“The face of the earth is changing so that soon there will be little of the primitive nature left. In the Old World, it is practically gone forever. Here, then, is Stewart Island’s prime advantage, and one hard to overestimate. It is an actual piece of the primeval world.”
– Leonard Cockayne, 1909
Stewart Island is pure adventure. Its Māori name, Rakiura, means “land of the glowing skies”. Even getting to the island, which is New Zealand’s third-largest island and 30km south of the South Island, is an adventure! The only way to get there is by ferry from Bluff or by plane from Invercargill. Of course, I chose to take the ferry from Bluff.
With winds reaching 35 knots, the ride was not for the faint hearted. In travel books, you often read about tourists puking during this trip while locals stand around, chatting over a beer. Well, it’s true! As walls of waves crashed into the ferry (it was better than any rollercoaster ride!), I watched as three people vomited while one old guy watched and laughed at them. It was the best ferry crossing ever!
Rakiura is a triangular-shaped island, 85% of which is a national park. Only about 400 people live permanently on the island, almost all of them in the settlement of Oban, in Halfmoon Bay. The rest of Rakiura is wild nature! Most visitors stick
