Category: Uncategorized

April 22, 2016

Peppers Awaroa Lodge was about a 10-minute walk from the beach, and we thought it might be fun to check it out and maybe get some coffee drinks.

As we headed down the path through a forest, it wasn’t long before we thought, “Who cares about the lodge–look at this scenery!” It was beautiful, full of birds, and as pretty as many of the hikes we’ve taken in New Zealand. What an unexpected treat!

The lodge itself was small but really nice, a modern design with a cozy feeling inside and a great patio outside. Whoever designed and decorated this place did an amazing job, creating an atmosphere that makes you wish you could have a house just like it.

We happily ordered cappuccinos from the bar and had a seat. I wish we’d know about this place last night; we would have come in for our anniversary dinner. It was only listed “cafe” in our guidebook, not “gorgeous little place not to be missed!” I guess Keith Murray and I have different priorities, but then again this place, as it is now, may not have existed when he wrote his guide book. –Cyndi

April 22, 2016

In spite of some sea debris, we found Awaroa to be a very lovely and appealing beach, with soft sand and lots of shells. The grassy embankment gave it the feeling of having sand dunes, and the very calm and clear water was like a lake. The whole scene was framed by the hills and mountains of the national park.

Below are a few photos of Awaroa Beach; click to enlarge/scroll.

It was really a special place, and I was so glad we’d returned. A wood ramp angled up to the start of a path that led to an eco resort, but out here on the beach it felt very much like being away from it all. –Cyndi

April 21, 2016

Pink sunset colors reflected off light rocks and white sand made for a pretty evening at our anchorage in Awaroa Bay. (Click to scroll/enlarge photos below)

April 21, 2016

After the water got bumpy in our Canoe Bay anchorage, we moved up and around the headland to a place we’d passed earlier in the day: Awaroa Bay.

The main feature here is the long, curving stretch of beach on this north-facing bay. Behind the beach are grassy hills, a large tidal inlet, and the mountains Abel Tasman National Park.

The best place to anchor is in an indent, almost a bay, on the west side of the headland. We pulled in, enjoying the flat calm water and the view of impressive Awaroa Beach. With native bush and pine trees, this anchorage was pretty but not as nice as other places we’d been. The beach, though, looked very enticing, making me glad we’d come back. Tomorrow we’d go explore it. Below, a few photos of our anchorage in Awaroa Bay. –Cyndi (Click to enlarge/scroll)

April 21, 2016

Canoe Bay wasn’t listed in our guidebook but instead was something Rich had spotted in the charts, and it looked very intriguing. It was around the corner from Awaroa Bay; so if we didn’t like the looks of it we could head back there.

As it turned out, we liked the looks of it quite a lot! It was a small cove at the foot of steep bush-covered hills. The water was shades of pastel teal and emerald, striking against the white sandstone rock formations and the sort of boulders that would appeal to fur seals. Although it faced east, a headland gave it protection from the afternoon wind. It seemed Rich had made a very nice find with this one!

After we anchored, we began to spot fur seal pups on the rocks. This was our cue to get out the wine and our special chairs and put on some music. It was so warm I was tempted to swim, but not tempted enough to actually do it. Instead we just relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon.

Later, we noticed the occasional wash from passing boats was becoming more frequent. Or was it wash? We soon realized that while we were protected from the easterly wind, some of its swell was starting to come in here. Reluctantly we decided to backtrack to Awaroa Bay. –Cyndi

Below, a gallery of photos from our little gem of a cove. (Click to enlarge and scroll.)