Stewart Island and Wanaka
Stewart Island
Stewart is the biggish island at the southern end of the South Island. The last best holdout for the kiwi. We arranged to get a plane to drop us off on the beach at Half Moon Bay on the far end of the island. Then we planned to walk back to town. The plane landed in strong winds, dumped us off and then was gone, leaving us standing there facing gale force winds coming across 5000 miles of the Southern Ocean. Argh!!! It then proceeded to rain for 36 straight hours.
Our first tent site. We spent day 2 in the tent and then it finally cleared on day 3
By day 4 we were into fine kiwi habitat. We were in this field at sunset and saw and then heard three different individuals. They were odd little beasts. Squat and apparently short-legged when moving slowly, but they extend their legs to run and look like psychochickens.
The Stewart Island trip ended with New Year's Eve in Oban Township (the only town on the island). They shut down the streets and partied.
Alice and Lucy Evatt, friends met along the trip
On to Wanaka where we made our choice between bungee jumping and skydiving...
Glacial river near Wanaka
Lake Wanaka
more sights from on high
Nat in the air
Look at the fear in my face. I have to say that when they rolled the flap on the side of the plane up and made me slide my ass out to the edge, I was petrified. To make the jump, the pro is one sitting in the plane while you are hanging off the edge. Then he pushes off and you go. 45 seconds or so of free fall and then he pulls the chute.

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