26 Mar 2021

Circumnavigating Pyramid Rock and South East Island

Parakeets dive-roll through the native forest with Chatham Island Tui in hot pursuit while local warblers call out from the lower branches, Chatham Island Oystercatcher fossick and New Zealand Shore Plover dart along the water's edge and Pitt Island Shags dry their wings - South East Island is a flutter with avian activity. Our bird guide Matt can hear a Black Robin, but despite our best efforts and binoculars, are unable to locate the Chatham Island icon.

This afternoon's Zodiac cruise around South East Island, arguably one of the world's greatest nature reserves, sees us passing towering volcanic cliffs, lush native forest, cascading tiered rock pools and seal colonies complete with yelping pups on water so clear we can see the kelp forests below brought to life by the rhythm of the ocean as we make our second circumnavigation of the day.

Earlier we complete several circuits of Pyramid Rock, observing a lone shark cruising by Spirit of Enderby its dorsal slicing through the glassy water en route to the jagged volcanic plug jutting out of the water like a snarled shark tooth caved with cavities. Inhospitable and seemingly barren, this lonely rocky outcrop is also teeming with birdlife and the only place in the world where the Chatham Island Albatross, with its striking banana-peel-yellow beak, breeds. As we get closer we fledgling birds pump their wings preparing them for flight as their parents, Buller's, Northern Royal and White-capped Albatross all whorl in a maelstrom of broad wings cruising on updrafts.

Sitting down to another feast from our talented chefs Lindsay and Lance, a killer sunset caps off an extraordinary day on our Chatham Island's voyage.

Image (c) I.Wilson, Heritage Expeditions