A week or so after our last trip, we follow the southern Fiordland tokoeka through our first monitored breeding season.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
It’s been a busy winter at Shy Lake as we follow the southern Fiordland tokoeka through our first monitored breeding season.
Continue Reading...
Our first job for the new kiwi project at Shy Lake was to get radio transmitters on enough adults that we could hope for a worthwhile sample this year in terms of survival monitoring.
Continue Reading...
Thanks for all your comments telling us why you want this fantastic book. The giveaway is now closed and the winners (picked at random) are: Gloria Williams and Darryn Anderson.
New Zealand is blessed with some of the most remarkable natural landscapes on Earth. The most unique and iconic of these areas are set aside as national parks.
For the last few weeks I’ve loved having these special places in my living room, courtesy of the Natural History New Zealand produced television series Wild About New Zealand — made to celebrate the 125th anniversary of New Zealand’s first national park.
Tonight’s the last episode (8:30 pm, TV One) but you can continue your living room adventures with Gus in the book, Wild About New Zealand: A Guide to Our National Parks.
Written by outdoor adventurer Gus Roxburgh and illustrated with magnificent photographs and bird’s-eye view maps, this is both an entertaining and comprehensive visitor’s guide as well as a stunning celebration of New Zealand’s amazingly diverse national parks.
And, here’s the bit you’ve been waiting for:
Thanks to Random House New Zealand, we’ve got copies to give away!
To be in to win leave a comment on this post before 12 noon on Thursday 10 October 2013, telling us why you want the book. Winners will be selected at random and contacted by email.
Please note: We can only ship to New Zealand addresses.
Wild About New Zealand: A Guide to our National Parks is valued at $55.00 and is available to purchase from book stores nationwide.
by Siobhan File
In November I’m going down to Nelson for a week with work and thought that while I’m down there, I should attempt my first proper Great Walk at the end of the trip (with the Abel Tasman Coast Track). I say proper because I’ve done bits before, but I was helicoptered to those places and met my bag and a chilli bin of food at the huts, rather than having to carry it myself… don’t judge me.
So, I rallied a group of friends together last Saturday night while we were all out at dinner. Everyone was super keen, but over the week it’s dwindled from six of us, to four of us, to now just me and my boyfriend who’s going to meet me on the Friday.
Mosquito Bay, Abel Tasman National Park
After stuffing up my hut bookings (which the visitor centre staff were very nice about), we’ve locked in Anchorage Hut for Friday night and Awaroa Hut for Saturday night. We’ll then catch an aqua taxi back from Totaranui on Sunday afternoon to fly back to Wellington.
A map of where we’ll be walking
So that’s a big day of walking on the Saturday. I hope I don’t get blisters or a sore back from my pack.
Some other things I am currently worried about include:
- What am I going to wear? The DOC website says wool or fleece clothing, but even in November? Isn’t Nelson the sunniest spot in New Zealand? I’m not sure what tramping attire really is.
- Will my running shoes be ok? I don’t think I’ll be able to fit big fluffy socks into them…
- The website also says ‘a portable stove will be needed’. I don’t have one of those either. I’ll have to look around for one.
- Will my sleeping bag be warm enough (given it’s a child’s one I got from Santa when I was 11)?
- Which aqua taxi will we get from Totaranui, and will it tee up with a shuttle back to the airport?
Some things I am really excited about include:
- Being able to eat as much scroggin as I like—guilt free because it’s pretty much non-negotiable for tramping
- Choosing my own mix of ingredients to make my perfect scroggin
- Experiencing the spiritual feeling I’m told I’ll get while walking
- Playing cards by candle light in the huts
Did you know that ‘Scroggin’ stands for: ‘Sultanas, Carob, Raisins, Orange peel, Grains, Glucose, Imagination, Nuts’. I’m gonna go crazy on the ‘imagination’, and will definitely be swapping the carob for chocolate.
So I’ve got a bit of organising to do around getting there and back, and sorting out my equipment. If anyone has any recommendations or advice about the Abel Tasman it would be greatly appreciated!
