North West and Southern Circuits, 30 September - 12 October 2013

A thirteen-day amble along Stewart Island's beautiful forests and beaches. From the ferry terminal in Halfmoon Bay / Oban, we walked the North West Circuit and the Southern Circuit tracks. Day 1: a night-time slog on the Rakiura Track to Port William Hut / Potirepo. Day 2: On to Bungaree Hut and Christmas Village Hut. Day 3: Lucky Beach and Yankee River Hut. Day 4: Smoky Beach and Long Harry Hut. Amazing granite formations at Long Harry! Day 5: First kiwi spotting, and the beauty of East Ruggedy Beach, before wandering into East Ruggedy Hut. Day 6: West Ruggedy Beach, North Red Head, Ruggedy Mountains, Waituna Bay and Big Hellfire Hut. Day 7: Fun 200m sand dune down to Big Hellfire Beach, and back up! Then on to Little Hellfire Beach and Mason Bay Hut. Day 8: Rest day. We climbed the Big Sandhill and explored the dunes behind Martins Creek. More kiwi spotting. Day 9: Mason Bay, The Gutter, Ernest Islands, then over Adams Hill to Doughboy Bay Hut. Day 10: We explored either end of Doughboy Bay, then over Doughboy Hill into the Rakeahua River and down to Rakeahua Hut. Day 11: to Freds Camp Hut, walking across the mud flats of Paterson Inlet's South West Arm where possible, then on to Freshwater Hut. Day 12: Great views from the top of Rocky Mountain, and a tiring walk over Thomson Ridge to North Arm Hut. Day 13: On the Rakiura Track to Halfmoon Bay, and home! Party: Nick Phillips (to Mason Bay), Gwenn Le Mée, Danilo Hegg

