Sunday 8th March 2015: During the night a serious storm came through with heavy rain. By morning everything was fresh (including the wind) with a gale warning forecast, so we prepped up for a wet day. It turned out to be more misty than wet but the wind finally blew off the clouds so some reasonable views could be had.

It was a steady climb up into the mist with episodic views over Akaroa Harbour. A side fork to a rock lookout was worth the deviation, although one loses a bit of height one has to regain. The Trigg at 699m is the highest point of the walk and the climb is steady and comfortable if reasonably fit. Even without the possible views as far as Mt Cook, there is the far more interesting "natural garden of wind-shaped shrubs, dwarf trees and lichen covered rocks" [Banks Peninsula Track Guide booklet].

Tutakakahikura Reserve is a remnant of the original forest which escaped fires and felling (but not storms which damaged many trees many hundreds of years old). This is beech forest but NZ beech trees are called Nothofagus which means "Not Beech" as they aren't true beeches!

There were many "falls" in the Tutakakahikura Reserve. Neil had 8 or 9 on the "slippery when wet" track. I had two (without injury).

Flea Bay or Põhatu is now a marine reserve with the largest Little Penguin colony on mainland NZ and plenty of other wildlife including the geese, dolphins, oystercatchers and seals.