Motu Kaikoura Island... Where I Spent Four Days...

I felt very privileged to be invited by a friend to join a group of people
going to Motu Kaikoura... The seventh largest island in the Hauraki Gulf
90 kilometers north east of Auckland. It is 564 hectares located on the
western coast of Great Barrier Island where it forms the natural
harbours of Port FitzRoy and Port Abercrombie.


The island is protected
as a Crown-owned reserve, open to the public and managed by a trust...
Home to the endangered Brown Teal and North Island Kaka
as well as many native trees and shrubs.
Access to the island is by the wharf at the Great Barrier End of
Man O War Passage (where we landed) at Bradshaw Cove as
well as a small airstrip.


This is Sandspit where we left from...

The cafe and information centre...

And the wharf.

Unloading all the luggage and equipment...

The boat, which was chartered, as there's no regular service.

The group gathering... It's 10am...And time to go.

We are all aboard... This group was organised by the Auckland
Botanical Society as many of their members are very keen
and knowledgeable botanists and ecologists who work for
the Auckland Council, Museum, Zoo. Others are
retired from their similar type jobs and pursuing their passion.
Others were serious trampers... And me!
 

This is the direction we are going... Thank goodness it's calm!

And we are off into the blue horizon.

Leaving land behind... 90 kilometers... It took 1&1/2 hours.

It was a perfect day so I was able to sit outside at
the back of the boat all the way.

It was very enjoyable and my first opportunity
to meet and talk to the others on the trip.

The beginning of Great Barrier Island... So we are nearing
our destination.

And here is Motu Kaikoura... Quite steep...

Thickly covered in bush and trees.

The wharf where we are headed. The boats there belong to the
resident caretaker and family.

It's a beautiful sheltered spot... On this particular day...
But that didn't last!

Tied up we disembark, take ownership of our own
gear, and spare hands carry up the boxes of food
and botanical equipment... As most people are on this
trip to work, gather specimens and log data about the
survival and growth of native flora.

 
Up the rutted track...

To home away from home for the next four days...
Somebody has called it 'The Lost Resort' and it certainly is
a beautiful isolated place... Resort... Well facilities were very
basic, but what did that matter...