Rent a Rat

Taking the advice of our cruising guide, with another day of good weather we stayed on in Half Moon Bay while things remained placid. On our first day, we stopped by the local information center in Oban and planned a day of exploration around Oban that included renting a car, touring on all of Stewart Islands 20 odd kilometers of road (roughly 10 of which were off limits) as well as doing several walks in the area.

On arriving at the information center, we were advised that the fare for renting our car was around 65 Kiwi (roughly 50 US) including the gas. As an aside, we found car rentals to be uniformly reasonable thru out New Zealand (excluding gas which hovered around US $8.00 per gallon). The formalities completed, we were directed to go outside and find the “Rat”.

Seems the Possum, Ferret and Weasel had already been taken (and I am serious). Our first destination was Ackers Point – keeping an eye out for errant penguins of course.

Here are a few shots along the way.

The walking trail out to Ackers Point light was about 1 hour return (Kiwi for 1 hour round trip).

Ackers Point was named after a Lewis Ackers – a boat builder by trade who settled here in the early 1800’s with his Maori wife.

He built this small stone cottage where he and his wife had and raised 9 children.

Given the cramped conditions, it would be interesting to know how they managed to cram 11 people into this small house (much less have the privacy to conceive 9 children).

Here are some additional views on the way out to the point.

The area is also part of the annual migration route of the Sooty Shearwater – a remarkable bird now in decline that completes a remarkable circumnavigation of the Pacific. Also known as Mutton Birds – the Maoris harvest the young as a food source.

From there, we took the Ratmobile onward to the track to Lee Bay – a walk of some 2.5 hours return.

Stewart, according to an ancient Maori legend is also known as Te Puka a Maui – anchor to Te Waka o Aoraki (the great ancestral canoe) and the Maori name for the South Island. A plague and stylized anchor chain commemorate this at the beginning of the track to Lee Bay.

The following are shots along the track.

Along the way we spotted this fellow – a monstrous seal who was throwing around an equally monstrous fish that he had caught.

Some of the other locals.

And some shots of the tidal creek at Lee Bay.

Some beautiful wild flowers along the track.

After a good day of hiking, we headed back to the hotel in Oban for a wonderful cup of chowder and world famous fresh Bluff Oysters from the Foveaux Straight – best (and largest) oysters I have ever had. With the Rat safely back in its nest, we headed out to Iron Lady for the night and an early departure to Patterson Inlet the next morning.