1675: Kermadec Islands - Land of Dreams 27 Mar 2016

Day 1: 27 March 2016.
A full complement of fifty passengers and eight Heritage staff joined the twenty two Russian crew of the Spirit of Enderby to begin an odyssey to the Kermadec Islands. Tauranga is reckoned by mariners to be not only one of the busiest, but also one of the best harbours in New Zealand. Our departure was delayed slightly by the need to complete refueling and the availability of a pilot to guide us from the harbour. However the additional time allowed the important preliminaries of introductions and safety briefings.
Our expedition leader is Rodney Russ. Rodney has achieved legendary status in the world of expedition travel. He is the founder and owner of Heritage Expeditions. He has been in this field since 1982 and prior to that he worked in the Department of Wildlife which was the predecessor of the Department of Conservation.
Helen Ahern is the manager of the day to day activities on the ships. She has been associated with Heritage Expeditions for many years and is much valued for her unique combination of flair, industry and tact which she uses to address the myriad of tasks that present to her. Mike Holland, Helen’s partner, is an experienced wilderness travel guide and will provide technical support and Zodiac driving skills.
One of the prime aims of the trip is to see the abundant birdlife. Chris Collins is very well known and regarded as a bird watching guide. He has worked with Heritage for twelve years. We will be drawing extensively on his vast and deep knowledge to better understand the birdlife that will be on show.
We are lucky to have Julia Stace on board. She is one of the few people who has spent time working on Raoul, the principal island of the Kermadec group. Julia has a deep knowledge of the recent and distant past of the area and is also fluent in the understanding of the plant life we will see. Pat Alley is a New Zealand trained general surgeon who will attend to any medical needs.
Ralf Barthel and Connor Arcus are our hard working chefs. They are known for their ability to table outstanding food from a relatively small galley. Additionally there are two “sea riders” (a naval term for a non naval but very welcome assistant) – Anton van Helden, a cetacean expert who has worked in that capacity with Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Museum of New Zealand and Phil Hammond, an expert in birding.
Lifeboat drills were accomplished without difficulty and the company retired to the Globe Bar for an hour of conviviality. We then sat down to a superb first meal from our chefs. Simultaneously we slipped our moorings and headed North East across the darkening seas of the Bay of Plenty.


Day 2: 28 March 2016
A quiet ocean gave the majority an untroubled sleep. We awoke to a beautifully fine day. There is no wind, the sky is marked only by high cirrus cloud and as the day unfolds slight waves settle to become an oily calm sea.
It is always good to see how quickly a group of relative strangers can get to know each other and this morning’s breakfast was pleasantly noisy.
It is a day at sea. Three lectures are given and well received. Julia outlined the history of the Kermadecs focusing on the travails that some early settlers endured. She further commented on the active volcanic nature of the island which is prone to earthquakes and cyclones while all the time fresh water is at a premium because of the inability for the volcanic substrate to retain moisture.
Chris Collins then described with excellent slides the array of sea birds that we might expect to encounter.  They are many and varied. And sometimes the differences between species is slight so we are going to require guidance and further education on this matter.
Finally Anton spoke of the unusual and distinctive nature of the geomorphology that has essentially created this wonderful reservoir of our natural world. He also described the background to the establishment of an exclusive economic zone which has recently been passed into law by the New Zealand Government.
In between lectures we all enjoyed the viewing from the numerous vantage points around the ship – the bow of the vessel, the bridge and the sixth level deck all proving popular with passengers.
A quiet drink in the bar was a fitting prelude to another great meal. It has been a very fine day – in every sense.
There will be a species list accompanying this trip log but we will include each day the three most notable sightings.
Notable Sightings: Red tailed tropic bird; Gould’s petrel; Sperm whale; flying squid.


