The trip starts at the beaches in the town of Kaiteriteri at around 8:30 am.
It's early yet, and ships are moored in the calm waters of the bay.
We paddle in the direction of North to South, so we take one of the many hireable water taxis to our starting point where our kayaks wait for us.
Welcome to Onetahuti Beach that lies on the edge of Abel Tasman National Park (land) and Tonga Island Marine Reserve (sea).
Our kayak paddles await our group of seven.
Today, I'm navigator in our 2-person kayak. My gear strapped to the top of the deck.
Our first sightings of wild New Zealand fur seals just 1km north of Onetahuti Beach. Here you can only see its fins sticking out.
This proud little seal looks at us humans with little concern, as it continues to bask in the sun on these rocks. We look on in awe from our kayaks.
Can you spot the seal on the rocks? If they sit very still, sometimes it's almost impossible to spot them without hearing them bark.
Our guide Stephen leads us into Shag harbour - a nice little shallow inlet protected from the open seas walls.
We duck under branches that hang low and close to the water.
Me and my kayak-partner Kevin.
Kevin is on a 15-month quest to travel the breadth of the world. Cheers, Kevin! Visit his site at http://www.worldwidekev.com
2 of our companions, Fiona and Dwayne hailing from Van Couver, Canada.
Cicadas create an eery ambience as they make they alien sounds from the forests, in the otherwise serene Shag Harbour.
We have lunch and a long break at a secluded beach, accessible only from the water, and that becomes very narrow as high-tide comes in.
Don't be fooled folks... this water is chilly! It may look like the Carribean, but don't forget how close New Zealand is to Antarctica!
Another typical Jude-self-portrait.
Underside of a starfish.
An alien-looking crustacean or mollusk? Looks like an ammonite.
Mussells..... yummmm.
A starfish that has enveloped itself around a snail... for purposes of dinner.
A plateful of seafood dinner, just waiting to be picked.
A baby starfish.
We setup camp and spend the evening here at Bark Bay.
The changes in water levels are so drastic here at Barks Bay. Pictured here is low tide, where the retreating water has left ripples in the sand and still planes of water on the beach.
Calm winds and the retreating tide leave reflective pools like these.
As water rushes out of the beach and back into the sea, some streams form and leave these sand-cliffs in-miniature.
Sand, water, ripples and sky.
This kind gentleman with his grandson are out on the beach on the hunt for some seafood appetizers - namely, crabs. The man's uncle owns the cabin by the beach. They offered for me to tag along and try to catch some crabs with a big iron rake and sack.
His grandson learns to pickup a crab from the back without being pinched. They are known to draw blood.
His grandson demonstrates... pick up from the back, just behind the claws.
Star trails with my best attempt to center on the southern point. You'll notice the sky rotates.
More star trails... this is a 15 minute exposure.
A failed 20-min exposure, fouled by hooligans with flashlights and a dying battery.
Sleeping soundly in my tent. (Just feigning sleep, for the shot.)
Group Photo! Pictured left-to-right: Jude (me), Kevin, Virginia, Bob, Fiona, Dwayne and Stephen.
More of Kevin's hijinx.
Yes, I am wearing a skirt! A spray-skirt, to keep the water out of the kayak cockpit.
On the second day, we break for lunch at Observation Beach.
Virgina and Bob (a lovely couple from Idaho, USA) kayak beside us, as we head for Adele Island.
Self-portrait of a bad-ass Jude. Today, I drive.
The water is so clear, you can see the ginormous boulders that we hover above with our kayaks.
Stephen approaches his favourite area of the route. We head for a narrow sliver of space right where his head is.
The Marlborough (mountain) Ranges just in the distance... about a 24-hour kayak ride away.
Another self-portrait.
Virginia leads the way.
Split Apple Rock - a big boulder halved by nature's forces.
Rounding the corner.
OK... just a few more kilometers to go... but this time, we're going sailing! Stephen explains how it will work... and how he's seen it gone very, very badly.
The outer-"navigators" (people in front) hold to the front/bottom of the make-shift sail. The middle-navigator holds together the 3-kayaks.
The outside-"drivers (people on the outside-back) hold the makeshift-masts (paddles) that pull the top of the sail. The middle-driver holds the backs together.
Combines the cooperation of 6 people, a sail and the wind... and you have SAILING! No Paddling for about 3km. Stephen (not pictured) holds on to our raft for a free ride.
