Photour - Episode Five - Port Craig

From Okaka Lodge, it's a ten minute helo flight down to Port Craig Lodge on the Hump Ridge Track. Ten minutes of soaring and banking over magnificent rainforest ridges and coastline. Yahoo.



Port Craig was the nerve centre of the forest logging business that operated here early last century. The remnants of ancient steam machinery can be found along the heritage trail that takes you from the lodge down to the beach.





That night another fantastic meal was laid on for us, the Pinot Noir started to flow and we started catching up on each other's images, to the sound of collective ooh's and aah's. The meal? Fresh salmon, sprinkled with brown sugar and smoked with Manuka sawdust, exactly how I smoke the trout I catch. As I stepped out to enjoy the remnant of a Cuban cigar I'd been carrying, all I could think was "Oh yeah". In due course, we each retired to our rooms. I had drawn the short straw, if you can call it that: a warm, clean, cosy eight-person bunk room all to myself. Grant got the stateroom, and everyone else had something in between.

Perhaps it was something to do with the Pinot Noir, but Heather found herself up wandering the boardwalk late at night and wouldn't you know it, encountered more wildlife - this time an inquisitive deer. Apparently this happens to guests all the time. I'm going to start recommending people take cameras to the toilet from now on. The journey there is obviously where all the wildlife action happens.

Morning, and the kind of sunrise we'd been hoping to catch dawned at last. So Neerav and I did it to death.









After a fantastic breakfast porridge, everyone prepared to catch the next chopper out while I strolled down to the beach to catch the rest of the morning light. It's a beautiful spot and the rusting relics of the logging days just add to the special atmosphere. Most days you can see dolphins out in the bay. Too bad I only had 10 minutes before the chopper came, or I'd have tried to capture some with my camera.











After this all-too-brief visit, it was time to head up for the departure lounge and get the chopper on to our next destination. I've hung around a lot of departure lounges - Hanoi, Zurich, Anchorage and the likes, travelling for overseas shoots but this one takes the cake for character.



Another day, another chopper ride. This time our destination was up the rugged coast to Waitutu Lodge. I actually saw a hind and fawn down on the beach, but by the time I came to my senses and pulled my camera up to my eye, we were long gone.



Before landing at the lodge, we stopped to visit one of the old logging viaducts that are part of the walk. That's Aussie hardwood, and it's lasted 90 years.



While we were there, I thought I'd have another go at Camilla-style impressionism and do a little zoom-pull on some of the ferns below.



Don't ask me where the time went, but we were met with a BBQ lunch and mulled wine. I was starting to think we were on a gastronomic tour instead of a photographic one.





Next we donned life jackets for the jet boat ride upriver. I think jet boats come in just after helicopters as my favourite means of transportation. Lodge host and boat pilot Johan was refreshingly casual about it all when we aksed if our gear was in for a soaking: "Nah. I'm not going to do 360 spins and get you all wet. This isn't Queenstown."



As much as this story sounds like it's all fast rides and breathtaking views, what really got me about this experience was the people. No monolithic corporate tourist entities and take-your-dollar, working-my-way-through-varsity-vacation service staff down here. Everyone in these parts is an owner-operator, locals passionate about their part of the world, working hard to preserve it and grateful to share it with us. Cue violins. No. Cut violins, cue jet boat sound fx and some rock music as we zoom up the river.



Okay, out of the boat, this is amazing. Johan pulls up by the riverbank and lets us all out to stand around in primeval rainforest. I was raised not far from here; bush like this was my childhood playground, so I'm soaking it all up, being five all over again, snapping pictures of the greenery. Green so rich it makes your eyes bleed. Meanwhile Johan is showing Jules one of his predator traps. Introduced rats and stoats are taking a toll on the native birds throughout the New Zealand bush, and people like Johan are waging war on them. This isn't greenwashing. This is your tourist dollar preserving nature.

The ride upriver to New Zealand's deepest lake Hauroko took about an hour. Even without the 360 degree spins, there had been a fair bit of water flying about, but I'm pleased to say the borrowed Canon 5DII and my 7D and the L-series lenses on them stood up to it nicely. Not that I'd want to give them a real splashing, but they handle a little spray enough to keep you working. The hard part is keeping the lens clear enough to get a useable shot.



At the lake, we were met by the team from Venture Southland with our vehicle. From there it was an hour's drive to Lake Te Anau and a chance to rest. Four days of intensive photography, filming and frenetic travel. We were all feeling like a damn good rest before the next mission. We checked into the Distinction Te Anau and before we could even get to our rooms, Grant and Craig had found themselves a dark corner and a professional quality massage. They'd earned it.



That night we ate at The Fat Duck. When I was a kid, there were two places to eat in Te Anau. One was the pub and the other was a dairy/burger joint we all called the Greasy Spoon. Things have changed. Now you can get top class food at several Te Anau restaurants, and The Fat Duck is one of the best. They also have Monteith's Beer and some great Pinot Noirs. They must have heard we were coming.

