Length of the South - Day Nine

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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.

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Length of the South - Day Eight

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Route

Blenheim to Harvey Bay via Havelock and Nydia Track

Day 8 Map

Distance: 121    Cumulative: 1,260

A leisurely 0800 start, and rather than chug back to an arbitrary point on the Wairau Valley Road, I head straight from Blenheim for the Wakamarina track. This is likely to be the toughest day and I’m a bit spooked by the prospect of the grunt over the range with full kit. It’s overcast but the ubiquitous Blenheim wind hasn’t started yet. The range is shrouded in cloud, so hopefully cool up top and good for climbing.

People are getting about their business and traffic is relatively busy but the road shoulders are ok. Renwick is a little early for a food stop, even though the pies from the bakery have been pretty good in the past; an iced coffee is however always in order.

After crossing the Wairau death bridge (no concessions made for cyclists) the trip up Onamalutu Road is pleasant and I make a mental note to visit the Reserve one day, however I’m a bit uneasy about the level of forestry activity – chainsaws echo through the valley, trucks are coming and going and there’s lots of signs about access, radio call signs and such.

It is not until the end of the road that I see ‘Closed’ on a DoC Wakamarina Track sign – I continue a short way to check and sure enough Kiwi Road has fierce signs making it very clear that cyclists aren't welcome. There’s a fair amount of teeth grinding, and imprecations about the iniquities of DoC officers that don’t bother putting signs at the start of the road, as steps are retraced. To be fair, I discover that there was a sign on the side of North Bank Road (left going up valley) not long after the main road intersection that gives the status of various routes – I hadn't seen it and there was no indication on the Wakamarina sign at the North Bank / Onamalutu Rd intersection.

Oh well, plan B is to ignore the wasted 30km and head straight up SH 6 for a leisurely lunch with Sally at the Slip Inn in Havelock, and a few essential supplies from the shop. It also provides an opportunity to make some phone calls and arrange transport to and access on D’Urville Island.

A relatively new bridge across the Pelorus River has dramatically shortened the commute from Havelock to the Nydia track (or MTB trust website) to about 20km. The gravel road winds along the coast through bush with virtually no traffic. It’s a hot day again. Just before the turn off to the track about 1500 hrs (pretty easy to identify by the DoC signs) two trampers are heading back along the road. I suspect they’ll have a long walk without a lift. After that, I see no-one through the entire track.

Reports are that the Nydia Track is better from north to south and one of the best advanced rides around. I’m sweating hard within five minutes of leaving the southern road end, as the track commences the first 200m climb. This would be mostly rideable but not for me today. The track is good, and would be a ball in the opposite direction.

The track drops again and traverses some flat pine forest (all rideable) before diving upwards for the Kaiuma Saddle. I’m off and pushing again. Even without gear I would find much of this section tricky riding in either direction with a lot of rocky creek cuttings and outcrops to scramble around, in and out of. It becomes a bit of a bike wrangling mission with cussing attendant on the odd pedal/knee connection. It would be shades worst in the wet as the rocks are treacherously slippery to cleated shoes.

It’s about 1640 hrs when I wheel the bike into the saddle and take a break before an entertaining downhill into Nydia Bay. There’s a short stretch across farmland with a couple of stream crossings, before hitting the coastline with the choice of a DoC lodge to the right or private lodge, DoC campsite and continuation of the track to the left. It’s 1715 hrs so plenty of time to grunt over the next saddle, and onwards it is.

Nydia Bay. Nydia saddle on horizon. Track follows edge of bay on left.

Nydia Bay. Nydia saddle on horizon.

The track winds for about 5km along the bay through bush and past various cribs (to use the southern vernacular). All rideable and very pleasant. Then there is a grunt up the next saddle, but by 1920 hrs the long push is over and the Nydia Saddle provides views back across the bay to the Kaiuma Saddle in the distance. There are more kereru in the surrounding bush than I have ever seen in one place before.

There’s a fair amount of bike wrangling required
climbing Nydia Saddle.

Looking back across Nydia Bay to Kaiuma Saddle
(had to darken photo in order to pick up background details)

Another great fun downhill (again mostly rideable), then a long sidle around the coast, where I get a bit sick of beech tree roots across the track. It’s a bit after 2000 hrs when I hear voices and come to the road end and meet a family coming into Duncan Bay from a day’s fishing - a little over 5 hours on the track with some lovely riding. The bush throughout is gorgeous and with a little more time there would be plenty of scope to admire views across isolated bays, swim, and kick back at a campsite or lodge.

Less than 4km later I’m picking out a camping spot at the Harvey Bay DoC campsite . Nice enough with a loo, tap, stream and good choice of sites. There’s a mixed bag of tents and camper buses, but plenty of space for a biker looking for a tree to sleep under. The caretaker is in residence and takes my $6, I wash at the stream and roll out my bivvy bag. The occupants of a nearby tent keep yacking into the night but Dimp keeps the mozzies at bay, the evening is mild, and I’m content. Wekas and Moreporks call in the dark.

Home for the night. Everything got hung on a tree out of reach of kleptomaniac Wekas.

Options

There’s plenty of options depending on where you want to end up; the Wakamarina is unfinished business for me, the road to Havelock was just plan B; from Blenheim you could go around Port Underwood or through to Linkwater via the Waikakaho Walkway (check the Kennett’s book though – I’m not sure about doing it with gear on board). Queen Charlotte Track would be a good option for getting out into the Sounds although not as far north as French Pass.

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