On Saturday afternoon I set out on a mission to the north-west corner of the South Island. This was to be both a photographic quest, and a kite buggy reconisance trip. I wanted to check out Farewell Spit. It is a huge arm of sand that completes Golden Bay and protects it from the wild weather that hits the west coast. Farewell Spit itself proved a little hard to get to. You can only walk the first 2.5 km of it; a fraction of its total length, and the only other way to see it was in a large four-wheel drive bus behind a wall of glass. It is heavily protected because of the huge variety of birdlife it is home to. I don't like my chances of being able to kite buggy on it. The good news is the area around the spit is amazing and I found two other very promising beaches which I will buggy when the tide and winds are right.
On Saturday night I camped in a little clearing in the scrub beside the road, near the top of a hill. I wasn't exactly sure where until the morning because I arrived in the dark. Not to many street lights out here. In the morning I embarked on a hike that yeilded some photographs of the most spectacular coastline I have ever seen. From the lighthouse at the top of the hill, just west of Pakawau, all the way down to the coast, then along the cliff edge for a couple of hours, finally arriving at Wharariki Beach. This beach is a jewel. As a kite buggyier and as a photographer, I couldn't imagine a better place. 
The view from the lighthouse looking south along the west coast. I had camped at the start of the track, about 10 mins walk from this view.
The sea pounds at the cliff face at Cape Farewell.
Standing on Cape FareWell looking North. The lush green farmland comes to an abrut end.
The prize at the end of the hike (actually only half way, I had to walk back too). Wharariki beach, seen here at high tide, will be awesome fun to kite buggy. I'll have to carry kite buggy and kites along a cattle track to get there but it will be worth it. I might even be the first person to buggy it! When the tide is out I should be able to get right down to the bluffs in the distance. The other beach I found on the way home was Pakawau beach. Its alot like rabbit island and I can park right on it.
All objectives achieved. Some great scenic shots and two new beaches to buggy.
10:06:11 PM 
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