Introduction to today's journey
Today's hike starts from North Arm Hut and follows the coast of the Paterson Inlet past the long abandoned Kaipipi timber mills and across the hill back to Oban.
Today's Journey
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Setting out from North Arm Hut in the early morning following the well graded track back to Oban. |
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The forest here is scrubby due to all the past timber industry which has long finished. The forest here in the national park is now slowly restoring itself to its former glory. |
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Reaching Sawdust Bay at the mouth of North Arm. A camping ground here marks the location of a timber mill which once operated from here. |
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Continuing around the coast into the main watershed of Paterson Inlet, once a forested valley, now flooded when the sea level rose at the end of the last ice age. |
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Following the top of the low plateau above the inlet through the boggy forest. |
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Passing above the still waters of Kidney Fern Arm as the tide gradually rises. |
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Exploring the site of the Kaipipi sawmill. The narrow gully allowed for the formation of a dam and water wheel to power the sawmill. It was closed in 1930 allowing the forest to start regenerating. |
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Hiking over some low headlands, I again reach the waters of Kaipipi Bay. This marks the end of the once busy Kaipipi Road. |
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From the inlet, Kaipipi Road goes over the hill towards Oban. Although the climb rises to over 100 metres, the wide track is easy to walk along. |
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Once past the end of the Rakiura Track, I follow the two kilometre gravel road into Oban, and back to civilisation. |
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