That is how the Abel Tasman Kayaks brochure describes today’s kayaking adventure…and it was stunning, as well as challenging. We went for a full day guided kayak tour in the Tonga Marine Reserve. the southwest winds from Antarctica added a little chill to the air but mostly blew at us forcing us to paddle vigorously. Our guide said the waves were about a foot and a half but we know they were really a metre and a half or so they seemed!
Beach time after lunch
A side note on New Zealand guides: it would appear that the requirements for being a guide is that they be good looking, friendly, and have a good sense of humour as well as knowing how to save us if need be. Fortunately no one needed to be rescued today.
Incredible stone formations all along the coast
There were eight of us in four tandem kayaks for the morning then one couple left after a delicious lunch (we made wraps out of roast chicken, salad and potato salad and drank apple juice, coffee and/or hot chocolate) to hike back to Bark Bay. That was their original plan. We carried on, although because of wind and waves, our guide changed our itinerary. We didn’t see as many marine creatures as we might have in a calmer sea, but we still admired blue penguins, NZ fur seals, different types of cormorants, sting rays, gannets and gulls.
Cave exploration
Now we are sitting in warm sunshine with not a breath of wind and are going to have sausage and scrambled eggs after our plate of green mussels that Brian prepared so well.
travelling 
This certainly looks like a trip of a lifetime