Kina Beach..

19th March: After talking and a few messages to Babs as she paddled across Golden Bay between 10:30pm and 2am she finally came to Totaranui after a long day and 110km. I was suprised a little that when I heard from her 12 hours later that she had paddled the next day through Abel Tasman National Park another 40 km! There must be a good reason to get to Piction!

Below is text from Babs now we have GSM contact I can translate her diary.

James

Måndagen den 17 mars. Så nära mitt mål och så denna känsla av att jag inte skulle kunna ta mig ut...
Monday the 17th march: So close to my goal and I have the feeling I wont be able to get out…

Lördagen den 15 mars. Hemska vågor. Gjorde två försök att ta mig ut men insåg att det var hopplöst. Men jag befann mig i vart fall i ett vackert landskap med sanddyner, gröna kullar och berg.
Saturday the 15th march. Terrible waves. Made two attempts to get out but saw it was hopeless. But I found myself in a beautiful landscape with sand dune, green hills and mountains.

Fredagen den 14 mars. En vacker kuststräcka men inga möjligheter att gå iland förrän vid Big River. Jag, hundratals med får och tusentals med sandflugor!
Friday the 14th march: A beautiful coastline with no landing possibilities till Big River. Myself, hundreds of sheep and thousands of sandflies!

Torsdagen den 13 mars. Så otroligt stilla om morgonen att himlen speglade sig i vattnet. Men naturligtvis varade lugnet inte hela dagen. Gick iland genom surfvågor vid Karamea...
Thursday the 13th march: So amazingly still in the morning that the heavens reflected in the water. But naturally it didn’t remain calm with a surf landing at Karamea.

Onsdagen den 12 mars. En frisk medvind förde mig till Westport på drygt fem timmar. Tillbringade dagen hos Harriet och Phil som jag tidigare träffat i Fiordland. Och tittade på deras multisportkajaker!
Wednesday the 12th march: A frsh tail wind pushed me to Westport in just five hours. Spent the day with Harriet and Phil who I had meet in Fiordland. And we looked at their multisport kayaks.