Wellington, New Zealand

Thursday, February 10,2011    67 degrees                            8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

 

Choir singing to greet us in port

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital.  Sporty city.  Nestles between the sea and the Tararua Ranges which tower almost 3,000 ft. It stands at the southwestern tip of North Island on Cook Strait, the passage that separates the North and South Islands.    Coloured  roofs cascade down the steep hillsides, creating a vibrant collage against a spectacular green backdrop.  An old brick monastery peers down on a jigsaw of masts and sails in the marina.  Port Nicholson is surely one of the finest natural anchorages in the world.  Known to local Maori as The Great Harbor of Tara, its two massive arms form the “jaws of the fish of Maui”.

We began our day by taking the shuttle bus into downtown Wellington.  We boarded the Kelburn Cable Car and although the ride is only 6 minutes long it affords a beautiful scenic view of Wellington, the New Zealand capital.  The sleek red car caries you up a sheer grade through Mount Victoria to the elevated Kelburn District.  We walked down to Wellington through the Wellington Botanic Gardens and the fragrant Lady Norwood Rose Gardens and the Begonia House.

We walked past the Parliament Buildings (the distinctive “Beehive” and the impressive Old Government Building which is the second largest wooden building in the world.  We walked down to the harbour to the Museum of wellington City and Sea.  The museum is housed in the Bond Store, a listed Category l historic building - important in Wellington’s wharf heritage.  This museum houses 800 years of Wellington is New Zealand’s capital. Nestled between the sea and the Tararua Ranges which tower almost 3,000 feet, it stands at the southwestern tip of North Island on Cook Strait, the passage that separates the North and South Islands.  Coloured roofs cascade down the steep hillsides, creating a vibrant collage against a spectacular green backdrop. An old brick monastery peers down on a jigsaw of masts and sails in the marina. Port Nicholson is surely one of the finest natural anchorages in the world. Known to local Maori as The Great Harbor of Tara, its two massive arms form the “jaws of the fish of Maui”.

 

The port of Wellington is entered through a passage eight cables wide after which you enter Wellington Harbour, a bay that is four miles wide and deep, with Somes Island in the middle of it.  Wellington is situated on the western side of the bay.  Wellington is the southernmost national capital city of the world, with a latitude of about 41 degrees south.  It is more densely populated than most other settlements in New Zealand, due to the small amount of building space available between the harbour and the surrounding hills.  Because of its location in the roaring forties and its exposure to omnipresent winds coming Wellington’s maitime history:  the sinking of the Wahine inter-island ferry is part of it.  While we were visiting a lady that was on this ferry when it sank in 1968 was addressing a group of teenage school girls.

We continued walking along the harbour to the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand which means “a container of treasures”.  It provides a good introduction to the country’s people, cultures, landforms, flora, fauna.

You don’t need a car to see the city. Civic Square is the heart of town. Lambton Quay is part of a waterfront constructed on land reclaimed from the waters of Port Nicholson and, with Willis Street and Cuba Street, forms a bustling shopping area.  Norfolk pines line the broad sweep of Oriental Bay, a suburb with a small beach and a wide promenade.

Ship docked at Aotea Quay between Inter Island ferry and train station.

    

Stewart Island, New Zealand

Sunday, February 13, 2011    70 degrees                               8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

This is a maiden call at Oban, Stewart Island “land of glowing skies” (Aurora Australis). New Zealand’s southernmost community of 300 residents. General store, a hotel and café.The third and most southerly of New Zealand’s main islands. It is separated from the South Island by the 15 mile Foveaux Strait. Seals and penguins frequent the coast. This is the surest place to see a kiwi. The Stewart Island brown kiwi is the largest species of this kind of bird. Unlike their mainland cousins, these kiwis can be seen during the day as well as at night. This island is remote, raw and untouched.

Apart from the tiny township of Oban at Halfmoon Bay on Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island is practically uninhabited.  Most of the 390 islanders live in or around Oban.  Directly behind Oban’s waterfront is a short main street with a small collection of establishments.  New Zealand’s newest national park Rakiura  “The Isle of Glowing Skies” – walkers paradise.  Stewart Island, also known as “the third island”, is one of New Zealand’s most remote destinations.

 

    

   

One of the best places for bird-watching is Ulva Island. The rare birds that live here have no predators, so they have an excellent survival rate. Among the resident species are the weak, the saddleback, kaka (a parrot), and kiwi. The forest, which has walking paths is made up primarily of rimy, rata, and kamahi trees.  We went on a 2 hour guided nature walk here.  The island is managed by the Department of Conservation as an “open sanctuary” where native birds can be seen at close quarters.



2 saddleback birds




Because of size over 400 years old





wild mushrooms




Our ship's captain, Olav van der Waard




Waiting for tender back to ship