Day Seven … Stewart Island

Today we headed to Stewart Island, the southernmost part of New Zealand and the third largest island of NZ. Almost 80% of the island is set aside as the Raikura National Park. The island has a population of just over 400. We left Invercargill at 8.30 and Rich drove the bus to the township of Bluff where we then caught the inter islander ferry to the township of Oban. The ferry runs three times a day (in both directions) and covers the distance of 35 km in just on an hour. 

To say crossing the Foveaux Strait was a nice leisurely trip would be a lie. You know it’s going to be rough when you board and see the heavy tarpaulin covers they place over the luggage crates to stop the water flooding them, and the sick bags already neatly placed in the seat pockets! Luckily we had our sea bands and had taken some travel sickness tablets before we boarded. The seas were rough … the strait itself is where three seas meet … the Tasman Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean and is located in the ‘Roaring 40s’ which is the dramatic winds that happen at that latitude. We did ok … some poor travellers did not. And this was rated as a 4 out of 10 crossing.

So we landed at Oban and headed up to the South Seas Hotel where we will be staying for the next two nights. Whilst we couldn’t check in yet we were able to store our luggage, grab a nice coffee for me and a hot chocolate for Ian, and for Rich to provide us with the next run through of how the day would work. It was also a chance for Judene (one of our fellow walkers) to get changed. She had stayed out the back of the boat as she was nervous about getting sea sick and was drenched through because of the waves hitting the boat.

At 1.00 we gathered at the Red Shed which is the visitor information centre here to join a bus tour of the island. Rhys was our guide and he provided us with a tour of the town (bear in mind the town is not that large) but we found out more about the island, the people who live in the township (like Stu the policeman who pulls his fishing boat behind the police car). He also took us to the scenic lookout which provided glorious views into Golden Bay. The bus then headed out to Lee Bay where we disembarked to begin our hike.

 

Our hike along the Rakiura Track took us from Lee Bay to Port Wilson, an 8.1km coastal hike. There were 2 decent hills on the walk, with glimpses of ocean, walks on the beach and walks through the forest.

It was a lovely walk … although the hills still kill me. The views were spectacular. The glimpses of crystal clear blue water from high above the track was magical. The amount of ferns, lichen, moss, large and small trees was incredible.

We were met at the end of our hike at Port William by a water taxi that Rich had organised and enjoyed an exhilarating ride back to Oban, passing rocky crags with cormorants sitting high above the water. Back for a shower and then dinner with the group before heading back to our rooms to settle in for the night. 

Today’s tally …

Photos taken …243

Steps walked …22,249

Kms walked …17.17 km

Ad Labs … 2 clues of a 10 clue Lab

Tracks hiked … 1 today (2 in total)