Routes:  Day 1 Picton > Ship Cove > Endeavour Resort

Ship Cove (trailhead)

There are a few reasons to start at Ship Cove and not Punga, for example:

• Captain Cook landed here first in 1770
• mountain bikes are not allowed on this segment during high season
• it is more remote & less visited than any other part of the Track

Cook's monument, Ship Cove

It takes about 45 minutes to get to Ship Cove from Picton depending on the number of stops en route. It is useful to preview the Track from the water.

If you have time, visit the waterfall adjacent to the Ship Cove Reserve.

Most trampers walk 3-5 hours to either Furneaux or Endeavour for the first night on the Track. Our advice:

• Furneaux Lodge <website> for drinks and / or dinner
• Endeavour Resort <website> for backpacker accommodation

The Kamahi Lodge looks interesting but it was closed October 2002 when we passed by.

The pub at Furneaux is famed for fun; raucus, smokey and noisy. It is often filled with loud locals. OK for a beer and pub grub, but walk on to Endeavour Resort & Fishing Lodge for accommodation on night 1. Look for glow worms at night on this section of the Track.

Endeavour is a lovely place with plenty of diversions; pool table, library, playground, recreation room. The cabin backpacker accommodation is excellent. No restaurant — but a small shop supplies essentials. You can tent at Endeavour if the beds are all taken.

Endeavour Resort, Endeavour Inlet

From Endeavour head for Punga Cove Resort (night 2).

photos:  day 1 Picton > Ship Cove > Endeavour Resort