April 19, 2016
Technically, this was the start of our cruise in Abel Tasman National Park, but at this point we were actually in a different area: Golden Bay.
Golden Bay is very unique and not really representative of the national park area. It’s a big shallow body of water protected by the long-reaching arm of the Farewell Spit. As a result, Golden Bay has fairly flat water, making it popular with water skiers. On land, tall mountain ranges stretch across the horizon, but all along the shore are low-lying valleys, river estuaries, and flatlands. This is farmland, sparsely populated with small towns dotted along the highway.
In spite of the many miles of shoreline, Golden Bay’s nicest beaches–Tata Beach and Liger Bay–are both clustered at the south end of the bay near the Tata Islands. The islands themselves are small and probably made of limestone, with steep white sides and flat tops covered with bushy green vegetation.
In all, we wouldn’t call Golden Bay one of the more beautiful places we’ve seen. The colors of the landscape are less vibrant, the beaches more brownish, the vegetation more dry, and a light marine haze filters the distant views. But it was unusual and interesting to see, and the Tata Islands are a haven for seabirds.
Below, a few photos of the area from our anchorage. Click to enlarge and scroll. –Cyndi
