Hollyford, Martin's Bay Spit, April 2016

Day three on the Hollyford ...Today it was time to explore Martin’s Bay Spit, a famous landmark separating the powerful Tasman Sea from the Hollyford Valley, and a coastal landscape that’s a world away from the previous days. We travelled by jetboat to the Spit. The day was initially very cold, wet and felt a little like we were on the north pole! Most keep on their lifejackets to protect themselves from the freezing wind. Kahu our guide talked about lifestyle of the early Māori and their pounamu trails that pass through the valley. This was also a chance to explore the isolated beach and sand dunes giving some of us the chance to reflect on this intrepid journey. We also visited the site of the MacKenzie house. We stood under the most incredible macrocarpa tree, and listened to the stories of the families of old. The tree was teaming with birds in full song. After a walk along the beach we returned to Martins Bay Lodge for lunch.