Day 3: 29 March 2016
The quiet pink dawn heralded another day of travel across calm seas. Early in the day we sighted L’Esperance Rock in the far distance and gradually crept up to it through the morning. It is 5 ha in area and 70m high. The Captain kindly took a broad sweep around the island. Not too close, mind you, because this is an active volcanic area and the charts may not bear accurate relationship to the present sea floor.
L’Esperance Rock is a small, colourful, but desolate feature. There is little vegetation – only nine plant species have been recorded here including the two endemics, ice plant Disphyma australe subsp. stricticaule and Senecio esperensis. As it is the only population of this Senecio in the world is classified as Nationally Critical. L’Esperance is of historical interest too. In the First World War Von Luckner, the celebrated German raider captain having escaped from Motuhie Island in the Hauraki Gulf, commandeered a scow and made his way north. He found this little island and ransacked the castaways’ depot to sustain his crew before moving on.  He was recaptured a few days later.
After lunch we had a zodiac briefing as a foretaste of a shakedown zodiac cruise at our next destination – Cheeseman and Curtis Islands.
There were three good lectures today. Chris Collins spoke on the land birds of Raoul Island, Julia Stace highlighted the important plants there and their history and finally Anton spoke on the cetaceans of the region.
The pronounced smell of sulphur, reminiscent of New Zealand’s Rotorua, greeted us as we set off on a figure of eight run around these two islands. The evening birdlife was busy and confirmed a number of Chris’s observations from yesterday. A wandering tattler on the intertidal zone of Curtis Is was an unexpected sighting.
All were gathered safely back on board to enjoy a pre-dinner drink and another good meal. Tomorrow we will awake to Raoul Island.
Notable species: wandering tattler; bottlenose dolphins; hammerhead shark.

 
Day 4: 30 March 2016
We anchored off Raoul at 0500 and at 0700 hours we completed quarantine inspection of all gear and clothing that will go ashore with us. We must be careful not to bring in any new organisms.
Shortly afterwards four Raoul DoC staff came on board (Emerson, Lan, Wolf & Ben) to discuss with Rodney the game plan for the next four days.  The NZ Navy arrives tomorrow bringing staff to replace five of the old team, a lot of experts to check equipment and two women scientists from GNS to assess the volcanic activity in the crater. The Navy will bring stores to resupply the island for the next 6 months.
With delicious packed lunches we were ferried ashore and everyone clambered off at Fishing Rock between the big swells. We walked the 3kms to the hostel seeing into the crater in a couple of places and photographing kakariki, tui and spotless rakes along the way.  The first arrivals were offered a glass of the famous Raoul Island freshly squeezed orange juice. Emerson welcomed us and after looking around the hostel, a bungalow which has seen numerous cyclones and felt many earthquakes yet remains intact, and lunch we wandered further down past the Met Station buildings, the woolshed area, once the site of the extensive Bell family gardens to the airstrip.  A lone golden plover, not in breeding plumage, was seen on the airstrip.  In 2014 the last of mature Norfolk pines were felled in this area and many young seedlings have germinated there since from seed in the soil.
On the return stroll to Fishing Rock some of us went down to the beach at Low Flat.  We passed a new grave of one of the early settlers relocated because of coastal erosion damaging the original grave on the beach edge and had a detour into the citron grove, where we sampled the sour citrons, a citrus species once used for candied peel. This is a relic of cultivation from the Bell family who had a huge range of useful plants well established on Raoul by 1900.
Oneraki Beach is almost all rocks and very little sand since Cyclone Winston removed it a few weeks ago.  There is always a lot of flotsam on the high tide line, mainly plastic, but we saw a glass fishing float that had got ashore intact despite its lack of rope cover.  It must have been in the ocean for many years as they have long ago been replaced by plastic floats.
On the last zodiac to return to the Spirit of Enderby, by falling into the water, Anton Van Helden gave us a live demo of how quickly a life jacket inflates when it gets wet.
Notable species: 1 golden plover on the airstrip; tiny octopus in crevasse on Fishing Rock; white tern.       
                            
