2168: Unseen Fiordland, Stewart Island and the Snares

Day 1: Wednesday 6 January, 2021

Bluff

Wednesday 6th January 2021 saw all our team assembling at Ascot Park in Invercargill, to be met by Lindsay Wilson and Mo Turnbull, two of our guides for the forthcoming voyage, and Dr Selva, overseeing the necessary testing for COVID, a sign of the current times.

After a short bus trip we were all on board the Spirit of Enderby (with luggage) at 1500 right on schedule. After scones and a cuppa in the bar, it was to the lecture room on Level 2 (all those stairs!) for a welcome and safety briefings from Chris Todd our Expedition Leader, some housekeeping from Nic Shaw our Cruise Director, and a brief introduction to the chefs Linzy Thorpe and Isaac Nijenhuis, Cath Stone-Thorpe our Hotel Manager and guides Matt Jones, Lindsay Wilson and Mo Turnbull. The mandatory lifeboat drill which followed was enough encouragement not to want to do it for real. From Bluff it was out into a very calm Foveaux Strait: too calm for the birds, with very few following the ship.

Most people met up in the bar again for a natter at 1800: dinner at 1900 was the first encounter with Linzy and Isaac’s magnificent catering. Chris had a birthday and nearly set the sprinklers off with the smoke from the candles. We anchored off Ulva Island in Paterson Inlet around 1930: a lovely calm evening with a light rain; soft, as they say in Scotland.

Day 2: Thursday 7 January, 2021
Stewart Island/ Rakiura - Ulva

An early start (or late, compared to later days!) with breakfast at 0645 in our anchorage off Ulva. By 0800 everyone was ashore on the island, being guided around the various walks and tracks by Ulva herself, Emily, Matt, and Chris. Ulva, that’s the Island, is very special: no predators, hardly any human impact once away from the Post Office, and incredibly tame birdlife. Robins and weka running under your feet, saddlebacks and bellbirds swooping past, kaka calling from everywhere, mohua, riflemen, tomtits… and a rich podocarp forest with rimu, matai, miro, totara, kamahi, and putaputaweta. Ulva, the person is also special.

Back on board for lunch, up anchor and off again further into Paterson Inlet to let off the 25 or so walkers braving the mud on the track from Kaipipi back to Oban. Tagging gumboots to make recovery easier seemed like a good idea at the time… The Kaipipi track is gently graded, nice and wide, and just a wee bit muddy. It passes through logged-over forest with no predator control and the contrast in birdlife with Ulva is dramatic. The faster of us took the long way round, past Thule beach back to town. The others took the shorter route past an abandoned fishing boat along the other road to town, to give time to visit the newly-opened Rakiura Museum.

While the Kaipipi travellers were heading for Oban, the ship repositioned around Ackers Point into Half Moon Bay where the Zodiacs ferried the rest of us onto the beach in front of the South Seas Hotel for visits to the new Rakiura Museum, the DOC shop, the coffee shop and the pub. Everyone was back on board before 1800 hours and another chat in the bar before another of Linzy and Isaac’s magnificent meals. During dinner at around 1930 the ship began the overnight voyage south to the Snares/Tini Heke, with many of us a little apprehensive about venturing into the swells of the Southern Ocean.

Day 3: Friday 8 January, 2021
The Snares

It might have been an early pre-breakfast start but Zodiac cruising along the eastern coast of Tini Heke is hard to beat. It made up for a bit of a lumpy night coming south but Chris had called it right – only a metre or so of swell, very little wind and no rain. Captain Pruss brought the ship in very close to shore in Mollymawk Bay and we were all on the water in five Zodiacs by 0645. The first excitement came with dolphins heading for the passage between the main island and Broughton Island. Then followed two amazing hours of close encounters with Snares Crested Penguins, Cape Pigeons, fur seals, sea lions, the occasional Snares Tomtit, and Snares Fern Birds, all over-flown by Bullers Mollymawks, skuas, red-billed gulls and the occasional Giant Petrel. The whole cruise was overlooked by cliffs of Snares Granite, complete with sea caves big enough to turn round in (but not to stand up as the swell surged in). How the penguins manage to climb that slope and back again every day is hard to imagine.

We were back on board by 0900, a bit cooled but hungry for our late breakfast at 0915. The late morning snooze was interrupted by a talk by Mo at 1100, giving most of us a closer look at the Snares by someone privileged to have been ashore to work there. Many endemic plants and bird species live on this little island, far more than we could hope to see from the sea. Watching the many and varied seabirds from the rear deck with Matt was just as interesting. Another fabulous lunch at 1300 was punctuated by Mike’s birthday.

