The Deep South

Journeying even further south we came to Invercargill where Carol spent a year of her life teaching. The school was dreadful and she didn't enjoy it at all, but it was here she joined Rover Scouts and so her social life made up for the work life. So many of the people we have visited are friends from those Scouting days - including our hosts in Invercargill, Jill and Allister. Southland weather was all we remembered it to be - very similar to that of an English summer, ie unpredictable!  We had warmish weather and torrential rain, but the company more than made up for the lack of heat in the sun. We visited Curio Bay which has petrified trees on the beach and windswept trees on the hillside. From Invercargill we caught the boat to Stewart Island for some more tramping.  The last time Carol had been it was on a really old 'tin tub' of a boat.  Now it's a much faster one, but the journey over was extremely rough - 3-4metre swell.  The 'driver' spent his time trying to outrun the waves and run along their crest.  Several people lost their breakfasts, though thankfully not us!

Once on Stewart Island we visited the Department of Conservation and booked our next 2 night's campsites and then set off to walk the Rakiura (Maori name for Stewart Island) Track, another of NZ's great walks.  Again we did it over 3 days and 2 nights.  The first day was along quite a few beaches and the campsite at the end of the day was right next to the beach.  The second day saw us head inland and it got very muddy and slippery (we came across a group of Search and Rescue people stretchering out a lady who'd broken her leg due to the slipperiness).  Day 2 campsite was not as picturesque, but luckily we were the first to arrive and got a really sheltered pitch as the wind really blew that night.  The third day was an easy stroll out to the only township on the island - Oban. We're pleased to say that the return ferry crossing to Invercargill was like a millpond.