Tramping Week(end)

We are starting to get into spring here and have been having much nicer weather lately.  As such, Ross and I have gotten out walking around Wellington a lot more.  We joined the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club this past week (fyi tramping = hiking, in case that wasn't readily apparent).  The group runs trips around the southern part of the North Island and the northern part of the South Island.  We are planning on doing a couple day trip with them later this month. 

Overlooking Breaker Bay from the Eastern Walkway

This past week we had some truly glorious spring weather so I went out and did the Eastern Walkway.  It has been on my 'to-do' list for a while but it is quite exposed to the wind so I hadn't made it out there yet.  It is located on the southeastern side of the Miramar Peninsula and is easily reached by bus.  It has great views of Wellington Harbor, Cook Strait, and Barrett Reef. 

InterIslander Ferry coming into Wellington Harbor

Looking out toward Cook Strait

At the western end/turn-around point of the hike is the Ataturk Memorial.  It is a memorial to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first leader of the Republic of Turkey.  The site was chosen for its resemblance of the Gallipoli coast and was a response to the Turkish government building a commemorative site at Anzac Cove (and renaming the cove), which I find very moving and inspirational.  It is very impressive that two countries that were trying to annihilate each other 100 years ago as part of a larger conflict now both have memorials to the fallen soldiers from the 'other' side.  I think that many governments and people could learn a lot from the example set by Turkey and the Anzac countries.

Once down on the Coastal Road, you go past the Wahine Memorial Park.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, the Wahine was a ferry that became grounded on Barrett Reef in 1968 in a massive storm; fifty-one people were killed.

Looking across the Strait to the South Island

On a slightly less depressing note, the Eastern Track loop finishes out walking along the beach at Breaker Bay and then going around Point Dorset.  There are Maori historical sites and WWII gun batteries and observation points at Fort Dorset.  Both are well worth investigating.

As a side note, the beach at Breaker Bay is clothing optional.  You have been forewarned. 

Ross and I also did a hike yesterday in the Tararua Range with the Wellington Tramping Meetup Group (different from the club that we just joined).  The weather was on the rainy/overcast side but we ended up having a great time despite getting a little lost and having a ~7 mile tramp turn into a 12-13 mile tramp.  Once we got on the right trail we hiked up to Field Hut, and had a late lunch out of the rain.  We had originally been planning on continuing up to Table Top (1047 m peak) but we decided to scratch that with the poor weather and our later than expected arrival at the hut.   

Otaki River

Otaki River - where we ended up by mistake...

Good bushwhacking view of the river

On the correct trail toward Field Hut

Looking back at our scenic, river detour

In the clouds, admiring all of the different shades of green.

Field Hut in the clouds

Ross enjoying the rain.

It was really nice to meet some other outdoorsy people and explore some of the many trails outside of Wellington.  We will probably do more tramps with this group, though we will be bringing our own maps on future trips...

Walking Wellington Part 2: Seals near Wellington

The weather has been very rainy lately so I have had to squeeze outdoor adventures into the few good days.  As such I've been out to the Red Rocks Reserve twice in the last couple weeks; once by myself during the week and then again this past weekend with Ross.  From May through October each year there is a colony of New Zealand Fur Seals out past the red rocks around Sinclair Head, hence the multiple recent trips.

The reserve is easy to get to by bus from downtown, though watch the time.  I missed the last bus one day and ended up walking the 3.5 miles home.  It wasn't a bad walk but I'd already covered a lot of ground that day.  The walk itself is a very easy and follows the beach on a 4-wheel drive road.  The gate to the road is only closed on Sundays, so every other day you will be sharing the track with cars.  You get to see the rugged southern coast and, if the weather is nice, you can see the South Island.    

To get to the seals, you have to walk around the point in this picture.

This is actually Island Bay (east of Red Rocks Reserve) but I thought that it was a nice bus stop view...

Snow-capped mountains on the South Island.

