Kiwis and Anchors
12 months ago in the middle of lockdown our future was, to say the least, a bit uncertain. Who would have foreseen the busiest summer the Island has had, well at least in our experience.
Stewart Island, Riviera of the Southern Ocean
Stewart Island, Riviera of the Southern Ocean Are there any vessels left in West Haven ?? Every summer the Island plays host and destination to a few visiting yachts. And apart from the regulars from Bluff and Otago Harbour there always seemed to be more flying...
Kiwi and Security Lights
When Sails Ashore & Kowhai Lane Guests arrive we always take then for a short “Tiki Tour” of the village to show them where things are.
Morepork and Other Things
One of our more elusive birds is the Morepork Of course they are nocturnal and so not about when we are. But occasionally we’ll spot one roosting quietly in a tree, often the dead lower branches of a young Rimu, where their brown plumage blends beautifully with the dead foliage.
20-Twentyone
2021
I can’t quite believe how quickly the last few months have flown by. But then again, looking back I’m astonished at how busy we’ve been. And even more astonishing considering how Iris & I thought the future would be just 10 months ago.
Busy Busy Busy
Busy, Busy, Busy Spring is normally when we get the last of the off season chores done, the garden sorted for the coming year and generally all the ducks nicely lined up. This year has been quite different. We have most (all ??) of the chores and projects safely...
Snow !!
Snow !! The last couple of days have seen snow forecast on the tail end of a deep low. And it was deep, down to 972 HPA yesterday. This morning we woke to a white lawn. Not up to the window sills but certainly deeper than we’ve had since probably 2006. And not...
The Savage Spring
We’ve enjoyed a fairly mild winter this year, but as an old Stewart Island Island saying goes….. “we’ll pay for it sooner or later”……
Fuchsias Power and Blackbirds
Our Fuchsia has been out for 3 or 4 weeks now, or at least some trees have. And they are always the first sign of the “New Year” Flowers generally appear before the leaves, but although never as flamboyantly in bloom or as colourful as some of the exotic species,
About Me
I arrived on Stewart Island in 1969 as Forest Ranger. Since then I've fished commercially both in Fiordland and around Stewart Island then skippered our charter yacht in the same waters, and also down into the Southern Ocean. More recently we now have "Sails Ashore" B&B, and I also guide our guests and others on Ulva Island, introducing them to the natural world of Stewart island