Labyrinth Rocks & Salmon Fishing in Takaka – Day 90

Today I have no idea if we will actually be able to do anything. It is pouring down rain. Is it really going to be the day that we don’t do an activity.

This morning is a bit of a tricky one, it’s pouring down rain so Laura and I drive our campervan to our activity of the day and we basically going to be parked for a couple of hours waiting for the rain to clear. After that, it’s off tot he labyrinth Rocks.

Welcome to the Labyrinth Rocks Park You are about to enter the best known example of karst geology in the Southern Hemisphere.

Although there are maps at the entrance we think it is a lot more fun to go mapless and have a slight possibility of getting lost. With a few turns and a few different routes this possibility all of a sudden becomes a reality. We are lost.

So far, the only exit to the Labyrinth that I see is beyond a massive pool of water created by the rain. There is kind of a gate over there so as the brave guy that I am I send laura to check. No result.

Photo time.

Jokes aside, the Labyrinth is made of basalt rocks which have been carved by million and millions of years of rain. the dense bush surrounding the unusual looking rock all of that coming together is making the whole area look eerie and mystical like a real life Labyrinth. We’re expecting to find monsters any time. And speaking of monsters, there are heaps of monsters scattered all around the labyrinth. Kids of the area always bring one or two toys to leave behind when they come to visit the labyrinth. those toys are supposed to be the monsters which are guarding the labyrinth like in most stories that you can find in labyrinth books.

It is amazing what nature has created here. All these limestone rocky outcrops absolutely covered in moss and vegetation. it really sets your imagination going wild. It seems like something for kids but Man, it’s an amazing place to visit.

What are you doing on that side? This is pure madness.

Although we found our way back onto the main route, we really don’t care about following the maze anymore just the environment itself is keeping us entertained for maybe about a couple of hours.

The thing that I really love about this place is that it’s an amazing mix between stunning natural features and manmade objects t turn it into a really coll labyrinth place. I did not expect to find something like that in Golden Bay which is usually known for golden sand beaches and the Abel Tasman National Park. We spend here way more time than we expected. Over two hours in fact and it makes it well past 1:30 and we are both really peckish.

We are at Anatoki Salmon. The Sun has come out perfect time to go fishing and go catch our own lunch. Alright let’s go.

This Anatoki Salmon place is really famous in Golden Bay. It’s a mix between being a salmon farm which is basically farming salmon for the local supermarkets and for its own shop as well, as well as an entertainment place. You can come here and feed the salmon which we do first and you can also go fish your own lunch that then afterwards will be cooked for you by the local chef. It’s really cool.

Before we hit the lake we need a quick lesson on how to fish. so one of the workers here at Anatoki Salmon is telling us what to do. How to fish. Using the net getting a box and a tool to kill the fish afterwards and that’s pretty much it.

It’s under the watchful eye of the native wood pigeon that Laura is the first to try her luck. After about 20 goes I realise that fishing for salmon is a lot more difficult than the fishing we did a few days ago at D’Urville Island. I’m really having trouble here getting a fish to even hook onto my line.

Even the wood pigeons are getting tired of watching Laura failing at catching a salmon. It took her over 10 tries to get a salmon which is literally in a farm.

After that it’s my turn to take on the fishing rod and try my luck. It takes me about two tries to actually start getting a hang of it. And then probably another couple of tries until it finally bites. It’s a bit of a struggle to get it back up it’s quite a fight because they are much bigger than the fish that we were used to but Laura and I team work and we get a massive one.

One deliver our catch to the team at Anatoki Salmon who fillet the fish and prepare it for our lunch. We can choose to have our salmon prepared in a number of different ways including sushi to see how fresh the salmon tastes as well as smoked salmon so Robin goes for tomato and basil while i go for tandoori. And we get all the fixings on the side fish and chips and salad. Needless to say, this is a great way to have a late lunch.

And maybe on about the second try he catches something straight away on the second try which is not straight away that was total juxtaposition he catches something on the second time which is almost straight away.