So okay, sunrise, historic machinery, chopper ride, rugged coastline, historic railway viaduct, barbecue lunch, jet boat ride up grade 3 rapids (did I mention the grade 3 part?), mountain lake, mountain lake, fine dining. Think that sounds like a good day? Check in again tomorrow. Heather was saving the best till last.

Photour - Episode Four - The Hump

Many moons ago, more than either of us would like to think, my big sister walked The Hump track. Back then it was several miles of bog and slog, basic DoC huts and if, like my sister you wanted to save yourself the walk out, you could risk your life by hitching back in a tiny fishing craft across rough seas. Not any more.

Thanks to the local community, today's Hump Ridge Track is beautifully boardwalked, there are comfortable lodges and if you just don't have the time to walk it all, you can hitch a helo ride to the top. I love tramping and mountain biking and there's a tiny sick part of me that enjoys the uphill part most but with our schedule, we took the helo option. I love helos. And by the grin on his dial, so did Jules.



Our plan for the afternoon called for us to pack light in Tuatapere, fly up to the top of the Hump Ridge Track, look around, take some snaps, then fly down to spend the night at the lodge at Port Craig. From there, we'd take a jet boat up the Wairaurahiri river to lake Hauroko, and rejoin our vehicles and gear for the next leg of our journey, Te Anau and Milford Sound. I had a bunch of camera gear to take, so I packed ultra light.





Being raised on the slog-and-bog style of rainforest track walking, the boardwalks and lodges of the Hump Ridge were a revelation to me. I like 'em. Once out of the chopper, we wasted no time in heading up the boards to take some scenics.





Make no mistake; New Zealand is one of the most benignly spectacular countries on earth. You'll see stunning vistas unmolested by large predatory mammals, tropical diseases or venomous snakes, insects or spiders. But our weather will kill you. Not that long ago, three teenagers died on a bush walk less than ten kilometres from Dunedin city centre. If you're not prepared for a subtropical day to turn into a polar one, don't go more than fifteen minutes walk from the lounge bar. Pack something warm, hat, gloves, rain shell, sturdy footwear, and if you're hanging around taking pictures, wind and rainproof over trousers will enhance not only your survival, but your comfort levels immensely.

Now relax and take some pictures. Even on a cold cloudy day, you'll get some winners. Just work with the amazing light.



Tired of the scenics? Have fun with the plant life. Our Cannon contest winner Camilla was a great exponent of impressionistic shooting, using long exposures and camera movement to create beautiful abstract images, so I thought I'd give some a go myself.





Boy I wish we could have stayed, but we had another location to get to, so hustled back down that wonderful boardwalk to the lodge. Before the trip, I'd been a little anxious about how one of my knees was going to perform, but I needn't have worried, the footing was superb and I could practice the robot-like gait my physio taught me. Well, it's better than how I used to walk. Forty years of loping around like Goofy takes its toll on your kneecaps. Don't get me wrong, the Hump Ridge track requires fitness. If you don't take the chopper, you've got some hills to climb. But however you get there, it's worth it.



Down at the lodge, I was amazed to see the level of comfort walkers are now afforded, starting with the mulled wine, and ending in a comfortable room and bed. We opted for the hot coffee. I'd love to have stayed, but we had a chopper to catch for the next leg of our adventure. It was all good. I knew that there were more great pictures to take and somewhere up ahead, a hot shower and a change of underwear would be waiting.

Photour results

If you're wondering what results our pho-toursists came up with on our Great Southern Safari, you can check out Neerav's pictures here and Camila's here. Great stuff guys!

Photour Part 3 - Masons Bay

One thing is a constant on Stewart Island: water. Sitting in the warm Tasmanian current at the bottom of New Zealand, its marine ecosystem is rich and abundant with wildlife. And in the lower portion of the latitudes known as the roaring forties, it also cops plenty of wind and rain, so if you're heading that way, be sure to pack for it, as well as a little mud. Thankfully, some thoughtful soul had popped a plank over the stream we needed to cross to get to our accommodation at Masons Bay.





Our Guide, Furhana Ahmad of Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience was dead set on showing us some Kiwi, so the plan was to get our gear sorted, eat, and head out straight away, as Kiwi are mainly nocturnal and evening was already falling.



The historic homestead isn't usually used by visitors but Furhana had gotten us special permission to stay for the night. As we ate an amazing meal she had prepared, the rain started. By the time dinner was over, there was a deluge outside but Furhana was eager to take us out searching anyway, as Kiwi don't mind the rain too much. However the gang were just as keen to stay dry so the evening's photographic efforts turned to some light painting with torches, off-camera flash and long exposures, as well as documenting some of the homestead's inner details.







As morning came, the rain had eased a little but not enough to satisfy our intrepid video crew that conditions were dry enough to shoot some sequences. We knew Kiwi were out there. In the middle of the night Heather had seen one outside the hut, which subsequently ran between Neerav's legs. I'd have chastised them for not having a camera handy, but I don't really expect anyone to take a camera on a midnight visit to the long drop.





The only ones brave enough to go out in the rain were Furhana and I so off we went down the track to look for birds but alas, none obliged us with their presence. Along with the rain, there had been a fair bit of wind, which they don't particularly like. To help keep my 7D and the borrowed 5DII from Canon dry, Furhana kindly gave me one of those crinkly plastic ponchos you get in emergency packs. I couldn't help thinking that I was the real reason no Kiwi showed itself. My every move made it sound like a giant was eating a packet of crisps.

