We decided to stay in the area after picking up Jonathan’s shoes, as we knew that we would want to meet up with friends who live in the area who were due back from traveling soon. So, we decided to head to Picton. Once there, we discovered the Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary was within kayaking distance and also free, so we decided to give it a try. The hardest part was figuring out where to put the kayak in. The sanctuary is on a peninsula sticking out between two harbors. On the less busy side, you couldn’t access the harbor because it was either private property or restricted, secured access. On the busy side, the only place to put in was a small beach on the far side of the harbor, requiring you to pass the busy boat traffic down the middle. Jonathan was dubious about it, but I figured it wouldn’t be too much of an issue. After checking the kayaking rules for the harbor, he gave the OK, which was good because we were set for another wonderful kayaking/hiking experience.
A sound on our way to Picton.
Shortly after putting in, we discovered the sound was filled with clear, purplish jellyfish. Thousands, perhaps millions of them. I guess the wind and currents were just right to send them into there. We hadn’t expected it, since we thought the water was too cold for them there.
Jonathan pulled one up for me.
The wildlife sanctuary is protected by a predator-proof fence. So, as soon as we crossed over to the peninsula, we started seeing birds nesting along the shore.
Oyster-catcher and chicks.
On the walk, we weren’t able to spot as many birds as we were hoping, but it did have a lot of interesting native plants and informational signs.
View of the Queen Charlotte Sound from the peninsula. Yes, it is getting ready to rain in a bit.
The black stuff that we mistook for ash on a previous walk is actually a mold that is the result of “honeydew” excreted by scale insects that feed on the beech sap.
These are called kereru or wood pigeon. They are the largest living species of pigeon and are surprisingly quiet. You mostly just hear their large wings flapping heavily through the trees.
We also managed to see some little penguins in their nesting boxes. One was molting, the other was possibly nesting.
On the way back, we spotted a black-backed gull and chicks.
We didn’t quite make it back before it started raining. With the rain and the exercise (kayaked over 4 km and walked 2.5 km), we were done for the day. We had heard that the Queen Charlotte Track is lovely and a recommended hike. We didn’t quite feel like tent sleeping yet, though, especially with off-and-on rain. So, we decided to walk a small portion of it between the Torea and Te Mahia saddles. It was a nice and sunny morning, and plenty warm.
The clear skies showed off the beautiful color of the water.
We took the detour to Onahau Lookout, which gave views down the sounds.
While we were sitting at the picnic table, deciding if we wanted lunch, a weka appeared.
Another one appeared as well and walked right under the table next to Jonathan. Apparently people have been feeding them here.
They make interesting noises; you can barely hear it in the video. Jonathan thinks he heard one a few days ago under the van, but didn’t know what it was.
Wekas are a bird that are high in fat. The Māori had a technique for cooking and storing it in the water, that because of its high fat content (like a duck) enabled it to be preserved safely for up to 2 years.
While there, we received notification that our friends were back in town and wanted to see us soon. That gave me an excuse to leave the hot hike and head back into Nelson for a game of Ultimate Frisbee, which I didn’t think I would be able to get to play until next week.
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