, I asked them to keep an eye out for my tripod adapter. Then all set to work on their tracks. Continue reading →

27. Abel Tasman Coastal Track 3

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Awaroa – Whariwharangi (17.8 km)
Friday, March 1: Cloudy at first, clouding over then clearing in the course of the afternoon
GPS Tour
Youtube Video

Alarms went off on the dot of 6:00 and as I had gotten some sleep due to the relative paucity of snorers I was up fairly soon after the first ones.

Awaroa Crossing in the early morning

Awaroa Crossing in the early morning

The estuary was fairly clear of water and a number of people were already on their way across by the time I was ready to go, including some people going down the estuary to look for an easier passage (rather than up which would have been more promising). Continue reading →

26. Abel Tasman Coastal Track 2

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Bark Bay – Awaroa (14.2 km)
Thursday, February 28: Sunny all the day, a couple of clouds in the afternoon
GPS Tour
Youtube Video 1, Videos 2 & 3

Was awoken by some giggle girls at around 6:30 who were throwing billies around. Had my breakfast, washed and was keeping an eye on the lagoon to see when water might be entering it. A girl asked to use my gas can which I gave her; then I discovered an abandoned one on one of the aluminium benches, which we swapped when she returned mine. Packed up all my stuff except the camera and then headed across the still dry lagoon for today’s shoot. Continue reading →

25. Abel Tasman Coastal Track 1

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Marahau – Bark Bay (26.1 km)
Wednesday, February 27: Cloudy in the morning with a touch of drizzle, becoming clear and sunny in the course of the day
GPS Tour
Youtube Video

Was up before 7:00 to shower and pack what remained. Breakfast was unusually well populated today, and I left behind what remained of milk and bread.

Then it was time to collect the key deposit and get on the road to Marahau. Fairly slow going because of the built-up areas, and going the other way was rush hour into town and long queues. Stopped off at a supermarket in Motueka for some odd supplies and arrived in Marahau just before 10:00 at the place I had chosen for the water taxi back, bought my ticket, parked the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the long term carpark, and started walking pretty much on the dot of 10:00. Continue reading →

12. North-West Circuit 5

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Long Harry – East Ruggedy, 9.9 km
Thursday, February 14: Rainy and windy overnight, a couple of light showers during the day
GPS Tour
Youtube video
East Ruggedy Beach and Sand Dunes. Hand-held panorama

East Ruggedy Beach and Sand Dunes. Hand-held panorama

Slept in until 8:30 this morning and quickly had breakfast and was packed and underway. Long Harry Hut has moved from its position on the old map to a position more to the east. From approximately its old site I could see the new hut but was unable to photograph it, as the camera was packed into the rucksack (as was most other stuff because of the rain). Continue reading →