By the time we returned the rain had eased, so we all took another track to check out the old woolshed and see what opportunities it offered the adventurous photourist. I'm glad to say we all found plenty of inspiration there.















While Stewart Island does have a good Kiwi population, there is a very dark cloud on the horizon: Feral cats. When I found one that had been shot, I couldn't help but linger to try and capture some of that story with my camera. By the time I'd rejoined the gang, they had packed up all the gear and were ready to move out. We might not have seen Kiwi, the weather had not been great, but you can tell by their faces we had all enjoyed the experience 100%.



On the way back to the beach for our pick-up, we met some hunters at the Dept of Conservation hut. Real southern characters, and one of them graciously let us take his picture.



Not to be defeated, we took a little detour into the dunes to see if any kiwi were lurking there. No luck. But I decided to capture some images of another conservation story here in Masons Bay. As well as predators, the Dept of Conservation is waging war on the introduced Maram grass that binds the dunes. It looks great in the afternoon light, - you can see some in my earlier post, but it binds the dunes too well, building them higher than the beautiful native Pingao, which you see below.





Rewarding as our visit was, it was all too short. I'd give myself at least three days just to do this place justice with a camera. Unfortunately our time was up and in fact we would have to march out double-time to meet our plane on the beach. From Stewart Island to Invercargill airport, and then an hour or so's drive to Tuatapere to catch our ride for the next photographic adventure: The Hump Ridge Track.



Stay tuned for more.

Photour - Day Two - A Photog's Feast

You know it's going to be a good day when you rock up to a place like this for breakfast. Larnach Castle could well be described as the Jewel in the Crown of Otago Peninsula. If you think the exterior is stunning, you should check out the inside. Semi-tragically for me, I had no time to shoot interiors, although our photourists did. I was there to pick them up for day two of our great southern photo safari, but the upside was that I got to have an omlette and some coffee there first. Nothing like first-rate accommodation and great grub to impress the visitors.

Monster gales had the gang more than a little trepidatious about our Monarch Wildlife Cruise that morning, but it takes some serious weather to make Otago harbour unsailable, and by the time we got down to the boat, the front had passed and the sky had cleared.



The cruise is a great way to discover and photograph some of the peninsula wildlife, so Jules and Camilla lost no time in heading for the front of the boat (or more correctly, "the pointy end"). An informative commentary comes with the cruise, and everyone was pretty impressed that we ticked off the promised species within just a couple of hours cruising. For me, the highlights were definitely the Royal Albatross and Hectors dolphin, one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world.







I have to confess, I find the geology of the peninsula as fascinating as the wildlife. Check out the beautiful layers in that headland. Our geology is a jumble of sedimentary rocks and basalt remnants of the ancient shield volcano that much of Dunedin and the harbour are formed from. Of course, the fur seals don't care. I nabbed this cute little guy with the Canon 5DMkII and the 400mm f/4 DO lens.



I love how the Peninsula just delivers the goods. It really is a great spot for photography, I'm so glad to have it on my back doorstep and proud to get to show people its great beauty.

But on this trip there was no time to gush. As soon as the Monarch had berthed we were dashing up the dock and into our rental vehicles, Invercargill bound, a flight to catch for Stewart Island. Despite our being a little later than scheduled, Heather's mates at Venture Southland were there to smooth the way, which included picking up some polarising filters and lens wipes. In these parts, you just have to be prepared for strong light or to wipe the occasional rain spot off your lens. No drama. We're here for great pictures, not a sun tan. Although with our four-seasons-in-one-day climate, you might get that too.

A fish and chip dinner had been arranged for us at the South Sea Hotel in Oban and what a dinner it was. Stewart Island's main activity is fishing. I don't exaggerate when I say we could not see the chips for the oysters, crayfish, fresh blue cod, squid rings, oysters, and more oysters. Big succulent Bluff Oysters. I think Jules actually took some pictures of the meal but I got none. I was way too busy for that. Here's a little safety tip: If you ever accompany me to such a meal on a similar photo safari, keep your hands and feet out of the vicinity of my mouth. My only regret was the unseemly haste in which we had to consume this banquet in time to make our helicopter flight to Masons Bay. Once again, the weather did not look promising.



Not to worry, despite the cloud cover, the flight was smooth and we were offered incredible views of Stewart Island's pristine bush cover before sighting the dunes of Mason's Bay. Stewart Island's Maori name is Rakiura, "Glowing Skies". Even on a cloudy afternoon, the light is incredible.







After waving goodbye to our pilot, we picked up our gear and headed off up the track to our accomodation for the night, Masons Bay historic homestead. Visitors aren't usually allowed to stay there. It's more usual for folks to stay at the Department of Conservation hut nearby but Furhana, our guide from Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experiences had gotten us special dispensation to stay. Our plan was to find and photograph Kiwi that night.



And that's where I'm going to pause. Even before we arrived at the homestead, we were feeling that as days go, this one had already been a photog's feast.