Mason Bay Hut: rainbow over the Big Sandhill
Big Sandhill Mason Bay Mason Bay Hut New Zealand North west circuit Rainbow Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1126
Getting ready for take-off, Mason Bay
Mason Bay New Zealand North west circuit Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping airplane plane takeoff Stewart Island 1129
Getting ready for take-off, Mason Bay
Mason Bay New Zealand North west circuit Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping airplane plane takeoff Stewart Island 1131
Take-off, Mason Bay
Mason Bay New Zealand North west circuit Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping airplane plane takeoff Stewart Island 1138
Rain showers at Mason Bay
Mason Bay New Zealand North west circuit Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping beach cloud rain rain showers showers Stewart Island 1142
Mason Bay and the Ernest Islands
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1144
View south from The Gutter. The Ernest Islands on far right
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island The Gutter Tramping Stewart Island 1152
View south from The Gutter. The Ernest Islands on far right
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island The Gutter Tramping coast coastline Stewart Island 1153
Looking down onto The Gutter and the Ernest Islands
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island The Gutter Tramping coast coastline Stewart Island 1161
Looking down onto The Gutter and the Ernest Islands
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island The Gutter Tramping coast coastline Stewart Island 1162
Ernest Islands
Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1169
On top of Adams Hill, looking back towards Mason Bay
Adams hill Ernest Islands Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1173
View from Adams Hill, looking north east
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1188
The track over Adams Hill
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping track marker Stewart Island 1199
Bog on Adams Hill
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bog peat bog Stewart Island 1203
Bog on Adams Hill
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bog peat bog Stewart Island 1214
Bog on Adams Hill
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bog peat bog Stewart Island 1218
On top of Adams Hill, looking back towards Mason Bay
Adams hill Mason Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1220
Rain showers at sea approach Adams Hill
Adams hill Ernest Islands New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping rain rain showers showers Stewart Island 1224
Bog on Adams Hill
Adams hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bog peat bog Stewart Island 1237
Bog on Adams Hill
new zealand rakiura rakiura national park southern circuit stewart island tramping bog peat bog Adams Hill
Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1245
Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping coast coastline Stewart Island 1255
Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping coast coastline Stewart Island 1248
Old sealers' cave at Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bivvy cave sealers cave Stewart Island 1266
Old sealers' cave at Doughboy Bay. Some not-so-ancient 'rock art'
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bivvy cave drawing drawings graffiti rock art sealers cave Stewart Island 1265
Old sealers' cave at Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping bivvy cave sealers cave Stewart Island 1261
Doughboy Bay Hut
Doughboy Bay Doughboy Bay Hut New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping axe hut wood axe Stewart Island 1273
Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping beach Stewart Island 1278a
Sea cave at Doughboy Bay - with quicksands!
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping beach cave quicksands sea cave Stewart Island 1282
Sea cave at Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping beach cave sea cave Stewart Island 1290
Sea cave at Doughboy Bay
Doughboy Bay New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping beach cave sea cave Stewart Island 1291
Doughboy Bay from the slopes of Doughboy Hill
Doughboy Bay Doughboy Hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1313a
Doughboy Bay from the slopes of Doughboy Hill
Doughboy Bay Doughboy Hill New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1314
View into the Rakeahua River valley from Doughboy Hill. Bald Hill is above the South West Arm of Paterson Inlet. Table Hill is on the far right
Bald Hill Doughboy Hill New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakeahua River Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Table Hill Tramping Stewart Island 1315
View into the Rakeahua River valley from Doughboy Hill. Bald Hill is above the South West Arm of Paterson Inlet. Table Hill is on the far right; Mount Rakeahua on the far left
Bald Hill Doughboy Hill New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakeahua River Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Table Hill Tramping Stewart Island 1318
Rakeahua River swamps. Mount Rakeahua at centre image
Mount Rakeahua New Zealand Rakeahua River Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Swamp Tramping Stewart Island 1333
Rakeahua River swamps - would you like to go in to your thighs or to your chest? Mount Rakeahua on the far left
mount rakeahua new zealand rakeahua river rakiura rakiura national park southern circuit stewart island swamp tramping stewart island 1340
Rakeahua River swamps
New Zealand Rakeahua River Rakiura Rakiura National Park Reflection Southern Circuit Stewart Island Swamp Tramping Stewart Island 1341
Manuka forest at sunset, Rakeahua River valley
Leptospermum scoparium Manuka New Zealand Rakeahua River Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Stewart Island 1345
Rakeahua Hut. How many warning signs can DoC fit in one place?
new zealand rakeahua hut rakeahua river rakiura rakiura national park southern circuit stewart island tramping hut stewart island 1348
Tasmanian blue mussel (Mytilus planulatus), Paterson Inlet South West Arm / Whaka a Te Wera.
Mytilus New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Whaka a Te Wera blue mussel mussel Stewart Island Tasmanian blue mussel Mytilus planulatus
Tasmanian blue mussel (Mytilus planulatus), Paterson Inlet South West Arm / Whaka a Te Wera.
Mytilus New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Whaka a Te Wera blue mussel mussel Stewart Island Tasmanian blue mussel Mytilus planulatus
Tasmanian blue mussel (Mytilus planulatus), Paterson Inlet South West Arm / Whaka a Te Wera.
Mytilus New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Whaka a Te Wera blue mussel mussel Stewart Island Tasmanian blue mussel Mytilus planulatus
Freds Camp Hut, our lunch stop for the day
Freds Camp Hut New Zealand Paterson Inlet Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping Whaka a Te Wera hut Stewart Island 1376
In the forest between Freds Camp and Freshwater Hut
Native forest New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping forest tree fern Stewart Island 1385
Lichens (?) in the Freshwater River swamps
Freshwater River New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping lichen lichens Stewart Island 1388
Lichens (?) in the Freshwater River swamps
Freshwater River New Zealand Rakiura Rakiura National Park Southern Circuit Stewart Island Tramping lichen lichens Stewart Island 1392

Southern Alps Photography

North West and Southern Circuits, 30 September - 12 October 2013

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