A Very Ordinary Spring
It hasn’t been the “Springiest” of Springs on Stewart Island. A few lovely days together with lots of grey days as well.
Spring Creeps in
Spring is far from Springing In Officially it’s spring, or actually 5 days into it. And the last couple of days have been magic, wall to wall blue. But really the whole end of winter has been pretty ordinary. Actually pretty wet and gloomy. We are well on the...
Energy on Stewart Island
Early Days When I first arrived on Stewart Island back in ’69 my Forest Service cottage had a “Shacklock 501” coal range for cooking, hot water and room heating. My lights were “Tilley” lanterns. The coal I had to carry around 100 metres...
Bird Populations and Mast years
Bird Populations and Mast years A couple of years ago, in April 2019 I blogged about a Rimu Mast year far beyond anything I could remember. And although It wasn’t part of my blog, that year was also an exceptional year for coprosma fruit. The coprosma season...
Home Help
Home Help A couple of months ago our daughter Anne phoned me … what to get Iris for her Birthday, and what did I think about a Robot Vacuum Cleaner. It happens one of her friends had one, and raved about it, and Anne thought why not for her mother. I did a bit...
Cattle Egrets
Cattle Egrets An early winter visitor are the Cattle Egrets. Normally arriving mid May I was surprised to find this one on the road at Horseshoe Bay. It was foraging alongside the road, and was quite unconcerned by our van pulling up along side. In the past...
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.
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