Captain’s Log: Lake Wanaka to Bluff then Stewart Island, Day 29-32

March 3-6

Hi All,

Our drive from Lake Wanaka to Bluff took us a little over 4 hours. We had sunny to partly cloudy to very cloudy weather so we got to see some of the scenery and but not all. The views around Queenstown are still DDG!! We stayed at a very charming B&B in Bluff which also was a very peaceful and historic fishing town. Lisa, the proprietor said when we got in, there are 3 things to do….1) go check out the Stewart Island ferry so you know where to go in the am, 2)go to the lookout for some gorgeous views of the bay and Stewart Island and 3) go to end of the road sign, HWY 1 ends or starts here and we will take it all the way back to Auckland….they had a cool sign there and the views were great. We then asked about a restaurant as we were planning opening ceremonies with Adam and Cindi on sv Bravo….she looked a little sheepish and said there is only one open for dinner and you have to get there early or they might close. Well, we did get there early and had a very good opening ceremony with some good wine, our first taste of Bluff oysters and some excellent crumbed blue cod!!!!

The next day we had very calm and pleasant weather for our 1 hour crossing of Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island. This is where 3 oceans come together….the Pacific, the Tasman and the Southern Ocean and winds can blow upwards of hurricane force. The ferry skipper said they go unless it is blowing 50+ kts and 12′ seas…yikes!!

“Stewart Island / Rakiura is the third-largest island of New Zealand. It lies 30 kilometres south of the South Island, across Foveaux Strait. Its permanent population is 381 people as of the 2013 census, most of whom live in the settlement of Oban.” Stewart Island was in its prime in the early 1900-1940’s with all the fishing, sealing, whaling and lumbering. Some of the old historical pictures were quite interesting!!

This is the furthest south we can go….just below the 47th latitude. That’s really not that far south when you consider Seattle is around 47.6 deg north. Of course, there is that minor detail of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica due south of us! We had a really good time on the island, especially spending time with Adam and Cindi. We got in several good hikes including a half day on Ulva island. Ange, a local, greeted us off the Ferry and was our unofficial host for the 3 days. We took the Ulva tour with her as the guide and when we asked where we could buy some local seafood, she said….well, her partner Jase could bring us some fresh blue cod, which he did….we had a kitchenette in the cabin and cooked up an excellent sautèed blue cod dinner one night!!

Just as Angus, our guide on the Heaphy trip, spoiled us on our gourmandering (a new word coined by Kathy), the rainforests around Lake Moeraki in the Haast region may have spoiled us on birds and forests. Stewart Island forests had all been lumbered so were “only” ~140 years old. There is less rain here so the forests are not as lush. However, we saw a lot of big rimu, rata and miro trees as well as cute and funny Kaka parrots coming up to our porch everytime we were out, plus wekas, robins, bellbirds, yellowheads, wood pigeons, and mollymocks…..

Our only disappointment was not seeing a Kiwi bird. There are 15-20k on this island and we went out all 3 nights to local places for Kiwi sightings but were aced out each night. It seems you need to take the guided tours…from 9-12 at night that take you by boat to a local reserve…..hmmmm, cocktails/dinner/bed or out late in the cold wind….yep, no sightings for us!!!

Weather: We had it all. The first two days were sunny to partly cloudy, warm with not much wind. The 3rd day had some rain but cleared for our 3 hour hike, but the wind was blowing from the South so it was a bit nippy. The 4th day it rained and blew hard and cold…..gale force winds in the am and calmed a little for our afternoon ferry (6-8 swells on the beam, sweet, NOT) but they canceled the ferry after us. It rained hard most of the 2 hours it took us to drive from Bluff to Curio Bay, where we are now!!!

Stats:
Traveled: 240 miles today; 1800 miles total and we are all the way as far south as we will go so maybe half way!!
Hotel: Bluff: Bluff Ocean Vista B&B; very nice and Lisa was very helpful/friendly
Stewart Island: Anchorstone – a very peaceful, private, boutique cabin with a lovely view and the best bed yet!!!!
Wrong Turns: holding at 4:)))
One-Way Bridges: 150+
Food: It just happened to be the start of the Bluff oyster season….OMG….what a treat…..they say these are some of the best in the world….I’m not sure who “they” are but these were some of the best I have had and ranks right up there with sitting in Felix’s bar in NOLA!!!! I had oysters 2 times – one time “natural”….say, do you have any cocktail sauce, what’s that, well, ketchup, lot’s of horseradish sauce and lemon, no sir why do you want that, well, for the oysters, why do you want to ruin them with that stuff….you get the gist of the conversation although she did serve the oysters with balsamic vinegar which was just ok!!!! The 2nd time was slightly cooked with some parmesan on top….both ways were yummers!!!!
One night the four of us ate at the Church Hill Restaurant….about the only one except for the local pub/cafe. The meal was excellent, the waitress a funny German but the proprietor was a little cranky…..but we had a Gibbston Pinot Noir reserve that was quite delightful!!

We also had 3 nights of blue cod…..crumbed, poached and then sautèed. Blue cod is what we caught with Ian and Agi last year when we were on their boat in the Fiordlands. It is a delicate mild white fish that is just excellent!!!

Hope all is well!!

John

PS: All cargo still on customs hold in LA…..arghhhhhh!!!!