Kapiti Island

Surely the best Christmas 2014 present which Jeanette and I received was from Bianca and Clayton – tickets for a daylong round-trip to Kapiti Island nature reserve. We were booked as a complete seven-member family group for Saturday 27th, including Brynn, Tyler and his friend Emily.

Most of us were up and scrubbed, dressed appropriately and checking our rucksacks, tog bags, hats, sunscreen and water bottles by seven-fifteen. Clayton and Bianca had spent time the previous evening preparing and packing ham and mustard and chicken rolls, fresh strawberries and apples.

With the dogs fed and watered, a final check of the cargo load revealed we were officially ready for blast-off to the beach town of Paraparaumu, about 10K away, where we would board the tour boat to take us across the waters on what I imagine is about a quarter of an hour trip.

The boating club precinct is also the headquarters of the tour companies, so that they can use (excuse the unintended pun) the pooled parking and launching facilities.

(Above): Gran and Brynn about to check out the fishing rules, which clearly state that it is illegal to sell or “exchange” your catch with others – phone 0800-POACHERS to report any suspect activities. I understand that people do.

(Above): A number of tour groups were assembling outside when we arrived. The boats depart at about 15 minute intervals, our boat to carry 30 passengers. The vessel with the twin outboards (on the tow dolly) would be carrying us over the sea “to Skye.”

(Above): Brynn and Dad pose in front of our tractor. With a powerful motor and huge welded double back wheels, it has been modified to a chain-driven Daddy Longlegs version to enter the water pulling the boats without the engine being completely drowned. On the other side, one can see the steps the driver uses to reach his seat.

(Above): As we were being towed out into the calm water, another (smaller) tour boat had just been released from its (smaller) tow dolly and tractor. At that point the boat engines can reverse the vessel into deeper water and the tractor can return to the flat sandy beach. In the background, part of the mountains on Kapiti Island (running parallel to the Paraparaumu coastline) can be seen. Part of the mountain which we would be ascending shortly…

(Above): No room to swing a cat. Very good, because a cat is the last thing they would want on Kapiti Island – mainly a protected bird sanctuary held in trust by an extended Maori family group. Four rows of passengers make up the 30 passenger list with 3 crew.  Clayton and Tyler on the left and Emily on the right.

(Above): After “docking” on the pebble beach, with the Paraparaumu mountains in the distant background, we disembark. We are further accompanied by the two guides (fellow at the bottom of the gang-plank and the young lady) while the “captain” returns for his next load of tourists. A few of the passengers may have been slightly apprehensive about the safety and size of the boat at the start of the trip, but I’m sure they had been completely reassured by now. The water was superbly calm by boating standards.

(Above): Approaching the “visitor centre” after a five-minute walk from the beach. The tour and nature experience has purposely been designed as non-commercial. There is a gathering point / information room (as pictured here) a three flush-toilet/ wash basin ablution facility about five minutes from here, and a “long-drop” toilet at the far end of the hiking trails on the other side of the island. Other than that, there are three or four trails, a couple of resting points with wooden benches and the pebble beach. Oh, on the left is a tap with fresh water, and somewhere else is a helicopter pad in case someone has a really serious medical emergency.

(Above): Before we leave on our guided tours or go off on our individual hiking ways, we are given an informative talk about which birds might be encountered, what they look like and where we are likely to see them. By now, all the predators have been eradicated from the island, and, in keeping with NZ biohazard policy, our feet and luggage was checked before we boarded the boats. If memory serves, I think she said that a total of 220,000 possums were eradicated and something like 50,000 rats. They use vinegar to kill grass on footpaths. Huh?

(Above): The tracks are the Trig track (for more experienced and serious hikers and climbers), the cross-mountain Wilkinson Track (which we decided on) and a circular Rangatira Loop (lower reach) coastal track in red. Hikers have the choice of returning to the coast after the Hihi feeding point, or continuing to the upper point. As I know that the old fogeys are not expected to over-exert themselves, I decided not to be silly and end up all stiff and crampy because of exertion, I decided to go down again, accompanied Gran and Brynn back to the coast and we continued with the Rangatira Loop, while Clayton Bianca and the two Big Kidz when on. In the inset below, the Hihi feeding point is marked with a red “O”

(Above): Brynn poses with the so-called “old Japanese tourist” (with the funny old-fashioned long socks and funny old-fashioned knee-bones) on a bench outside the historic house near the Rangatira Loop.

Without further comment, here are a few shots of some of the many, many steep and winding footpaths along the Wilkinson Track. Birds can be observed all over, if you’re prepared to stop and wait and look for them in the foliage, quite dense in some parts…

(Above): A shot of the famous Tui. I couldn’t really get any decent photos of birds, so I rather concentrated on the views of nature.

(Above): A view across the waters towards Paraparaumu Beach from high up through the vegetation.

(Above): Girls still in high spirits. But wait, the going gets tougher, I’m sure….

(Above): A pair of Tree-is Huggeris, a rare shot of real forest tree-huggers in their natural habitat.

(Above): Part of the beach seen from the Rangatira Loop. The Paraparaumu beach looks a lot closer from here.. A lone black-backed gull sits sunning itself.

(Above): Brynn discovers a jelly-fish on the pebble beach.

(Above): Inside the visitor centre, pictures of some of the inhabitants of Kapiti Island mostly with Maori names only: the Ruru, the Kohekohe, the Korimako, the Tui, the Kawakawa and the Toutouwai. In column 2: the Kereru, the Karaka, The Hihi, the Tieke and the Weka. In column 3: the Kanuka, the Kakariki, the Miromiro, the Whauwhaupaku, the Tauhou and the Takahe. Finally, the Popokatea, the Piwakawaka, the Mahoe and the famous nocturnal Kiwi.

(Above): The Wekas are quite tame, a bit like the Cape Francolin.

(Above): About three in the afternoon, we lounge on the pebble beach with feet up, Brynn having a cool-off.

A great day in the outdoors in a pretty unique nature reserve/ bird sanctuary. With thanks to Bianca and Clayton for a great experience. The old bones and muscles are a bit stiff now, two days later, but nothing unpleasant, proving my point that old fogeys should never try to be over-adventurous …