Length of the South - Day Nine

Go to:    Table of Contents      Previous Day     Technical notes

Route

Harvey Bay to Cape Stephens on D’urville Island via French Pass

Day 9 Map: Harvey Bay to French Pass
Day 9 Map: D'Urville Island

Distance: 80 (115)    Cumulative: 1,340 (1,375)

It’s a cool grey day as I polish off some cold porridge, quietly pack up and head west towards Archer’s Track about 7km away. All going well this will be the last day of the trip.

There’s a wee climb on the way to Penzance Bay then Archer’s Track: about 8km with a bit of up and down, a few rooty bits and dismounts required, but nothing dramatic. It passes through some nice bush, a secluded wee bay and some not-so-nice recovering forestry land, and ends with a long section of 4WD track, before popping out in someone’s driveway.

The track closes the loop between two arterial roads into the Sounds so is a kind of cool link for bikers, as it is unquestionably a massive shortcut. Penzance Bay is accessed via Opouri Road and Elaine Bay via Okiwi and the French Pass Road.

You've got to be envious of this!
One of the prettier sections of Archer’s track.

Bach in the bush. Somewhere around Deep Bay on Archer's track.

Near the end of Archer’s track. Elaine Bay at left, French Pass Road along ridge on skyline, Mt Shewell (775m) at back, Tawhitinui Island, Archer’s track runs above the shore to the right.

At 0915 hrs people in Elaine Bay are getting on with their days. I don’t see any shops so head on, and start the climb up to the French Pass Road, in what is again a hot sunny day. The road follows the backbone of the peninsula to Elmslie Bay where I intend to catch a boat across to D’Urville Island.

It’s sometimes a little unclear what “French Pass” is referring to so here’s my take: the wee settlement at Elmslie Bay is labelled ‘French Pass (Anaru)’ on the NZtopo map and the narrow passage between the island and mainland is labelled ‘Te Aumiti (French Pass).’ I never heard anyone use the Maori names.

The boat doesn't go through the narrowest part of the pass which is apparently fearsome in some tides as it has the fastest tidal flow in the country, but don’t take my word for it, Aunty Wiki has some pretty good info. Here’s another website that’s got some useful and interesting stuff including an explanation of the name Te Aumiti, it doesn't refer to the name ‘Anaru’.

Just after the Elaine Bay intersection I run into a couple of (clearly very fit) older bikers heading back to Okiwi Bay, a good wee step away and stop for a chat. They've grunted up from one of the many bays along the road and have a fair amount of up and down to look forward to. My direction follows the ridge with various ups and downs. It’s mostly gravel but sealed in the stretch down to Elmslie Bay.

About 12.5km after the intersection is the turn-off to Port Ligar on the right which takes you further north than French Pass along another peninsula – it could be well worth exploring albeit fairly hilly.

Mt Shewell and the peninsula out to Port Ligar. Hallam cove in front, Admiralty Bay to left.

Thereafter, the bare farmland of the Peninsula allows unimpeded views over the Sounds and out to D’Urville Island. There’s a bit of returning traffic with boats, some of which slow to minimise the dust.

First view of D’Urville Island. 
From French Pass Road, Te Aumiti visible on the right.

Closer to French Pass looking up the length of D’Urville Island.

After the final ripping downhill into Elmslie Bay it’s a bit before 1200 hrs. There’s a shop with fuel, a DoC campground , a backpackers (I think it was for sale) and rental homes in the area and on D’Urville Island. The shop provides a much needed ginger beer and phone card to contact Craig Aston the boat operator and the campground a top-up of water bottles (not great tasting water).

I track down Craig who turns out to be solid and matter of fact; he lives on the island but is in town so timing is perfect. Craig and Christine operate a few boats which can be used for access to the Island (including taking vehicles) and also have a holiday house for rent (website). The trip across is so short it’s a matter of minutes for him to scoot over and do a pick up. He quoted $75 each way for me and bike.

There are other options to get across including the Wilderness lodge that provides accommodation on the Island a water taxi service and amongst other things.

Boats on Admiralty Bay. 
From Anaru looking eastish, Port Ligar is behind the ridge.

The boat is a small flat bottomed barge with a bunch of fuel containers that we load up along with me and bike. The trip to Kapowai Bay doesn’t take long at all. We do a quick check to make sure my phone works at the end of the wharf (not all networks are created equal) and he potters off south to the bay where he lives. I reapply sunscreen and check that the bike looks like it will hold together for the final 35km and, with a bit of luck back again.

Leaving Anaru (or should that be Anaru leaving?). 
Ok, I look like a prat but it was a good shot of Craig. 
Campervan by my left ear marks the Doc campground, 
shop is behind my head, jetty by Craig’s shoulder.