Day 5: 31 March 2016
We have nautical company. At 0700 this morning the frigate HMNZS Wellington dropped anchor 500 metres to our west. The Navy is here to replenish the Department of Conservation workforce and the morning saw their zodiacs ferrying supplies across to the loading point at Landing Rock.
We divide into two groups today. About a third of the company makes their way across the island to Denham Bay. The remainder settles for snorkeling and bird watching by Zodiac. In all three Zodiac cruises were done culminating in an excellent evening cruise to see the activity of birds at the end of their day.
Today it is slightly cooler than yesterday so the walkers manage their six hour hike with relative ease. The tracks are very well formed and maintained but in places they are steep. All are impressed by the regenerating forest – a testament to many years of eradication of the pests that dominated this island for so long. Weed eradication is now more of a priority and progress is clearly obvious. At Denham Beach a turtle was seen, the disintegrating wreck of a Japanese fishing boat is explored and the remnants of long past settlers examined.
Those staying with the ship have the thrill of snorkeling with Galapagos Sharks, bream, wrasse and maomao. The water is crystal clear and very warm at 25 degrees so enticing folk back to the Zodiacs in such conditions was not easy. Some just cruised by Zodiac. In the afternoon the process was repeated so that all who stayed with the ship had an excellent under and over water experience.
All the passengers are keen birders but Chris leads a particularly expert group who, on the evening Zodiac cruise, excitedly confirm Chris’s midday sighting of a Red Footed Booby. This is a first for the New Zealand region and is the most southerly sighting ever of this creature whose normal home is far to the north in Noumea and Tonga.
The celebrating birders really enlivened the bar before dinner. Photos were shared and plans laid to publicise this once in a lifetime experience. Another fantastic day.
Notable species: Galapagos Reef Sharks; Red Footed Booby; Lion Fish; crown of thorns starfish; turtle in waves near shoreline @ Denham Bay.
 
Day 6: 1 April 2016
Our trip continues to be blessed with the best of weather and at 0730 the Raoul Island conservation rangers are ferried across the calm seas under blue skies and come aboard to guide us for the day’s activities. All our activity on Raoul is governed by the rangers who with great willingness guide us to the most interesting parts of the island.
Today the conditions are so good that we can move our ship to Denham Bay on the south coast of the island. We are then taken by zodiac to the shore. It is a deep shelving beach with the odd thundering wave so our landings are occasionally damp. The day is so fine and the breezes so warm and gentle that no-one minds being dunked because we are dry almost instantly.
The rangers take groups of us to see the interesting features. These include the remnants of early settlements here. The odd teapot, kettle, and Halstead’s grindstone are found and a huge meat grinder – well rusted now but it must have seen a lot of use in its day. There is a large swamp, previously more of a lagoon, from which settlers drew their fresh water. Nonetheless even though now described as a swamp it has beauty with a sea of raupo against a backdrop of pohutukawa covered cliffs.
There is a rather sad mass grave, a memorial to when over 100 slaves en route to Peru were put ashore to die of an unspecified contagion. Another notable grave site, but not with the original headstone which has been swept away a long time ago in a storm, is that of Fleetwood, the 17 year old son of Captain Denham. Fleetwood died unexpectedly on Denham’s visit to the bay in 1854.
There is a remarkable heritage tree – a large shaddock more contemporarily known as a pomelo. It is in full fruit but not yet ripe. There are date palms, candlenut and gum trees near the DB hut. They are legacies of the past settlement here. 
On the beach we find the rusting skeleton of a Japanese fishing boat wrecked here in 1986.  Nature is slowly reclaiming her and those who have seen her before comment how diminished the wreck is. There are still brass and copper fittings that have endured and rumour says there is a valuable brass propeller beneath the sand which may attract fortune hunters one day.
We are back to the ship for a late lunch and then more snorkeling. This time we are at the eastern end of Denham Bay and the terrain underwater is different to yesterday. What is unchanged is the sea temperature, the abundant fish life and the crystal clarity of the water. Kahawai, King Fish and Galapagos Sharks are plentiful. Small shoals of the tiny but beautiful neon tetra are seen just below the surface of the water. A turtle is spotted and a Lion Fish makes a cameo appearance.
Tired but happy, we retire to the bar to compare notes of what has been seen today. All our experiences are slightly different but collectively they amount to much more than the individual stories. This is one of the best features of group expedition travel.
The chefs are again well above expectation and we retire fulfilled in every way.
Notable sightings: spotted black grouper; kingfish; turtle.

