The perfect cure

BEAUTIFUL: Abel Tasman Beach.

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ALEX van WEL says exploring the coastline of Tasman Bay is much better when it's done on a catamaran.

There are many ways to explore the beautiful northwestern coastline of Tasman Bay, but few options can be as therapeutic as a catamaran cruise.

It certainly uses up less energy than a tramp along the track, and you can get with ease to the unlimited golden beaches stretching between Marahau in the south and Bark Bay in the north.

A couple of hours out on a steady, double-hulled platform and all the tension of life simply dissolves into the sunlight and the sea.

The turquoise water itself has a kind of calming influence on the mind.

Sleep came wonderfully easily to me the day I set sail from Kaiteriteri for a peaceful couple of hours on the water.

Most who come on board express an initial interest in sailing, licensed skipper Tim Crompton told me, but "once we're out there, they just want to relax".

It is something about the gentle lapping of the waves, the quiet slicing through the water and the effortless flapping of the sails.

Either that or Crompton is a hypnotist.

Run by Abel Tasman Sailing Adventures, their three boats can be chartered to suit travellers' needs.

Bought three years ago by the Ritschny family, the business has been in existence since 2000.

A full day out costs $160 per adult, $80 for children up to 14, but over the summer months, they offer hour-and-a-half cruises to nearby Split Apple Rock for $29 and $19, respectively.

Milan Ritschny describes it as intrinsically more relaxing than the powerboat options along the coast.

"Travellers going around the world these days seem to be doing so much, and it is such a high-paced thing that people really enjoy that time to slow down," he says.

"We call it scenic sailing, to get a real experience of sailing in a really beautiful location. Getting people to slow down on their holiday for a day and relax and enjoy the sunshine in an eco-friendly way.

"The feeling of being under wind power is completely different from being powered by an outboard engine."

It is not difficult. Lying on the trampoline between the hulls, looking up at the expanse of sail or peering beneath the ropes into the depths below.

And if you want a bite at some serious sailing, they will accommodate. The 10-metre catamarans can move quickly over the water in a bit of a gust. For further information, aee sailingadventures.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News