Stewart Islands sits off the Southern coast of New Zealand
Looking out to sea, Lewis the Lion wanted to see if he could see Stewart Island in the distance, New Zealand’s most southerly island. He was stood on a blustery Bluff headland next to some directional signs and from here he could see that Stewart Island was just 35 km away.
From Bluff, Lewis the Lion realises that he’s just 35 km from Stewart Island
Furthermore, there was also a huge chain representing Stewart Island’s connection to the mainland.
Lewis the Lion realises that he’s far from home on the tip of the South Island
There really wasn’t far to go. Nonetheless, Lewis the Lion did feel a little bit anxious about the ferry crossing that was to come. Jugs, the driver had told him that the ride over to Stewart Island was often worse as you were going against the current.
Lewis the Lion arrives at the South Island’s Land’s End
Lewis the Lion also noticed that at this Land’s End point was a memorial stone to one of Bluff’s great whalers, William Stirling, where a Psalm was written giving praise to God. “God is always greater than all our troubles.”
Lewis checks out a memorial stone with a prayer
Ready to board the ferry to Stewart Island
Later on, as Lewis sailed over in the ferry to Stewart Island he took comfort in the words of the psalm that he had just read back in Bluff.
Lewis the Lion with his ferry ticket across to Stewart Island
It had to be the bumpiest ferry crossing of his whole life.
The ride across the Foveaux Strait is a very bumpy one
He laughed at the irony in the name of the ferry company, ‘Real Journeys.’ A real journey it most certainly was! In fact it was so bumpy that they cancelled the next ferry crossing as the wind force had reached above 50 knots and many people had started to feel seasick. Lewis the Lion could see white sick bags being clasped in the hands of ashen-coloured passengers and could see crew members running around with wet clothes to place on people’s foreheads to cool them down.
Water splashes up repeatedly at the port holes
The water was splashing the windows of the boat at full force and the huge windscreen wipers at the front of the ferry from where the captain was steering seemed like they couldn’t clear the water away quickly enough.
Lewis the Lion felt that if he tried to look out at the water and focus on the horizon, that might help him from feeling sick too but it was very tricky with the boat tossing and turning in the storm as you can see on this video clip on You Tube.
A wet welcome to Stewart Island
When Lewis the Lion eventually got onto terra firma, again he chuckled to himself as he stood next to the sign welcoming him to Stewart Island. He was stood in such a deluge of water waiting for his rucksack to arrive off one of the crates that he might as well have been stood under a showerhead: his fur was dripping wet. “Welcome indeed!” he thought to himself as he trundled past ducks bathing in puddles by the roadside. However, in the same breath he realised that this was perhaps the first time in absolutely ages on his big adventure when he had been well and truly soaking like this. He couldn’t grumble really and furthermore, when he got to his hostel, there was a woodburner which he sat beside to dry himself off. Helen had also got soaked to the skin and had to change her clothes completely and put these, along with her trainers by that welcoming fire.
Sunshine and showers are the order of the day!
The next day however seemed marginally more promising. Helen described this day as classic ‘April shower weather.’ They needed to draw on their British reserve, time was precious and they just had to get on with it, raincoats and all.
Stewart Island looks different in the sunlight!
Lewis the Lion was so happy that they did as he felt that Stewart Island was indeed one of nature’s hidden gems.
The walk takes Lewis the Lion along an estuary
Leaving the only town on Stewart Island, Oban, they were lucky to be picked up on the roadside and given a lift by the hostel owner to the start of their coastal walk: at least they dodged some showers this way!
Lewis the Lion checks the route he’ll follow from Horseshoe Bay back to Oban
The travelling pair were amazed to find that they had the entire beach to themselves with only a few bobbing fishing boats in the bay, catching crayfish. Otherwise, there was not a soul in sight. The only thing that seemed to be there was themselves and the birds twittering in the trees as you can see in this short film clip on You Tube.
The white-throated tui sings out a fine tune
From high up in the trees they could hear the distinctive song of the New Zealand tui bird and then Lewis saw it, black with its white feathers at its throat. He also saw some seagulls,
A pair of oyster-catchers are spotted near the rocks
a pair of red-beaked oyster catchers near the rocks,
A chaffinch skips across the sand
a chaffinch skipping across the lonesome sandy beach and he smiled as he saw some daffodils springing to life on a verge.
Daffodils mark the start of springtime
It was strange to think that back in the UK, autum would now be underway instead.
Lewis the Lion loves the wooded coastal path
In fact it was no surprise really that for the next few hours of their walk following the coastal path, they only passed one person. Stewart Island only has a very small human population and over 85% of it is conservation land. The thing that is remarkable about this place though, is that introduced predators that are found on the mainland have been removed from Stewart Island and so this is a true bird haven: you can start to imagine what New Zealand was like before human settlement.
Lewis the Lion stands beside a famous NZ kiwi sign
Birds like the kiwi thrive here, Lewis the Lion was happy to learn, but also disappointed that he didn’t end up seeing one in the wild too. He did the next best thing instead and had his photo taken by the kiwi sign with him and Helen!
Helen and Lewis see the next best thing to this nocturnal bird: a kiwi sign!
Their walk following the coast from Horseshoe Bay to Brags Bay was simply magical; taking them through along the rugged coastline with its spectacular colour.
Lewis the Lion thinks that Stewart Island is a real idyllic retreat
Lewis was also happy to find several korus: one of New Zealand’s symbols of life and new beginnings.
Lewis the Lion sees a koru unfurling
It certainly felt like the world was coming to life around him during this springtime season.
Fallen trees block the way
Along their way, they came across many trees that had been uprooted and were blocking their path
More fun obstacles on this adventurous walk along the coastal path
and still some yet that looked like they were in grave danger of collapsing from their sandy foundations and into the sea.
Lewis walks tentatively past these trees that look like they’re going to collapse
This energetic hike took the pair down onto a fantastically named small beach called Dead Man Beach.
Lewis the Lion wonders how it got this name?!
Lewis the Lion wondered how on earth it had got this name? His suspicious mind thought that maybe that was just a clever way of putting people off going there so that its beauty could remain hidden to others?
Lewis the Lion thinks that Dead Man Beach looks positively tropical!
It truly felt like a bit of paradise here on earth with its turquoise water, sandy beach and rugged landscape surrounding it. This place really seemed to be nature’s secret with its unspoilt natural beauty.
A little spot of deserted paradise on Stewart Island!
Time was now pressing on and so they hurried back to the hostel before it was time to catch their ferry home.
There’s even a fire station on Stewart Island!
Lewis the Lion noticed that there was a small firestation here on the island that was run by volunteers. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be too much need for that with the amount of rain that he’d seen today! He chuckled further still when he noticed that the hens outside his hostel were standing under the eaves to keep out of the rain!
Even the hens try to take shelter from the rain!
Thankfully though, the ferry crossing on the way back was much calmer than on his journey out as Jugs had suggested. To be honest, Lewis the Lion wouldn’t have minded if there had been another storm brewing…Stewart Island had certainly been worth the visit!
The arrowhead marks the island lookout point
Lewis the Lion didn’t really understand when the captain told him that it was 53 knots on his journey over to the island so he wanted to do some research to find out more.
Maybe you can learn about wind speeds and the Beaufort Scale with Lewis the Lion by clicking on this link?
What category of storm was Lewis the Lion sailing in?
