I am thrilled to kayak the first stretch of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track with Kayak Abel Tasman.

This company offers half-day, full-day, and multi-day trips around the area. My plan is to do a half-day trip on kayak and then continue on foot for about three hours from Watering Cove (near Anchorage) to Bark Bay, where I will spend the night in a hut. Tomorrow I’ll continue hiking around 4 hours to Awaroa. Here’s a map of the area:

(image via)

Let’s get this kayak party started! I put on a kayak skirt that will keep water from splashing into the boat.

This is our guide Ketter. She is fantastic.

And the company has waterproof boxes for our cameras; there’s even big boxes for my DSLR. They sit right in front of us and are easily accessible during the voyage.

Here’s me and Ketter (and my GoPro, which upstages me anytime I pose for photos and forget I’m wearing it).

And here is a very lovely couple from London. They’re honeymooning in New Zealand and have signed on for a full-day kayak trip.

These birds are Variable Oystercatchers.

That’s Adele Island in the background. We’re headed there to circle the island, scout out birds, and play with baby sea lions.

I believe these are shag birds.

Hey there big fella!

These red blossoms grow on the Pohutukawa tree, which is better known was the New Zealand Christmas Tree.

This gentleman is a professional birdwatcher in the U.K. (my parents would like his job) and he’s thrilled at the variety of aviary species on Adele Island.

That’s a blue heron above on the right.

And then we enter a bay full of BABY SEA LIONS. It’s magical.

Are you kidding me?!?

Those big eyes…!

Two adult female sea lions play around the corner. Ketter explains that they have tough lives taking care of the young pups while the adult males are away. And the females are often perpetually pregnant, finding themselves in that condition again a mere two weeks after delivering pups. Yikes.

This rock strongly resembles the kiwi bird.

We dock for lunch.

Ketter prepares chicken wraps, kumara salad, coffee, and chocolate cake (!).

And then Ketter very kindly sends me off with extra chocolate cake for my hike. It’ll make a nice pick-me-up later this afternoon.

I say good-bye to Ketter and my new kayak friends and begin the 3-hour walk to Bark Bay.

I’m thrilled I got the chance to kayak in Abel Tasman National Park — it’s one thing to see the area on foot and another to get perspective from sea. And Adele Island is the perfect place to explore coastal wildlife.

Here’s a video I put together of my kayak trip:

Many thanks to Kayak Abel Tasman for hosting my trip! Opinions, as always, are my own.