New Zealand 2023: Karamea to Kohaihai; Heaphy Track Day 5

As we had yet to pack our backpacks, we got up shortly after 6am. It didn't take too long to organize our packs as we were only hiking for two days and didn't need much food. The start of the Heaphy Track at this end was only a 14 km drive from where we were staying and we started walking just after 9am. There was no rain in the forecast and the weather was indeed fine, with a temperature in the low twenties and cloud.

The track from Kohaihai campsite to the Heaphy hut totals about 16.5 kms. Even though it is less than any of the other days on the Heaphy Track, there are more and steeper up and down sections than on the other days, be it that they are fairly short up and down sections. The trail is well above the high water line, often in the trees, but even so there are warnings in places that under extreme conditions waves may come over the (lower parts of the) path. Luckily conditions were not extreme. The coastal area there is known for the nikau palm, the only native New Zealand palm tree, and they are abundant along the track and coast. We ran into a New Zealand lady who was just on a morning walk on the first part of the trail, and when Don asked whether this palm tree had coconuts she told us story about how the tree got its name. According to the story "Ni" means "without" and "kau" means "nut" (i.e. coconut).

We reached the hut at around 2:30pm. It's another 28-bunk hut, 10 years old and - luckily - with the toilets right outside the hut a few short steps over the (partially) covered deck away. There were two couples camping at the campsite but no one else was staying in the hut. As we were early we went for a walk and continued on the track without our packs - as recommended by the same tour guide - to get an impression of what the trail is like. It led through more forest, with - as described by the ranger we met going the other way - prehistoric trees. The trees are very gnarly and can be quite large and are called rata trees. There are also interesting limestone formations along sections of the trail. We went just over four kilometers down the trail, up to the Gunner River bridge which was also damaged in the major weather event last year but was salvaged. While on the trail we again tried to get some decent video or a picture of the very fluttery fantail (bird), without much success. After we got back to the hut we walked down to the Heaphy River and to where it flows into the Tasman Sea.

Don made the salad and cooked the steak and veggies we were going to have the day before and we had a lovely meal in the hut before retreating to our bunks.