Te Araroa – Day 35

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Picton to Black Rock Campground

25.7 miles

Mile 1075.5

Margo hooked me up with a ride back to Picton, where I said farewell before heading over to Beachcombers Water Taxi. Here I booked transportation to Ship Cove, the northern terminus of the TA on the South Island.

By 8:00 I was cruising towards Ship Cove with a handful of tourists out for day hikes.

Just past 9:00 AM I’d reached my destination, debarking the boat to begin my trek of the Queen Charlotte Track.

Right off the back things got incredibly scenic. The trail headed south along a peninsula, offering sweeping views of islands and coves.

As the day progressed the views continued to impress. I’m already a big fan of the South Island!

In the afternoon I passed Bay of Many Coves Shelter, where I stopped for water before pushing on.

At 7:00 PM I reached Black Rock Campground, where I stopped for the night.

While munching down dinner this dang Weka wouldn’t leave me alone! Clearly people have been feeding him…

Cheers!

10 thoughts on “Te Araroa – Day 35”

  1. Wow, looks like S Island is the real deal.

    Off to Asia – any thoughts about Himalaya trekking?

    The Sierra are getting hammered – spring alpine conditions are gonna rock.

      • Go to Nepal. You’ll love it. My wife and I went in 2003 and did a (very) small part of the Annapurna Circuit out of Pokhara. The views are amazing, and the people are warm and friendly.

        While in SE Asia, if you happen to go to Cambodia, don’t go off trail. Land mines are still a problem.

        • That’s awesome! I’m going to try to get up there. Looks like plane tickets from Bangkok to Kathmandu are pretty reasonable.

          And thanks for the tip!

  2. So good to catch up. This is clearly paradise and why would people leave?
    You appear to be on course and I’m very impressed how you handle time, ferry schedules, and planning ahead with provisions. You have found your passion and you sure seem to be good at it.
    We will see you in April if you make it out of Thailand 😉
    Be careful and don’t talk to strangers. Lv u Gram

    • Everything has been working out quite nicely. I’m digging the South Island so far, much less road walking. See you in a few months!

  3. Hey my friend… I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Bangkok and north of there in Phra Phuttabat for work. I love Thailand. Ive been there 4 times recently. Let me know if you want to chat.

  4. That weka is trouble. He stole a bag of trail mix, a chocolate bar, and someone’s first aid kit when we were there. Watch out for the wekas on the South Island!

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