 
Day 7: 2 April 2016
Another bright clear day sees our programme underway at 0730 with a briefing. The walkers are destined for Boat Cove and Moumoukai the highest point on the Island. Some opt for more snorkeling and cruising and a few remain on board to rest and read.
Under the slightly skeptical gaze of a naval detachment the walkers nimbly negotiate the challenge of getting ashore at Landing Rock and prepare for the tramp to Boat Cove. We pass through glades of Nikau very reminiscent of the Karamea end of the Heaphy track in New Zealand. The trees are in fruit and the bright red berries are a striking contrast to the deep green foliage. As usual we are accompanied by DoC rangers. They are intelligent and personable young people only too happy to guide and inform their charges. One of them, Eleanor, who leaves the island with the Navy shortly, is having an exhibition in Christchurch in the Physic Room Gallery.  She will show art work she has made on Raoul. Her working title is ‘They Say This Island Changes Shape’.  It opens on April 29^th.
Two and a half hours sees us at the Boat Cove hut perched high above the cove of the same name. One could not imagine a nicer location. Shaded by pohutukawa and natural land shelter it is almost calm. We spread ourselves about the well kept lawn to rest. The sea and coastal views are stunning and it is no wonder that this is a favourite location for conservation staff on their days off.
After a good lunch we set off back, brushing our boots to dislodge any vetch seeds we may have picked up.  This weed was brought ashore by someone who landed at Boat Cove and is only found here, to date.
 Most opt to climb Moumoukai (516m.) and return enraptured by the views of the island.  We saw the webcam that photographs the crater every 30 mins for the GNS scientists back on the mainland so they can warn Raoul of an imminent eruption.  The active crater is obvious and area around Green Lake devastated by the 2006 eruption is still bare of vegetation.  Mark Kearney was killed in this eruption and his mother is on the island for a memorial ceremony this afternoon during which the route to Denham Bay will be renamed after her son.
The non-climbers reunite with the main group at the top of the zig-zag track to the beach. The Navy is busy using the foxway to return their bins to their ship so the track is off limits. But this allows time for a very nice presentation to Rodney from the DoC staff and their Programme Manager Paul Rennie, who is currently on Raoul overseeing the resupply.
In recognition of his contribution to the advocacy and better understanding of the Kermadecs the staff have carved a replica of Raoul Island from a piece of the old Norfolk pines that once stood at the eastern end of the airstrip. It is suitably inscribed and presented. Pleasingly the commander of HMNZS Wellington joins in the acclaim for Rodney. A very well justified tribute to a champion of conservation.
All are safely ferried back to the ship to hear of the exploits of the snorkelers and cruisers. A re-acquaintance with the red footed booby has been made – this time accompanied by a juvenile. Snorkeling has reproduced the excellent conditions of the past two outings.
So well satisfied we talk over the day in the bar and enjoy another fine repast from Ralf and Connor. Tonight is the conclusion of New Zealand daylight savings. All are grateful for the extra hour’s sleep this will afford. It has been a full on but wonderful four days in The Land of Dreams.
Notable Species: long tailed cuckoo (tail feather on Boat Cove track);
Black spotted grouper; turtle.
 
