Our first full day on the Spirit of Enderby. We are on our way first to the the group of islands called The Snares. This is a boat we passed. Robert saw it (I didn't). It shows how the sea was rolling - we had certainly spent the night sliding back and forth in our bunks! But we weren't seasick!
This is the timetable for the day.
I also noted our staff and crew on board.
And the passengers' nationalities. (The 22 Russians are the crew.)
This from the Heritage Expeditions website about the trip:
Birding Down Under: Subantarctic and Chatham Islands
DAYS 19 / SHIP Spirit of Enderby
DEPARTURES 12 Nov 2020
PLACES VISITED Auckland Islands / Campbell Island / Macquarie Island / The Snares / Antipodes Islands / Bounty Islands / Chatham Islands
Listen to the names: Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, Macquarie and Chatham Islands. They are music to the ears of ‘Birders'. Apart from the Chathams, these islands are probably more isolated now than they were when they were discovered in the late 1700's and early 1800's and were regularly visited by sealers, whalers and government steamers searching for castaway sailors. It is relatively simple to get to the Chatham Islands, but opportunities to visit the others are rare. This expedition, one of a number operated each year by Heritage Expeditions, is the only one to include all of these islands.
The islands occupy the tempestuous latitudes of the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties, but they are also known as the Albatross Latitudes and with good reason. Ten of the world's albatross species breed in the region; five of them nowhere else but here! In fact, this zone where the air is never still hosts the most diverse collection of seabirds in the world. More than 40 species breed here - that is at least 11 per cent of the entire world's seabird population.
With the exception of the Chathams, the islands are all designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and are afforded the highest conservation status and protection by the Australian and New Zealand governments, so passage to their shores is not granted lightly. There are also islands that we visit within the Chatham Islands' Archipelago with similar status and protection.
This expedition has huge appeal to pelagic enthusiasts, penguin fanatics and those interested in island endemics. Though you don't have to be a keen birder to enjoy this voyage. People interested in islands and island ecology, botany, geology and an increasing number of photographers have enjoyed this trip immensely, as have those interested in the history of southern ocean discovery and exploration.
This is one of our ‘signature expeditions' which has operated annually for more than 20 years, so you will benefit from the knowledge and expertise gained over that time.
First stop - The Snares / Tini Heke are the closest group of islands to NZ (100 km SW of Stewart Island).
A closer map of the Snares.
From Wikipedia: "Snares Islands/Tini Heke, also known as The Snares, is a small group of uninhabited islands lying about 200 km south of New Zealand's South Island and to the south-southwest of Stewart Island/Rakiura. The Snares consist of the main North East Island and the smaller Broughton Island as well as the Western Chain Islands some 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west-southwest. Collectively, the Snares have a total land area of 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi). The islands are listed with the New Zealand Outlying Islands. The islands are an immediate part of New Zealand, not part of any region or district, but instead Area Outside Territorial Authority, like all the other outlying islands except the Solander Islands."
I love this part - "The Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 officially altered the name to "Snares Islands/Tini Heke" – one of many such changes under the Ngāi Tahu Treaty settlement."
The sea was too rough for us for a Zodiac trip, so here is a view from the web.
As I write this I went into the log of from an earlier trip on the Spirit of Enderby. That group had seen a hooker sea lion chase these penguins up this rock face on The Snares! The penguins scattered and didn't get caught this day.
The Snares are the northernmost of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands and one of the most untouched and pristine areas in New Zealand. Introduced land mammals were never established on the Snares.
Because we couldn't do the zodiac trip, we cruised a bit up and down on the boat. This is what I got.
A view from another trip, showing there is some grassy land on the island.
From Wikipedia: "The islands provide a home to endemic bird species, such as the Snares penguin (Eudyptes robustus), the Snares snipe (Coenocorypha huegli) and Snares tomtit (Petroica macrocephala dannefaerdi), as well as to several endemic invertebrates such as Grypotheca horningae. North East Island is forested and is the world's premier breeding area for the sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea), with up to three million individuals being present during the breeding season (November–April). A dangerous reef (Seal Reef) lies ten kilometres to the south of the group. Megaherb communities grow on the islands. The islands enjoy a status of high protection and are rated by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as "minimum impact islands". Landing on the islands is generally prohibited or by special research permit only. The area is among one of five subantarctic island groups forming the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO."
Here is a Salvin's albatross nesting and looking out to sea. He/she has the best view of all.
