New Zealand 2017 - Day 4

Sunday, Feb 19 - Den and Wen hiked the Banks Peninsula Track (or at least some of it):

Because I did not do "Map My Walk", this track is from the internet. The Banks Peninsula Track is 35 km, and is offered for 4 days (or 2 days, for those CRAZY people who just don't know when to quit). We signed up for four days, beginning Sunday Feb 19, and ending Wednesday Feb 22.

After church at St. Peter's:

John (owner of the Blythcliffe) gave us a ride to the start of the Track:

Day 1 is an 11 kilometer hike from Onuku to Flea Bay, which is supposed to take 4-6 hours:

There are three parts: a big up-hill from 200 m to 699m (656 feet to 2293 feet), with beautiful views back down to Akaroa Bay, then a traverse across a ridge area:

then a descent down through a rain forest to Flea Bay:


Starting around 11:15, we head UP (another hiker passed us) under scattered cloudy skies:




Time for lunch!


As we got higher it got more cloudy and windy:


It took us 2 hours 20 minutes to get to the summit.

Down a road (not much views in the rain/fog), through a field, and into the RAIN FOREST:


I saw a couple of pretty waterfalls:


but it was VERY SLOW GOING - slick rocks, muddy path - you had to watch EVERY STEP.

Eventually (5:12 - 6 hours after starting) we got our first view of Flea Bay!!:


I found our final waterfall:

and we headed down the valley to Flea Bay, saying hi to a couple of friends on the way:

Looking back up the valley:

and down the valley:


Resting at the hut, 6:23 - 7 hours after starting:


The beach at Flea Bay is gorgeous:

and the view out the Bay is wonderful:


This hike was a bit too much for Wendy, so she has decided to get a ride back to Akaroa tomorrow afternoon with the penguin reserve worker (she said "But you keep going on - you did not even break a sweat!"). I agree with that decision, and I was a little surprised how little dissent there was among the other hikers - they felt that today's was a somewhat Killer Hike ("But the next couple of days are supposed to be easier!" - Ha Ha - just you wait) I will continue with the rest of this on my own... Thank you God for This Great Adventure!