Kahurangi Point & Lighthouse

In early December Tom headed away for a few days with his work colleagues from across the Nelson Marlborough Conservancy for a "meeting' at Kahurangi Point. To get to Kahurangi Point is, to say the least a bit of a mission. From Nelson drive around 2 hours to Pakawau, in Golden Bay,(where our friend Claire lives) then 50km down a single lane gravel road until it stops, fording 2 rivers on the way - 4 wheel drive vehicle compulsory. From there walk about 5 km along the beach, cross the Big River (yes that's its name) then a further 40 minutes down the beach to the lighthouse keepers house. Rather than carrying all our gear and food down to the house we took two quad bikes, and to get the quad bikes and ourselves over the Big River we took a raft, and, of course, to get the raft to the river we took a 4 wheel drive ute - parking ut up well above the high water mark. The meeting proved to be more of a pre Chrismas social event and a history lesson about the lighthouse, the keepers and community that lived there in the remote part of the north west coast of the South Island, than a meeting - although we did discuss business for 1/2 a day and do a heap of chores around the lighthouse keepers house.

The weather was superb for such an exposed and isolated site - we were very fortunate. It was a great experience to get to such a remote site, with good food, good company and more than a beer or two to go around.