Stewart Island Trip Part I
Please be warned that today's post is very heavy on photos. Of course, it's too late for you now, since you've already loaded the page ... Mwaa ha ha!
Also, it's only half of the day's journey, with the other half to follow in a couple of days.
Also also, not to beat it too much to death, but remember to click on any photos you think are interesting and it will open up a bigger version to peruse. Use the "Back" button to return to the blog.
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There is nothing quite as cruel as a 6:00am alarm while on vacation. Our flight from Invercargill Airport over to Stewart Island was scheduled for 7:00 and with a 15 minute recommended early arrival, a 15 minute cab ride to the airport, and last minute packing, we were pressed to make our deadline. Of course, the flight was delayed by 15 minutes. 15 minutes of sweet, sweet sleep casually discarded in exchange for aimless lounging around the airport. What greater hell can there be? Yes ... the horrors of vacation.
There were 6 of us and the pilot packed into the little aircraft. We left the airport behind and set out over the ocean toward Stewart Island. I took a disproportionate number of pictures on the flight over compared to the time taken, but I was still figuring out camera settings and whatnot, so I will include a sampling of them. First, the Sunrise from the runway.
Next some local farmland, and the outflow of the river (a.k.a. mud flats from yesterday) passing through Invercargill, now flooded with high tide water.
The next two are of the shoreline, highlighting the way the waves build as they climb toward the shallower depths.
The next couple are of the numerous trees on Stewart Island, as seen from a few thousand feet away.
Being stupidly early in the morning, the sun had not had a chance to burn away the low lying fog and clouds, which makes for some pretty scenery.
As we approached the landing beach, the terrain became increasingly sandy (well, duh!) ...
... until the actual beach came into view.
The pilot lined up the aircraft for the landing ...
... and after a surprisingly smooth landing, we were down.
With a wave, the pilot turned around and was gone.
We sorted out our gear, adjusted our packs ...
... and set off.
Notice how far ahead the other two couples are already. The farthest away pair were a woman and a teenage girl, and as soon as they hit the ground they were gone. When we reached the rendezvous point for the water taxi back to civilization, they had beaten us there by over an hour.
The closer pair were a German couple, now residing in New Zealand. We caught them early on, but they later passed us and we never saw them again until the end. They were planning two additional days of hiking which would eventually take them to Oban which is the only town on Stewart Island. We, on the other hand, would take a water taxi from the rendezvous point to Oban, a less than 1 hour journey.
Here is a panorama of the beach.
This is a little greeting party we saw on the beach
As we turned off the beach (following the tracks of the keeners who were already well ahead of us) we came upon what we assumed were the rotting remains of the last group of hikers, although it could, I suppose, be some kelp or whatnot.
As the sun broke over the local sand dunes, we headed away from the beach.
The sandy grasses quickly gave way to grassy swamp-y terrain.
Aaaand that's the first part of our Stewart Island hike. Please forgive the abbreviated post, but the internet connection here is kind of slow and I'll have a bit more time in a couple of days to catch up.
Until then,
Don
Also, it's only half of the day's journey, with the other half to follow in a couple of days.
Also also, not to beat it too much to death, but remember to click on any photos you think are interesting and it will open up a bigger version to peruse. Use the "Back" button to return to the blog.
--------------------------------------------
There is nothing quite as cruel as a 6:00am alarm while on vacation. Our flight from Invercargill Airport over to Stewart Island was scheduled for 7:00 and with a 15 minute recommended early arrival, a 15 minute cab ride to the airport, and last minute packing, we were pressed to make our deadline. Of course, the flight was delayed by 15 minutes. 15 minutes of sweet, sweet sleep casually discarded in exchange for aimless lounging around the airport. What greater hell can there be? Yes ... the horrors of vacation.
There were 6 of us and the pilot packed into the little aircraft. We left the airport behind and set out over the ocean toward Stewart Island. I took a disproportionate number of pictures on the flight over compared to the time taken, but I was still figuring out camera settings and whatnot, so I will include a sampling of them. First, the Sunrise from the runway.
Next some local farmland, and the outflow of the river (a.k.a. mud flats from yesterday) passing through Invercargill, now flooded with high tide water.
The next two are of the shoreline, highlighting the way the waves build as they climb toward the shallower depths.
The next couple are of the numerous trees on Stewart Island, as seen from a few thousand feet away.
Being stupidly early in the morning, the sun had not had a chance to burn away the low lying fog and clouds, which makes for some pretty scenery.
As we approached the landing beach, the terrain became increasingly sandy (well, duh!) ...
... until the actual beach came into view.
The pilot lined up the aircraft for the landing ...
... and after a surprisingly smooth landing, we were down.
With a wave, the pilot turned around and was gone.
We sorted out our gear, adjusted our packs ...
... and set off.
Notice how far ahead the other two couples are already. The farthest away pair were a woman and a teenage girl, and as soon as they hit the ground they were gone. When we reached the rendezvous point for the water taxi back to civilization, they had beaten us there by over an hour.
The closer pair were a German couple, now residing in New Zealand. We caught them early on, but they later passed us and we never saw them again until the end. They were planning two additional days of hiking which would eventually take them to Oban which is the only town on Stewart Island. We, on the other hand, would take a water taxi from the rendezvous point to Oban, a less than 1 hour journey.
Here is a panorama of the beach.
This is a little greeting party we saw on the beach
As we turned off the beach (following the tracks of the keeners who were already well ahead of us) we came upon what we assumed were the rotting remains of the last group of hikers, although it could, I suppose, be some kelp or whatnot.
As the sun broke over the local sand dunes, we headed away from the beach.
The sandy grasses quickly gave way to grassy swamp-y terrain.
Aaaand that's the first part of our Stewart Island hike. Please forgive the abbreviated post, but the internet connection here is kind of slow and I'll have a bit more time in a couple of days to catch up.
Until then,
Don
posted by Don at
4:24 am
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