Day 15: The Prettiest Day… So Far

October 25, 2019

Helena Ridge Track Campsite to Wolleys Bay Campsite

kilometers: 297.8- 323.8

We woke up with dry tents this morning! I cannot emphasize how much of a relief this was. We have been walking up with wet rain flys the last few days from condensation and waiting for them to dry enough to pack adds even more time to the morning.

Alex and I had to eat our makeshift breakfast this morning as we somehow grossly miscounted how many breakfast bars we would need for this section. We ended up eating one bar each with a garlic pita and a spoonful of peanut butter.

We were off from camp before 8:00am this morning with a rough few kilometers ahead of us. From our campsite, we went straight uphill to start the morning and were greeted with an amazing few of the still rising sun cascading over the hillside.

Early morning sunrise just outside of camp

Despite it being a little chilly outside, we powered through the first three kilometers of the day. We quickly found ourselves at the entrance for the Moreport Track, a forest section I was dreading. The track was only four kilometers long but the last two featured significant elevation changes. We breezed through the flat section and found ourselves facing a 170 meter drop over just one kilometer. It was incredibly steep with few switchbacks, slips were inevitable. When I reached the bottom, I found Alex, Charlie, Peter, and Phillip waiting for me.

Alex and I in high spirits before the climb

Following our descent, we had a 180 meter climb in just a kilometer. The climb was extremely steep but we powered through and reached the top in just about 20 minutes. We were treated with the first of many, absolutely spectacular ocean views of the day.

From the top, we made our way back down to sea level, this time a bit more gradually. The trail did feature some sections which were incredibly narrow but fresh stairs had been cut into the dirt allowing for better grip. At the bottom of the track, we finally met up with a road which took us the remaining six kilometers to the small town of Whananaki.

In Whananaki, we stopped at the general store for a small resupply and lunch. All five of us had fish & chips which were really good despite not having any sauce to accompany them. Alex and I also restocked on breakfast bars and added a few more items for lunch. We have noticed the past few days that we are getting increasingly hungry and our breakfasts and lunches are no longer sufficient.

After a much needed break, we set off for our campsite. We first crossed the Whananaki Estuary. The estuary is home to the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere spanning 394 meters.

Once we reached the other side, we stayed straight on the road and eventually met back up with the beach. We decided to beach walk to avoid going on the 4x4 track. Our plan backfired rather quickly as the beach ran out within a kilometer and the trail was nowhere in sight. After a quick scramble through some brush and over a rocky ledge, we found our way back to the 4x4 track. The track would end up being the highlight of our trip to this point. We followed the track for a few kilometers around tall bluffs and inlets and were treated to breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.

The color of the water varied from the deepest shades of blue to almost a green with the most inviting pools to swim in.

We got to camp around 3:30pm and immediately went to the ocean to clean ourselves off. To say the water was cold would be an understatement. To only further the cold, the campsite was immensely windy meaning the air drying was fast but miserable.

We set up our tents in a very small marked camping area despite the campground being huge. Multiple campers pulled up and parked near our tents.

We played cards for a short bit before grey clouds rolled over the mountains. Unsure of the weather, we decided to go ahead and eat another early dinner. We had chicken rice and Mexican rice cooked with the spicy salami and garlic pitas. I thought the meal was really satisfying, especially after what ended up feeling like a really long day. The combo of the Mexican rice and spicy salami was a bit spicy for Alex’s taste.

We turned in before 7:00pm for the second night in a row.

Tomorrow we will have a pair of estuary crossings, one of them we will have to do by boat somehow. It should make for a very interesting day.

-Ethan