QCT Day 3 to Raetihi Lodge

Late post due to lack of internet! This post should have been posted at the end of Monday, March 27th.

Morning at Mahana Lodge

Today was the "big day" (8 hours!) so we had to set off early, especially since there was a time crunch: the water taxi meeting us at the end was scheduled for 4:15 pm. We were up early and had our breakfast in the common room with the others, which is sort of an awkward experience, but all right.

8:10 am, just past sunrise

Heading up the lodge's driveway

QCT, Section 3

Today we were scheduled to walk from Mahana Lodge to the wharf at Portage Bay where a water taxi would take us to Raetihi Lodge on the other side of Kenepuru Sound. It isn't labeled on this map, but Raetihi (pronounced "RAT-uh-hee") is just above where the D is in "Double Bay." The water taxi was scheduled for 4:15, and the important time marker for the hike was at Black Rock Shelter, which is an hour and a half from Portage Bay; so we were told that if we realize we're behind at Black Rock, there is cell signal right at the top and we should call the water taxi to let them know how far behind we are. At first, we thought we were making good time, then we realized we weren't, then we found a good pace and wound up being just about right on schedule. That's the overview. Here are the photos!

Not a lot to see when the clouds rolled in

Most of today's hike was through private property. The landowners got together and formed the QCTLC (Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative) in 2010 to ensure the sustainability of the track. This is why you need to buy a pass to hike this track (if you do any of the private property parts), and display it on your pack. The pass is only $18 and goes to the QCTLC to do maintenance and improvements. Well worth it, I think. There is some fear that the cruise ship industry is going to ruin and shut down the track. If just one of the landowners decides to back out of the cooperative because they are seeing too much trash or people wandering into their land (off the track), the whole cooperative is obsolete and the track wouldn't be completely hike-able. 

Magical-looking mushrooms

Loving these little 'shrooms. Made me feel like I was walking into a storybook.

A lot of cloud cover

Mike found a walking stick. He called it his Gandalf Staff.

Mike found another stick that didn't get a name.

Eatwell's Lookout is one of the first main time markers on Section 3, meaning it could help us keep track of our pacing. It was supposed to take 2.5-to-3 hours to get there. I thought these signs meant we were practically there but they only meant we had gotten to the edge of Eatwell's land.

Goats running away

Goat hiding

The cloud cover starting to part a bit

10:25 am. It took us 2 hours but we needed to pick up the pace since we started 15 minutes late.

I was happy the mist was spreading because it helped keep us cool.

Weka trying to be sneaky behind us while we ate lunch.

Look at that blue! That's Kenepuru Sound.

Tree weta, related to grasshoppers, are supposed to be nocturnal, but here's one at Black Rock Station, which comes just a bit before Black Rock Shelter (our next big time marker).

Black Rock Shelter/Campsite -- Supposed to make it here in 6.5 hr, by 2:45 pm because the water taxi at Portage Bay is 1.5 hr from here, scheduled to leave at 4:15 pm. We got here at 2 pm!

The view at Black Rock Campsite

Dead possum

Odd purple flowers?

3:33 pm -- We made it to the top of Portage Bay. Just downhill for 15 minutes to the wharf. We're on schedule!

Mike wasn't excited to go downhill, but Peter, the water taxi captain, showed up in a van when we hadn't yet gone very far! He brought us to the wharf. I guess we were his last assignment and he figured he could finish his day earlier the sooner he got us.

Raetihi Lodge

Approaching Raetihi Lodge

Lobby

Checking-in

Our room

Our patio

Our patio's view

After a short rest, ignoring the lovely resort (which has a spa and lots of activities), we went to the dining room for dinner. Since this is more like a proper hotel/resort than the B&Bs of the past couple nights, the two of us were seated at a table and ordered off the menu with an allocated budget because our package with Wilderness Guides includes all meals. Alcohol or any cost exceeding the budget is paid for by the guest when settling-up at check-out.

Cheese Log: baked Cranky Goat cheese filled with toasted pine nuts and Sherrington's Bush Honey served with crackers and warm bread. Chicken Liver Pate served with warm bread, pickles, and beetroot relish. Soho Grilled Marlborough Mussels with shallots, spinach, Pernod and greomolata.

New Zealand Lamb Roulade: Rolled leg of lamb on 

bacon, filled with field mushrooms and shallots, served 

with minted peas and Moroccan rice, finished with tangy 

yoghurt sauce and jus

Slow-Cooked Free-Range Pork Belly on celeriac mash, 

seasonal vegetables, grilled stone fruits finished with a 

ginger and lemongrass glaze

Triple Chocolate Mousse with orange marmalade, 

cherry and mandarin crisps

Summary

It was a long day, but rewarding. We could have started the day off by saying "let's just take a boat" and had a really luxurious day at Raetihi, but I think we both really want to be able to say we did the whole track. Roz took the boat (because she's recovering from knee and hip surgeries), and I envy her the relaxing day, but I know I'm glad I did it. 

Mike's got some nasty blisters, which I think are because he didn't follow the blister regimen that we have perfected. I got a blister on my heel because I was so distracted by the fear of blisters on my toes that I never did anything for my heels! I've also got a ton of sand fly bites on my legs, so I look like a mess. 

Mike ran a GPS app on his phone during the hike today. The totals come out like this:

14.68 miles

7 hr, 25 min

2.57 mph avg moving speed

3,624 ft of total elevation gain - ranging from sea level to 1,600 ft (475 m) the highest point of the whole track

After a big day, we get to have a big rest. Tomorrow is an easy day to Lochmara Lodge.