Chatham Islands Trip Part 1.
Overview
As most people around the world have found when you can’t go traveling you get a real craving to go somewhere! Since we could not go to Europe last year we spent the winter of 2020 on a six-week tour of the South Island of New Zealand. This year we decided to join some friends for a visit to the Chatham Islands in April 2021.
The Chatham Islands are an archipelago of 10 islands 800 km east of the South Island of New Zealand. The largest two are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. The archipelago is called Rēkohu (“Misty Sun”) in the indigenous Moriori language, and Wharekauri in Māori. The Moriori people arrived around 1500 and developed a peaceful way of life, but in 1835 Maori from the North Island of New Zealand invaded the islands and killed many Moriori and then enslaved the survivors. https://www.amazon.com/Moriori-People-Rediscovered-Michael-King/dp/0140103910
A map is shown below for reference but a more detailed topo map can be found here https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-44.294348,-176.24281&z=11
We flew out on the local airline Air Chathams and for the first night stayed on the main island at the Chatham Rise Motel – an illustrious establishment in the main town of Waitangi.
Pitt Island Lodge and Excursions
The next morning we set out for Pitt island for a four-day stay. Unfortunately, the weather was not great resulting in a flight out to Pitt Island, but no landing, a return to Chatham island and followed by a road trip to Ōwenga to catch a boat. The bonus was a great view around the islands from the C206. The boat ride out was not too bad but we were relieved to get there late in the day. Flowerpot lodge was a great place to stay. https://www.flowerpotlodge.co.nz/ We had read about Pitt Island, in a book by Fred Hunt, before leaving New Zealand and were really looking forward to the experience. The book “Frederick Hunt of Pitt Island: Twenty-five Years Experience in New Zealand and the Chatham Islands: an Autobiography” is a great read about early New Zealand and the Chatham and Pitt Island. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collection/object/am_library-catalogq40-37071
Caravan Bush
During the first full day on Pitt Island, we visited the Ellen Elizabeth Preece Conservation Covenant, Caravan Bush. A very nice patch of regenerating bush on the coast and home to the Chatham Island Petrel. Also friendly Pitt Fantails, Tomtits, Silvereyes, and Warblers. It was very interesting to view the petrel nesting sites and learn all about these birds and their competitors.
Mount Hapeka
The next walk was up Mount Hapeka which saw the first sunrise of the Millennium. Bronze sculptures created by Polish-born artist Woytek were erected to celebrate the event. The hill is rock but covered in peat which is eroding away due to the reduction in the bush cover caused by grazing stock and then high winds. It is sad to see such a monument not being preserved.
Waipaua Scenic Reserve
The following morning we were off on a walk into the Waipaua Scenic Reserve to a lovely campsite for a BBQ lunch of local mutton and sausages and chicken kebabs with local watercress picked by Hew. At Lunch, we were joined by two Wekas and two fantails. The reserve is available to the locals for hunting so not a closed reserve as we are used to on the mainland.
After lunch there was more walking towards Waihere Bay with a landscape like Mars from the volcanic rock and spectacular views out towards Mangere Island.
The final stop of the day stop was the Tarawhenua Point on the northwestern tip of Pitt Island just to look at the spectacular views of the coast and out towards Chatham island – we could have spent another day in this area.
Kopuwai farm, Glory Bay House and Morirori Sites
Day three on Pitt was a visit to a local farm that had a huge number of Moriori sites. This was an area visited by the Morioris in their treks for food each year. there are still numerous bird bones, some human remains, many tools and tool pieces, and occasional finds of adzes.
That evening the history of the Moriori artefacts at the lodge were discussed and the amazing number of artifacts found on Pitt islands , many of which are still in private collections.
Glory Bay house for picnic lunch. The house has a beautiful position near the coast and has been maintained for visitors. A whaling boat lies to one side and a discarded tractor near the beach. The coast is rugged but filled with birds and huge kelp. The fences in the Chathams have their own special form of insulators from a Southern Beer bottle! The only one with a groove especially to fit the wire. Other activity on the coast was the RNZAF, and also the Spirit of Enderby which conducts cruises around the Chathams and minor islands for bird lovers.
Later that day I swam around the bay below Flower Pot Lodge in water much warmer than expected and under the watchful eye of a one-legged seagull. The reef was alive with fish and many types of seaweed in all colours. I was sad that my underwater camera decided not to cooperate.
The last day on Pitt was a morning flight back to Chatham island – our trusty Cessna 206. Due to overloading by Air Chathams Hew and I got to spend some more time on the airfield at Pitt. Liz and Simon went ahead to sort out the transport and food for the evening since where we were staying had no shops.
