Sailors Grave Whenuakite
Tramping track
Time:
2 hr
Getting there
8 km north of Tairua.
Description
Sign to Sailors Grave
A two hour tramping track leads down Lynch Stream to Otara Bay. A one hour loop walk branches off near the start of this track, passing regenerating kauri and providing good views over the forest.
At low tide a one hour walk takes you from Otara Bay to Sailors Grave Historic Reserve and Te Karo Bay. You can also reach Sailors Grave by turning off the Tairua highway on to Sailors Grave Road and down to the Pohutukawa Grove Recreation Reserve. A short walking track leads you to the memorial for a sailor from HMS Tortoise who drowned in the surf in 1842.
Plan and prepare
What to expect on a tramping track:
- Challenging day or multi-day tramping/hiking
- Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections
- Suitable for people with good fitness. Moderate to high level backcountry skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills required
- Track has markers, poles or rock cairns. Expect unbridged stream and river crossings
- Tramping/hiking boots required