Monday 23 January Cleopatra's Pool

Fun in the water slides

Across from the anchorage the Torrent River flows into the sea. At high water it's possible to take the dinghy up the river and then walk 15 minutes to reach Cleopatra's Pool, a series of rock chutes and pools and if you're really brave you can slide down the chutes. Gloria and I are officially brave, or should that be stupid? We put on our wetsuits and plunged into the icy flow. It was bracing and exhilarating being shooshed down the slide; a narrow water cut channel from under a small waterfall, down a frothing rapid to turn 180° back into the limpid pool at the bottom. David and Michael wimped out and didn't even get their feet wet.
After lunch and feeling like more exploring we went for a short walk along an easy path up to the headland and look out over Adele island. Because Torrent Bay is closer to the nearest town to the park and a 4 hour walk back there are more visitors who come in on the ferry and walk back to Marahau. Overall we spent more time chatting than walking; English holiday makers, locals from Nelson, 2 girls from Dublin back packing, 2 girls from New York back packing and running the trail. It's popular.

The race fleet

Flagged boat took line honours

How many people can you fit without sinking?

From the bench atop the hill we spotted a yacht race in progress. We later learn there's been a regatta in Nelson and unknown to us today's race is from Nelson to Torrent bay. When we left Jackster there were 8 boats in the anchorage. When we came back there were 38 boats with 30 crews celebrating any of the following: winning, doing well, having a fun day sailing and all with much vigour and good cheer.
Later in the evening when we had Gloria & Michael (Paikea Mist) and Katie & Jim (Tenaya) visiting when one young and adventurous sailor came aboard thinking we were one of the boats in the race fleet. Either that or he saw our party and wanted to join in. We were chatting and didn't hear or see him until after he'd pulled himself up onto our transom and was at the cockpit. He liked out party and stayed for 10 minutes before diving over the side and continuing on the next boat. Apparently it's tradition to 'swim' the anchorage. We saw Andrew next morning swimming off his hangover!