 
Day 8: April 3 2016
It was another beautiful day and after a Sunday lie in breakfast was served at 0830.  We up anchored at 1000 and sailed around NZ’s northernmost islands of Napier, Nugent and the Herald Islands.
From the Spirit of Enderby we had magnificent views of the east and south coasts.  There was no cloud cover on the tops either.  Finally we headed south on our course back to Tauranga.
In the afternoon Anton gave us lecture on the sea life in the Kermadec Trench. It is 1500km long, 60 km wide and over 10,000m deep.  The fish here have barely been sampled or described.  To live in such depths fish need a chemical known as TMAO. This allows them to tolerate the pressure to depths of 8400m.  Below this, live creatures called amphipods.  All the world’s trench systems are isolated from each other.
In the afternoon the shop opened for sale of Kermadec merchandise.
Before Macauley there were as many as 40 bottlenose dolphins playing around the bow. At dusk we circumnavigated the island and its little outlier Haszard Is. Haszard is where the Kermadec storm petrel was found to breed in 2006.
After dinner Anton the magician amused us with his extraordinary card and other tricks.
2100 The bird club quantified their sightings with Chris in the bar/library as they have done every evening.
Notable sightings:  False killer whale; dolphins, mothers and calves, which appear smaller than the bottlenoses we sighted and have less tooth rack scarring.  They are possibly a new species. Kermadec white faced storm petrels x 6.
 
Day 9: April 4 2016
With birders on the bow and upper decks we continued out of sight of land towards Tauranga.
1030 Anton talked in the lecture room the Kermadec ridge and its underwater volcanoes. The Kermadec Arc is still poorly explored. Only in 1998 were undersea vents, or black smokers, first filmed. Now it is known that here are about 30 seamounts venting, each with their own communities of organisms getting energy from the volcanic activity by chemosynthesis.  Stalked barnacles, mussels, shrimps, tubeworms, crabs and fish are typical organisms of these communities.
1500 Chris talked about the places to which Heritage goes in the Russian Far East and the wildlife they see there.  We saw photos of ribbon seals, arctic foxes and brown bears, fantastic creatures. We heard about the contribution Heritage has made to the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper project, by taking experts to their breeding grounds, finding birds despite the vastness of the tundra and retrieving eggs, which were kept incubated as they passed from Russia to Slimbridge in the UK, before hatching.  This means that there is a second population in existence should the last 100 pairs or so be wiped out on their migrations.
After dinner – as delicious as always - Sarah and Mark Wilcox ran a quiz.  Everyone formed teams to find the answers to questions relating to what we had learnt in the course of our voyage about the Kermadecs, the work on Raoul and the flora and wildlife we’d seen.  Everybody found that they had learned heaps over the last few days.
Notable species: long tailed skua; arctic skua; pigmy sperm whale.
 
Day 10: 5 April 2016
Today is our last full day at sea. It is a day of memories and reflections. Everyone comments that it seems an age since we departed Tauranga on the 27 March. In fact it is just over a week but our experiences have been so varied and our lives so busy that time has flown.
We had two excellent recapitulations of our days away this morning. Julia was scheduled to talk on weeds but she covered a much wider brief. She punctuated her talk about Raoul Island with fascinating video of times past and described in detail how the present state of the island has come about by dint of great camaraderie, hard work and organisation.
Anton then addressed the present state of New Zealand’s marine protection initiatives. While the recent situation with the Kermadecs is to be applauded it is clear that by international standards New Zealand could do much more. After his presentation the floor was open to a long discussion about the strategies necessary to achieve greater areas of marine protection while at the same time addressing the concerns of stakeholders. All agree this is “do-able” but not without hard work at all levels.
The early afternoon was taken up with the settling of accounts and other administration. We then gathered in the lecture room to hear from Rodney. After outlining the detail for tomorrow’s departure he thanked his staff to repeated acclaim from passengers.  
We then watched a stunning series of slides and videos put together by Mike Holland to remember our trip to the Kermadecs. Best of all we get to have a copy.
So our journey ends. We are the same people. We have the same addresses, likes and dislikes. But in another sense we are not the same. Having travelled to such a magical part of the world we are, all agree, more knowledgeable and more sensitised to the conservation needs of the planet. Heritage Expeditions showed us the way. It’s up to all of us to spread their message as widely as we can.