Living in New Zealand: Quail Island Was a Place to End Your Days
I’m back from a week on Ōtamahua/Quail Island (as a volunteer DOC warden - see previous post) and enjoyed spending time drawing and writing, when I wasn’t doing warden things (checking for litter, greeting visitors and cleaning the loo!).
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There is a lots of interesting history associated with the island, much of it tragic. Antarctic explorers trained their horses and dogs there for ill-fated expeditions to the Antarctic. And there was a leper colony, where at least two of the poor, isolated tenants ended their days on the island.
But by far the most tragic story is that of the two Ward brothers who came from Ireland with the hope of better life and were dead within months.
The Ward brother history is fascinating (the surviving brothers were very active in early Canterbury life and set up the Ward Brewery which made Canterbury Draught and other beers) and if you want to read more, you should head here:
https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-ghosts-of-quail-island/
http://www.peelingbackhistory.co.nz/686/
This was the view from the location of the Ward brothers’ homestead.
You can nearly see our house behind the ridge above the first oil tanks) from there. A sweet valley with a lovely view, but conditions in Lyttelton Harbour can change quickly.
I think the macrocarpas on the island post date the Wards.
Living in New Zealand: Stand Up Paddle Boarding Around Quail Island
Being an island, Ōtamahua is fun to stand up paddle around. But the wind. Even though I got up early and was down at the wharf by seven most days, it was still windy nearly all the time.
Quail Island wharf on a busy morning. Note riffle of water.
Oh well, it was fun to paddle down to King Billy Island and see all birds. Provided the tide wasn't out and I didn't have to walk across the mudflats.
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On my last day the wind dropped, Hurrah!
A rare calm morning on Lyttelton Harbour
Lyttelton from Quail Island wharf
Looking towards Moepuku and King Billy Island, paddling around Quail Island on a calm day with the tide in!
Arctic Circle Cartoon - Artificial Intelligence and the Workplace
Is this the future of work?
Living in New Zealand: Being a DOC Hut Warden on Ōtamahua/Quail Island
Taking the Black Cat boat from Lyttelton to Quail Island
This summer I’m volunteering as a hut warden on Quail Island (if you want to volunteer with DOC you can ask them via their website). I was there for three nights last week and I really enjoyed my time. I didn’t see any mice.
My main responsibilities were to keep the place clean and make sure no one had any open fires. Most people clean up after themselves in DOC huts and I didn't have any problems on that score. The only fire lit was the log burner. It has been cool for January, but I think the old guy staying there when I arrived wanted to light it for the atmosphere more than anything else. In any case it was like a sauna when I walked in and I was glad I wasn't having to sleep in the bunkrooms with the rest of the visitors.
Warden quarters are basic. The bunks aren the same as you find in the huts and you still have to bring gas to cook with and a lamp as there is no power in the hut.
I learned an interesting thing from one of the Trust members. He says that birds usually like to poop before they cross water. Their biggest problem right now are the thistles and Red Valerian - both wind-blown seeds.
The history and returning native bush and birds make the island a fun place to walk around.
Or paddle around:
I’ll definitely be back.