It’s 1300 hrs and the gravel road starts climbing at a steady rate immediately. And keeps going up. The road is in good nick and there’s plenty of shadow from the bush so it’s not too bad in the heat. Kupe Road joins from the left after a little over 4km where the road flattens for a bit then the final climb to top-out after 8-9km at 570m (below Attempt Hill). Then it’s up and down until the Community Hall at about 12.5km on the right; it’s a large log building which can be booked for $50/night for one (better rates for more – Sue Savage takes bookings and offered to arrange key and payment via Craig; her number is on the Aston’s website ).

Peering inside, it has kitchen, shower, sleeping areas and a large communal space. More to the point, it has a rain water supply which tastes way better than the French Pass water (careful how you say that). I leave a small bag of non-essentials for pick up on the way back and push on.

Half a km later is the Port Hardy turn off on the left that provides access to a large part of the Island, definitely scope for a return visit. More down and up and the bush becomes low scrub as the road sidles around Mt Ears and, after a long downhill; bare farmland.

From Mt Ears looking north 
Rangitoto Islands on right, Stephens Island appearing from behind hill in the middle, 
Cape Stephens and the Sisters in the background, 
Road to Waiau Bay on hills to left with East Arm of Port Hardy just in front.

After a bit over 23km Waiau Bay Road heads off to the left and I continue on Patuki Rd, which starts to more and more resemble a farm access road. Eventually (28km) it dives east and down to the farm house. I had called earlier to arrange access so continue through a gate and along the ridge.
The trip started in a farm paddock at Slope Point and the final few km is up and down through more paddocks (with a fair amount of pushing in the baking heat). It becomes a bit of an endurance test with each corner revealing another lump to get over. Eventually a lone cabbage tree comes into sight, and I’m casting around for the track when it dawns that this is it.

First view of the end. 
Looking West at the Sisters on the right and down into Port Hardy on the left. 
The point in the distance is Nile Head at the end of Tower Ridge. 
Mt Woore (693m) on the horizon with Victory Island (Moutitit) in front of it.

The odo stands at 1,340km, it’s 1625 hrs and, like much of the trip, it's a scorcher.

There a couple of points you could go to on the Cape and call it the end but I choose the bit above the Bishop’s Cauldron with the Sisters Islands as a back drop: Te Wakaapani (closest and largest), Te Mokaiapani and Nga Tamahineapani. Stephen’s Island (made famous in weather reporting, as in; “Gale force Southerly winds and heavy rain from Stephen’s Island to Cape Campbell.”) lies to the northeast.   100km due east is the Kapiti Coast just south of Levin, 107km west is the coast south of Collingwood and Blenheim is 91km to the south.

I prop the bike and take a few snaps then scramble down to the edge of the cliff to sit and eat a celebratory tin of sardines.

She made it. Giant XTC2 legend with some landscape behind.

And he made it.
Hot, weary, dirty, scruffy and probably slightly smelly rider with some landscape behind.

Lunch and legs on ledge. 
Legs are covered in a paste of sunscreen and dust.

Although about 22 km shy of the northernmost point on the South Island (Cape Farewell at the base of Farewell Spit) and not actually part of the Island; this is where I was aiming. There’s a feeling of achievement and completion but, to be honest, the prospect of making the return trip in time to get off the Island that evening weighs on the mind.  But there's time for a thought for Ron Gilbert who traveled many of the routes I've been over on his motorbike years ago when they would have been quite a different proposition. I'd like to think he would have appreciated this account.

However, retracing the route is not so bad as the day cools, the only items of note are the traffic (1 car) and a fabulously long and fast downhill back to Kapowai Bay. I call Craig from the Wharf at 2010 hrs and to my relief he responds immediately.

Kapowai wharf - job done
Turner Peak (683m) in the background

It’s been a discourteously brief visit to the Island at seven and a half hours, but I’m pretty happy to chuck the bike into Craig's ‘other boat’ (smaller and faster), and rip across the still waters to Anaru.

Through the passage to the southwest the hazy air in Tasman Bay is bright with golden evening light. To the east and behind, the Sounds and D’Urville Island are dimming into evening. Minutes later I’m wrestling the bike up the slippery wharf steps, paying the ferryman and finding Sally who has entirely missed the triumphant return.

Well, I ‘spose that’s that then.

Stripping down the bike for the last time.

As we leave Anaru we pause briefly to catch the last sight of the setting sun.  It's sort of fitting seeing as the trip started with sunrise at Slope Point.

Looking south into Tasman Bay from French Pass

It’s a long drive back to Blenheim in the dark; a pie, a shower and fall into bed around midnight.

Tomorrow? Sleep, eat and do nothing ... except maybe wash the bike.

Go to:    Table of Contents      Previous Day     Technical notes