Riverton to Invercargill

I couldn't leave until 7am as that's when the camp office opened and I was leaving my pack to be picked up by Sarah White,s parents. That meant I only carried a day pack and my camelback front pack. It was a beautiful morning and I took some sunrise photos. It was a 33 km walk so I knew it was a long day. Fortunately the tide was low at mid day, the day was warm but overcast with no wind. I walked the 3 km from the camp through Riverton, past the school and on to the beach. The sand was firm and apart from a patch with a lot of squishy sea weed it was good walking. I made 4 km an hour for the first 4 hours and my only company was the thoughts in my head and the footprint of a guy who left an hour before me. I crossed the river, it was fine as the tide was low, had lunch and kept walking. As I got closer to Invercargill there were lots of vehicles on the beach, cars and motorbikes
The tide goes out a long way leaving a lot of flat hard sand. You can see why Burt Monroe used it with his fastest Indian. Saw a couple of vehicles that didn't make it. At the Dunn road entrance I left the beach and then had 9 km road walking. I was a bit tired and feet a bit sore. Bought an energy drink to keep me going
 Passed Teratonga and continued walking through Otatara to Invercargill. The bridge well it is sort of made to look like a Waka seamed to go on for ever. Finally I got to the Stead street wharf which is where I started the walk I did to Bluff in 2023. Today I walked 33 km in 9 hrs and pleased with my effort. Also pleased to see Chris in the Camaro and to pick up my pack from Sarah's on the way home. I have now walked most of Northland from Te Paki to Mangawhai over 300 km and a good portion of Southland, Greenstone to Bluff about 180 km so have done the top and bottom of this beautiful country of ours. Will I do any more, no idea but maybe as long as my body holds up.

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