There was a following sea for the afternoon run north to Milford: retail therapy at the Sea Shop helped the day to pass for some, before the next item on a busy list, a lecture at 1700 from Lindsay on conservation work and predator control in Fiordland. Lindsay was interrupted, just as he was starting, by the cry of “Whales!” Two sperm whales were going about their lives off the bow. After some time whale watching, Lindsay gave us an insight into the huge amount of work that is going into predator control in Fiordland, to save the many endangered species still suffering from rat and stoat predation. Translocation of some species gives hope that most will survive, thanks to Lindsay and his co-workers. Later in the day came the call of “Dolphins!” and another outpouring onto the front deck, where a large pod of Dusky with a few Common dolphins were surfing the bow wave.

By evening we were steaming north along the coast of Fiordland, enjoying the evening feast en route for Milford and another busy day.

Day 4: Saturday 9 January, 2021
Milford Sound

Early in the morning we entered Milford Sound in fine clear weather – a bonus in Fiordland terms. Three Zodiacs with one group were launched at Anita Bay, the source of Tangiwai or bowenite, a variety of Pounamu much prized by Maori for its beauty and softness, ideal for ornamental carving. The Zodiacs headed along the shoreline with Chris, Lindsay and Matt explaining the sights, both small and large scale. Many juvenile fur seals were playing about; past Copper Point (not much copper there), and lots of flowering plants – Teteaweka, or tree daisy; Anisotome and even Celmisia normally found above bushline. The ship steamed slowly up the sound passing Stirling Falls on the north side with the enormous wall of Mitre Peak to the south. Our second group was then ferried ashore at 0900 to see Milford Sound from quite a different perspective: deep under water at Harrison Cove. At 1000 we all swapped around, with the cruisers becoming aquanauts and the aquanauts going cruising back out to Anita Bay to repeat the inshore experience. After another hour the fish watchers returned aboard, and the ship returned to Anita Bay to collect the Zodiac teams. All the while the weather remained miraculously fine and sunny.

We had lunch while the ship again retraced its steps (do ships have steps?) to the head of the Sound for a 1400 landing at Deepwater Basin, opposite the end of the famous Milford Track. Those who went ashore walked or took the bus to Milford village for a short coastal wander and an ice cream. The bus timetable seemed a trifle erratic and the sun was very hot but the breeze kept the sandflies away. Milford was busy but not as busy as in the “old days” pre-COVID. Some of the locals seem to prefer it this way.

Everyone was back on board by 1630, with some a little damp and salty as the same breeze had risen and the Sound was rather choppy. The ship then raised anchor and headed (again) back out of Milford and turned south. There was only a slight southerly swell as we headed south along the coast of Fiordland, passing all those famous names – Sutherland, Caswell, Nancy, and Charles Sounds lit by the setting sun.

Day 5: Sunday 10 January, 2021
Doubtful Sound

Early morning in Blanket Bay, Secretary Island, Doubtful Sound saw fog turning to drizzle, but all five Zodiacs with a full complement were away from the ship at 0845. The wind out in Doubtful Sound had risen with whitecaps and a big chop, so we headed through the marine reserve at Te Awaatu Channel to cruise the northern coast of Bauza Island. Bauza Island and several other features were named during the little-known 1793 Spanish expedition to New Zealand led by Alessandro Malaspina. Although there was a head wind and increasing swell, we reached the outer Shelter Islands searching for fur seals, but only managed to see some creatively folded rocks of the Deep Cove Gneiss. A downwind run along the south shore of Secretary Island, with flowering rata and stunt-flying Kereru, took us to a landing at Grono Bay. There we learned from Lindsay about the regrowth of the forest after deer control, about the abundant birdlife from Matt, and looked at a sample of rocks grabbed from the beach by Mo. There were even relics of the sealing station set up here by Captain Grono in the early 1800’s. A quick trip back to the ship saw all aboard at 1130, just in time to avoid a drenching shower of rain. A buffet lunch with superb ham personally carved by Linzy was served as we left Doubtful Sound out past the Hare’s Ears and back into the Tasman.

There were quite a few asleep as we made our way south past Dagg Sound and Coal River; at 1500hrs some could stay awake long enough to listen to Mo talking about making the geological map of Fiordland. There was a lot about helicopters and boats and wet tents, and even some mention of the more interesting geological discoveries made in the 6 years it took to make the map. Mo’s geology was quickly terminated when Chris announced we were passing Breaksea Island to take the back road to Dusky down Acheron Passage – nothing quite like seeing geology in action.

This spectacular fiord runs from Breaksea to Dusky behind Resolution Island and in places is only 400m wide. The weather reminded us that it does indeed rain in Fiordland. We emerged into Dusky and turned east to sneak between Long and Cooper Islands, then west to head down Cook Passage. This long but varied day ended with us at anchor in tranquil Cascade Cove. During pre-dinner drinks in the bar, we had a quick recap of events from Bluff until today from Chris, Matt, Lindsay and Mo. We seem to have packed an awful lot into a very few days. The evening ended with another sumptuous dinner.

Day 6: Monday 11 January, 2021
Southern Dusky Sound

We woke to the sound of the anchor coming up just after 0600 as the ship started to move to Anchor Island, accompanied by a pod of dolphins. At 0800 Zodiacs ferried a keen group of walkers ashore on the north side of the island to walk back to Luncheon Cove. A little later another Zodiac cruise took the non-walkers around the eastern end of Anchor Island on a wonderful calm morning with baby seals frolicking just off Luncheon Cove.