The red rocks are volcanic pillow lava that formed about 200 million years ago underwater.  The red color is due to iron oxide.  There are two Maori stories related to the red color as well.  In one, Kupe, a famous Polynesian explorer, had a shellfish (paua) clamp on his hand and his blood stained the rocks.  In the other story, the daughters of Kupe cut themselves in their grief over their father's absence and their blood stained the rocks.

Red Rocks - they are more impressive in person.

Now that I have put in the obligatory, pretty scenery pictures on to the main attraction: Seals!  The New Zealand fur seal has come back from the brink of extinction (caused by hunting by Europeans and Maori) and there are now around 200,000.  They are quite large with the females reaching up to 1.5 m (almost 5 feet) and the males getting up to 2.5 m (a little over 8 feet).  The Maori name for fur seals is kekeno, which means 'look-arounds'.

The combination of a pleasant walk and the prospect of getting to watch seals play in the water or laze around in the sun has earned this trek a place on my 'repeatable walks' list.  I will have to make sure to get out there again before the end of October-ish so that I can see the seals again before they take off for the season.

Zealandia

Zealandia is a predator-free ecosanctuary in the suburbs of Wellington.  At this point I have been there a couple times and am continually impressed by it.  The entire preserve is enclosed in a predator-proof fence as part of a 500-year vision to return the valley to pre-human conditions.  The 225 hectare reserve has had 18 species of native wildlife reintroduced, 6 of which have been absent from mainland New Zealand for over 100 years.

South Island Takahe
These birds were thought to be extinct in 1898 but were then rediscovered in 1948.
There are less than 400 in the wild today.

Bath time

Prior to the arrival of humans, New Zealand was the land of birds.  The only native mammals are bats, so an amazing variety of flora and fauna developed here that is found nowhere else.  The introduction of mammals such as rats, cats, and weasels by humans has, unfortunately, greatly changed the landscape in the past 700 years. 

This is from the exhibit in the Visitor's Center at Zealandia.

Tui
These are my favorite NZ birds, so far.

North Island Kaka (mountain parrot)

At this point, Zealandia probably has the highest biodiversity per square mile of anywhere on mainland New Zealand in terms of species living wild.  Over 40 different species of birds, 24 of which are endemic, have been recorded in the valley.  There are also dozens of reptile species, hundreds of plant species, and thousands of invertebrates.  Many of the species are endangered or are only found in highly managed settings such as Zealandia.  But that's enough preaching out of me about how important Zealandia is for preserving biodiversity... It is also a great place to take a stroll or just sit and bask in what New Zealand was like before humans arrived.

When you first go into Zealandia, you have to do a bag check to make sure that you are not bringing anything in with you.  After that, you are free to wander.  The paths throughout the preserve are great and range from paved, wheelchair accessible paths to steep, dirt tracks.  There are feeding stations so that you can get a closer look at some of the birds and weta hotels so that you can check out some invertebrates.  One area of the reserve is fenced off as a tuatara research area.  I have yet to see a tuatara there but I always spend a long time scrutinizing the ground whenever I walk by, hoping to get lucky.

Predator-proof fence exhibit

One thing that Ross and I have noticed since moving to New Zealand is that we both are really interested in the birds here.  I'm sure that at least part of it is that they are all so exotic and foreign to us.  It is an interesting experience to walk through the forest and listen to unfamiliar bird songs.  It really makes you realize how much the soundscape affects your experience of a place.

Kakariki (Red-crowned Parakeet) 

Kereru (New Zealand pigeon) 

New Zealand Pied Shag

North Island Kaka

North Island Kaka

North Island Kaka

North Island Kaka

There is a short mine shaft that you can go into to see Cave Wetas in Zealanadia.  Ross, being the uber prepared person that he is, had a flashlight so in we went on our most recent visit.  About 20 feet into the mine shaft, the ceiling was covered in cave weta.  They can jump 2-3 meters (6-9') and have the most incredible antenna to help survive in the lightless environment.

Cave Weta

Ross being scale.  Aren't the antenna incredible?!?

If you are visiting Wellington, Zealandia should definitely be on your "To Do" list.  Plus your ticket is good for two days, so you shouldn't feel rushed to explore it all in one day.