Today we got to visit two of the Auckland Islands, Enderby and Auckland. There is a stark contrast between the two. On Enderby, there are no predators to interfere with the native vegetation and wildlife. There we observed one of the rarest penguins on the planet, the yellow-eyed penguin, and one of the rarest sea lions as well, the New Zealand sea lion. On Auckland Island, it is quite a different story. The island was the site of a short-lived agricultural and whaling settlement known as Hardwicke in the 1800s. The island had numerous introduced species. As staff approached the shore to prepare for the arrival of guests today, a sow and her three young piglets were rooting around on the beach. Both islands have much to offer in terms of the cultural aspects at Hardwicke and the wildlife viewing potential on Enderby Island.
2/3/2023
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National Geographic Orion
Aotea Great Barrier Island and Hauraki Gulf
The last excursion of this great voyage began with heavy rain. Hopefully this weather is the tail end of an incredible easterly rainstorm that has battered Auckland with the highest rainfall in recorded history. Located in the Hauraki Gulf and the Auckland region, Great Barrier Island was no exception. Our intention at Great Barrier Island, also called Aotea locally, was to visit Glenfern Sanctuary, a predator proof peninsula. Aboard National Geographic Orion, we received a briefing from Steve, the park manager, who explained the incredible history of the peninsula. Ranging from early settlers to World War II bases, the history of the island is rich. Part of this story is the beginning of a guest house in the late 1800s when the park was logged from ancient podocarp forest into grass farmland. More recently, an Auckland sailor had a vision to create a bird sanctuary in this damaged ecosystem. Glenfern began with a predator proof fence to keep out pests like rats, stoats, and cats, followed by a mass native tree planting project. Aboard Zodiacs, we traveled to the peninsula in thoroughly wet conditions…thankfully, smiles were still on our faces! We split into different groups and headed for three main destinations: Sunset Rock for peninsula views; the ancient Kauri for a treetop experience; and the ancient Puriri tree for a look inside the temperate subtropical forest of northern New Zealand. The heavy rain continued, and many of the trails were running with water. The expedition remained unbothered by this as we searched for some of North Island’s unique birdlife and rainforest. Today, we were lucky to see kākās, red-fronted kakariki, fantails/pīwakawakas, New Zealand storm petrels, and tūīs. These were special sightings! One of New Zealand’s most famous tree species is the kauri. It is one of the most striking Northland trees, capable of living for up to 2,000 years. At Glenfern, we had the privilege of clambering into the lofty canopy of a ‘young’ ancient kauri. A final highlight from the 3rd of February was a circumnavigation of Little Barrier Island during dinner.