The walk across Anchor Island was as muddy and rooty as Chris had promised. Birdlife was variable: in places we heard and saw tieke and mohua, lots of robin and a big colony of pied shags on the lake. In other places just peace and silence. We ended up at Luncheon Cove at the same time as the Zodiac cruisers at 1130. Luncheon Cove, where Cook ate his crayfish, is the site of New Zealand’s first house and ship-building enterprise. Soon there were people frolicking in the calm (and apparently warm) water. The ship had repositioned to south of Anchor Island: we were all on board by 1200 and had lunch heading back to Cascade Cove.

At 1330 it was all go again. Chris and Matt shuttled groups to the barge in the head of Cascade Cove, where Cath bravely fought off sandflies all afternoon while overseeing the safe loading of the helicopter. Some people landed in the alpine grasslands on Mt Pember but shifting cloud meant others were landed elsewhere – the location was a trifle uncertain! Simultaneously, Lindsay and Mo took the non-fliers on a Zodiac cruise with Captain Pruss driving Mo’s Zodiac. The cruisers headed west to Pickersgill Harbour, another of New Zealand’s historic places where Captain Cook moored the Resolution for several weeks after his Antarctic venture. Lindsay’s very informative talk there was punctuated by a stoat on the shore of Crayfish Island. From Pickersgill to Indian Island weaving through the secret coves and channels at the western end and the Waka Harbour at the eastern end, another historic place associated with Cook. A short diversion to an islet crowded with juvenile seals, a view of nesting white-fronted terns in company with spotted shags, a look at the Cascade and back on board. The Captain’s Zodiac driving was as good as his big ship driving prowess.

By 1530 the last of the helicopter travellers were back for a quick cuppa, then away again with Lindsay, Matt and Mo to repeat the previous cruise. All were back on board by 1800 – but some immediately left again (without turning their red tags) by leaping into the calm cool waters of Cascade Cove. Isaac and Matt preferred to be dropped from Yuri’s crane rather than walking the gang plank. The Captain demonstrated yet another skill by swimming to the shark patrol boat and leaping onto it like a seal. Another great evening meal from the chefs put an end to a very busy day.

Day 7: Tuesday 12 January, 2021
Northern Dusky Sound

We were still in Cascade Cove in the morning but moved north to Pigeon Island during breakfast. Four Zodiacs were on the water at 0830, with one pair heading to Richard Henry’s home on Pigeon Island, and the other to Facile Harbour on a fine morning. Matt and Lindsay related the story of Richard Henry, the pioneer of species translocation. He lived on Pigeon Island for several years rescuing kakapo and kiwi from the stoat invasion, but eventually lost the battle and moved to Kapiti. The remains of his house, the punga shed where he kept his birds, and a few piles are poignant reminders of this gallant pioneer of conservation. An equally absorbing tale of shipwreck, stowaways, abandonment and rescue was related by Chris and Lindsay at Facile Harbour, where a ship was wrecked (for the insurance) and the crew and non-paying passengers returned to Australia in the Providence, the first ship built in Luncheon Cove.

Two mid-ship transfers had Mo swapping with Matt to tell and retell the story of the Facile Harbour cliffs and their long and complex geological history several times. The eastern corner of Facile Harbour was still and silent, apart from kaka, and we could see jellyfish, blue cod and spotties cruising the clear water. Our Milford underwater experience wasn’t enough for us to identify all of them. After a quick lunch at 1230, it was back on all five Zodiacs again to visit The Basin, a secret harbour hidden behind winding passages and overlooked by a barren granite dome. Our final landing on this wonderful Fiordland experience at the head of this harbour let us have a last wander in the peace and solitude.

Back on board just after 1600, we got rid of those gumboots and lifejackets, essential but troublesome companions of our Zodiac cruising. At 1645 Chris briefed us on what to expect tomorrow at Bluff and gave a sometimes hilarious recap of everything we had seen and done in the last week – a week which just disappeared in a maze of activities and adventures. A big thank you to all the crew, the chefs, and passengers was followed by Dr Selva’s Powerpoint photo show of all the things we had seen. Champagne in the bar was a precursor to yet another magnificent 5-course meal from our chefs.

On this last evening, the setting sun shone on the white cliffs of Chalky Island as we headed round Puysegur Point for Bluff and another world.

Day 8: Wednesday January 13, 2021
Bluff

We steamed slowly in past Stirling Point to tie up in port just on 0700. Houses and cars and civilisation seemed very strange, and the concepts of COVID pandemics and White House politics not entirely welcome. We had a last breakfast on board at 0700 and then it was time for farewells, swapping addresses with new-found friends, boarding the bus and away for the next adventure. A fantastic trip with a fantastic set of passengers and crew: many thanks to everyone.