Theres gold in them hills

We caught a shuttle to the start of the Heaphy with grey skies surrounding the vibrantly green hills. Our driver was chatty and amiable as most bus drivers have been in NZ and tried to give us as much historical information on the region as possible. He explained the hills surrounding Golden Bay had once been heavily mined for gold and that the sleepy one block town of Collingwood had been slated to become the nations capital. However, alluvial gold sources were discovered further south and the main efforts to crush the gold out of the hard rock were abandoned, along with the plans for the capital. Today, the main industry of the area is dairy and the low lands are covered with a patchwork of pastoral dairy farms. The Arorere River threads its way between the pastures and as we ambled up the partially paved road, the driver explained that though it is an extremely volitle river and prone to flash floods, it harbors some of the best fishing in the area. The conversation quickly digressed into a discussion about the eels and their appearence on River Mosters...

The road lead to a dead end and the trail head after about 30 km and several small river crossings. We dawned our packs and hit the trail with the lightest of rain cooling our initial ascent. The Heaphy Track, like most of the great walks, is well built with good drainage, wide, smooth trails, and a consistent grade making walking very easy, almost monotonous. We quickly gained the intersection of a small side trail the branches off down to the Arorere, a one hour detour. The trail marker indicated there was fishing access. After some brief deliberation, we decided to split up, Aliyah we press on to camp (not more than 2 hours furhter up trail) while I descended to fish. It was well worth the detour. The first hole I came upon, a massive emerald pool visible from the Heaphy track some 600 meters above, had several large browns cruising around. A few minutes later and I had already hooked into the first fish of the day. It instantly darted for the depths, taking me well into my backing. Not wanting to break off again, I slowly coaxed this fish back, easing it to shore for a quick pic. I was shaking with excitement as and ready my rod for another cast.

I worked the upstreams sections and found another large brown in some fast water. This fish was holding in one spot lazily picking up anything that looked tastey. I tried a few attractor dries with nymph droppers... no takes. I went down in scale trying the timeless Adams... not interested. On one cast, my line got pulled down stream by a swift current and my fly began to drag across the lie. I thought that would be the end of my efforts for this fish as this same scenario had played out so many times on the Pelorus. To my surprise, instead of darting to the nearest hiding place this fish picked up chase and followed the fly all the way across the river, though never quite taking it. It tried the same fly several times, this time making it dance a bit. The fish was enticed several times but never took. Eventually it became disinterested. Since the fish seemed aggressive enough, why not try the mouse? I sent the mouse out and wiggled it back across the river. It looked desperate and adorable, treading water and trying to escape the rivers pull. As the mouse swung across the current in front of the trout, a large wake appeared behind the mouse, following it closely to the edge of the river. Then the fish dissappeared and my heart started pumping again. Next time...

I caught one more large brown and started back up the trail. I found Aliyah curled up in an empty shelter, reading. The next day we crossed the downs, an incredible alpine "meadow." I'm not really sure what else to call downs. They aren't above tree line but are alpine plains donimated by tussock and tend to be a bit boggy. Small hills within the downs and tree-covered and look like islands in a sea of tussock. We stayed at a quaint and empty hut with an antique stone fireplace. Since we've been on the trail we have seen about 5 people and stay the night with zero. For a great walk, this place is deserted.

The nest day we awoke to grey skys, a steady but light rain, and driving wind. Portions of the trail were reduced to small rivers and dryness was a bad joke. Our conversations lead our minds to other things this day, warm places, comfort foods, etc. One of the main foods we craved were hot, fresh dougnuts and we shared childhood memories of such food. Upon reaching our hut we found place had been kept piping hot my an older couple from the Neatherlands who were taking a rest day. Like wet rats we huddled around the stove, stinky dripping clothes hung from every corners. Soon more wet rats poured in and hut started to feel full. The following morning we were greated by blue skies and a view that reached all the way to the beach and the Heaphy lagoon that awaited us 20 km away.

The Heaphy hut, a brand new hut opened just days before we arrived, felt more like a remote hotel than a "hut." The porch and veranda overlooked the lagoon and river mouth, granting beautiful views of palm-lined sun sets. Ah, paradise.

The last day was again sunny again. All that was left was a 16 km trail following the beaches. Pounding surf was our constant companion on this stint. After leaving the trail and booking a bed in the nearest town, we hit the pub. To our disbelief, it had a doughnut on the menu! Along with fish and chips, potato wedges, calamari, and other grease soaked food, the fryers also produced a hot, fresh doughnut rolled in suger and cinnamon with a little scoop of icecream. Life is too good sometimes.

Sunset on Rocks Hut (End of Pelorus Track)

Alpine crossing in the Richmond mineral belt (Pelorus End to Nelson)

The smaller of the two Arorere browns caught on the Heaphy Track

Heaphy Track views

The downs behind us

Downs hut

Morning weather through hut window

A newly built swing bridge

A massive tree dwarfing the Nikau palms

Heaphy hut view

Heaphy hut

We came from up there! There is a tiny dot on the farthest hill, that was our previous day's hut.

Aliyah was ecstatic when we got to the beach.

Powelliphanta snail found on the track. It retracted in fear.

The last 16 km of the Heaphy track.