Alex Hallatt 3/8/19 Alex Hallatt 3/8/19

Living in New Zealand: Tuataras are Cute

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Tuataras have been kicking around for a long time. They were a top predator in New Zealand before people arrived with their associated rats and other pests. I’ve only seen a tuatara in a zoo (in Invercargill. I think his name was Henry). But I have drunk a tuatara beer and it was lovely.

I love the design of the glass bottle that tuatara beer is in.

Alex Hallatt 3/7/19 Alex Hallatt 3/7/19

Living in New Zealand: Taking a Trip to Otamahua Hut on Quail Island

My inflatable paddleboard and all I needed for my overnight stay (including sleeping bag, food and cooking gear)

The view of Quail Island from Naval Point, Lyttelton - a good boat ramp to leave from

Quail I Island is in the middle of Lyttelton harbour. Māori called Quail Island “Ōtamahua”, the ‘place to gather sea-bird eggs’. None of that happens now, but I saw plenty of seabirds on the surrounding rocky reefs as I paddled over: terns, cormorants, oystercatchers and black-backed gulls with their young.

When I got to the wharf, it was low tide, so I rock-hopped to the track. I stashed my board on the way up to the hut, behind the old stables.

Quail Island was first settled by Europeans in the 19th century as a place to farm, but became a useful place for the new colony to quarantine animals and humans (Including lepers. Read more of the history at https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/quail-island ). These days no one is kept there against their will, but you can go over on the ferry and either spend half a day exploring the history, plants and birdlife, and little beaches, or stay overnight at the newly refurbished hut. It costs $30 return to take the ferry from Lyttelton, but it’s an easy paddle in a kayak or on a stand up paddle board, if conditions are right. It took me just over half an hour to get there and about 40 minutes to return. The harbour is usually much calmer first thing in the morning, so it pays to time your paddling for this if this is the way you are going to go.

The history of Ōtamahua Hut according to the Department of Conservation (DOC):

The hut was built between 1910 and 1920 for the animal quarantine station caretaker by the Department of Agriculture. It was used as a caretaker’s cottage up until the early 1980s. Between 1906 and 1925, the caretakers provided cooked food for the lepers. In 1982, the hut was converted into the Island’s interpretation centre.

The hut was refurbished for the public to stay in very recently, being opened at the beginning of November 2018. You have to book to stay overnight, either going to the DOC website here, or calling into one of the DOC offices. A bunk costs $15 an night and there are 12 bunks in the hut.

Update: Though there are DOC hut rules there isn’t one about not brewing beer. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12219732

I’ll definitely be going back. Hopefully when no one else is there.

View of Lyttelton from the bunk room (each room has 6 bunks). Our house is behind the large white oil tanks on the left.

My phone doesn’t take great pictures, but there is a lot of native bird life on the island. This is a kereru (wood pigeon)

I love the way they have used branches in these shelves

My niece would love this rope swing, though it is a little tame for her.

Looking back to Lyttelton from the wharf at night.

The morning of my return to Lyttelton: a good time to paddle.

Alex Hallatt 3/6/19 Alex Hallatt 3/6/19

Living in New Zealand: Fur Seals

New Zealand first seals were hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 19th century (it seems most of the early settlers came to NZ to kill whales or seals). Now they litter the rocks in places like Ohau point near Kaikoura. There were lots of pups and when we stopped there in January. This is great to see as the colony was badly disrupted during the 2016 earthquake and subsequent rockfalls when more than 40 seals were killed. It took a year for the coast road to be repaired (during which seals had to be moved) .

You can also go swimming with seals in Kaikoura. I did this when I was a backpacker in 1996 and it was one of the best experiences of the two months I spent in New Zealand. The seals are very playful, like underwater dogs. It is amazing to get so close to them. This is something that is not recommended when they are on the shore, where they become very territorial.

More information on fur seals here.

Alex Hallatt 3/4/19 Alex Hallatt 3/4/19

New Zealand Garden Diary: Composting and Bokashi

We haven't had a green waste bin ever since it disappeared with the tenants. Luckily we are on 1200 square metres and we can compost most of our green waste. What we can't compost (meat etc.) goes in the bokashi bin.

My friend, Felicity, says bokashi has been miraculous at improving her garden. I hope so as it is it is a lot of work to lug it up to the back section and dig it in. Bokashi works using anaerobic fermentation with effective microorganisms (lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi according to biome.com.au).. These come in the form of a bran which you sprinkle over your food waste. The airtight seal on the bucket keeps the fermentation anaerobic and there is another bucket below to catch the liquid (which can be diluted and used as a plant food.

You can put in things you cannot put in compost like meat, cheese, fish and cooked foods like bread rice and pasta. The only thing you can't put in is liquids. Even bones can go in there and I put in the poor little mice that we trap in the kitchen cupboard. Once the bin is full, you can leave it to ferment longer or bury it in the garden straight away. It is like blood and bone on steroids.