Te Wāhipounamu, Aotearoa, 2023--24

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Rakiura

Photos taken 27 February to 2 March.

Horseshoe Point and Ackers Point

1,2. Horseshoe Point walk (views across Horseshoe Bay). 3,4. Ackers Point

Ringaringa Beach and Point

1. Sunrise over Ringaringa beach. 2. Sunrise over Ringaringa Island. 3,4,5. From near the point (in 3,4, Ulva Island is at left).

Kaipipi Bay

1. Bay. 2. Track.

Deep Bay, Golden Bay, Ryans Creek, Fern Gully tracks

1,2. Deep Bay. 3. From track to Golden Bay. 4,5. Golden Bay. 6,7. From track to Ryans Creek 8. Fern Gully.

Maori Beach, Garden Mound

1. Sea Lion at Little Beach. Later, it climbed 20 metres up the track and ambushed me on my return.
2. Maori Beach. 3. On the track. 4. From Garden Mound, 167m.

Ulva Island, in drizzle

1. West End Beach. 2. Boulder Beach. 3. Sydney Cove and residents.
The sea lion came out of the water looking for a little sun. Not finding any, it went back in.

Cabin

1. Through window. 2,3. From deck.

Monowai Saddle, Hunter Mountains

Photos taken on a trip 20-21 February.

To the Monowai Saddle via Green Lake

1. Gloomy start. 2. Green Lake. 3. Green Lake.

Monowai Saddle to P1372

1. Sunrise on Monowai Lake and Saddle. 2. Same, a little later, a little higher. 3. Green Lake.

Out via the tarns

West Coast -- Okarito

Photos taken on a trip 21st-26th January

Haast Pass to Okarito (21st)

1. Thunder Creek. 2. Kahikatea swamp forest. 3. Dune Lake. 4. Lake Moeraki. 5. Ditto. 6. Okarito beach.

Okarito Trig 158m (22nd, 24th, 26th).

Climbed to the trig during a break in heavy rain (70mm, 22nd). With the fog and clouds, there were no distant views, but I took this photo of the beautiful vegetation near the trig.

Evening (24th). 2. Three mile lagoon. 5. Okarito lagoon

Gloomy day (26th); flat lighting; boring photo (but there is water in three mile lagoon).

Okarito Coastal Walk + Pack Track (23rd)

There was a gale force westerly (35 knots) on the coastal walk. 1. Last people I saw. 2,3,4. On the coastal walk. 5. At the lagoon. 6. On the return.

Pakihi walk (24th, 25th)

1,2,3 Pakihi walk.

Okarito Lagoon by Kayak (25th).

Morning kayak. 1. Tourist boat. 2,9. White heron; uncommon in NZ. 3. Alps (Tasman and Aoraki at right).
4. Bar-tailed godwit; flew from Alaska to enjoy the Okarito delicacies. 5,8. Black swans.
6. Okarito river delta (manuka, kahikatea, rimu). 7. Okarito river. 10. Evening kayak.

Okarito (21st -- 26th)

1. White Heron. 2. Flax 3. Sunset Okarito. 4. Alps from Okarito (Minarets). 5. Okarito wetland (gloomy day, flat lighting, boring photo).

The tops above Green Lake

Photos take on a trip 6th-7th January.

From ridge above Green Lake

1. Green lake and Island lake. 2. Tarn on the ridge and Green lake. Evening photos.
Photos 3,4,5,6,7. were taken next morning. 5 is Island lake and 7 is a tarn on the ridge.

My camp

1. Orange tent at centre-left; 2. By tent; 3. Ominous evening clouds (from tent door); 4. Sunrise.

Above the Borland saddle

1. Tarns. 2. Unnamed lake. 3. Tarns and Island lake.

Paddling on Whakatipu

1. Rata. 2. Rata. 3. Whakatipu. 4. Remarkables.

Pūteketeke: voted bird of the century, 2023

Valley of the Trolls/Lake Wilson

Photos taken on a trip 10th -- 11th December.

Valley of the Trolls

1. Up valley; waterfall is outlet of Lake Wilson. 2. Down valley.

From ridge above Lake Wilson

Peaks of the Darran Mountains visible are: 1. Te Wera, Tutoko; 2. Taiaroa/Tuhawaiki, Te Wera, Tutoko; 3. Apirana, Taiaroa; 4. Tutoko; 5. Tutoko; 6. Te Wera.