D'Urville Island Field Trip, 6-8 March 2009

Photos courtesy of Steve Bayley

Metrosideros perforata (climbing white rata)
and it was every where in the trees on the ground
and growing on everything.

West arm of Port Hardy

An orchid growing on a fallen
branch from the canopy

West arm of Port Hardy

Unknown fungus mushrooms and moss growing on
fallen tree. Port Hardy.

Hill above Greville Harbour lagoon looking south
toward Nelson

View overlooking Kiangawari Bay from Patuki Rd.
Aabout 700m altitude looking South east. Friday 6th March dawned cloudy with light rain and strong Southwester- lies over twenty five knots and 1-2metre swells. Twenty nine hardy IPPS Members braved the two hour trip following the coast from Nelson Port to French Pass with skippers Barry and Lynley (who by the way said if we had been a local group they would have cancelled the trip!!!!!) Oh we had such faith in the Boat and the Skippers.

French Pass, out of the strong wind, was amazing with currents and whirlpools going in all directions. Picked up luggage from French Pass Wharf and then on to Catherine Cove, D’Urville Island to check into the D’Urville Island Wilderness Resort – bunkrooms for most of us.

Back on the boat for a trip around the East Coast of the Island to Penguin Bay (Captain Cook filled his water bottles from here before leaving NZ) We were ferried ashore in the rubber boat, some going on further to fish getting some Blue Cod for dinner.
We saw Metrosideros fulgens in flower, the orange flower showed up well with all the green foliage. Amazing Titoki and Beech trees all at sea level. Griselinia lucida, Metrosideros perforata, Olearia rani, Chordospartium arborea, Passiflora tetrandra (NZ Passionfruit) and Beach spinach, to name a few. Seedlings everywhere.
Bird life at sea Gannets and Greyfaced Petrels.

Amazing rock formations off the main Island.

Saturday 7th March we woke to a fine day, beautiful blue skies but word that the southwester was still howling along the west coast of the Island. The group was too big for Sea Bird so nine of the harder ones went in the small Resort boat. Leaving the calm Katherine Cove and travelling up the east coast of D’Urville watching the birds and seeing the rugged coastline in lovely seas, gave us a false sense of security because we soon hit the full force of the wind and 2-3metre swells plus chop as we rounded the top of D’Urville between the mainland and Stephens Island WOW!!!!!! A few WHITE knuckles from holding on tight, green faces and no time for taking photos. We somehow managed to get around that corner only to find another hair raising part between two rock formations, The Sisters. Well done Barry!!!!!!

The little Resort boat, often out of view in the troughs passed through the gap also. Most of us on the bigger boat were very thankful we were not on that small boat!!!! Port Hardy and into the South Arm with calm seas was a lovely respite from those waves and chop. Thanks to our skipper, Lyn we had freshly made scones and coffee before being ferried off to shore by the rubber dinghy. Saw Stingrays in the shallow, green, clear, warm water lazy in the sun.

Schist rock on the beach looked like pieces of bark, which we clambered over and found fresh signs of wild pigs in the bush, with rooting and footprints!!!!

An interesting selection of plants with Euphorbia glauca on the foreshore, Sophora microphylla, Aristotelia serrata, Pennantia corymbosa, Dysoxylum spectabile, Carpodetus serratus, huge Miro and Pukatea.

Lunch was enjoyed on the beach and then all too soon off into the “rock and rolling” motion of the south westerly. Passed close to the coast at Bottle Point where the Stephens Island Sophora grows on the steep cliffs.

Another respite in Greville Harbour, where we were ferried ashore by the smaller boat onto a beautiful beach just inside the northern heads. Walked over the sand dunes to the new DOC scenic reserve. Sand dunes covered in Marram grass and a few pockets of Spinifex. Beautiful shrubs of Myoporum decumbens dotted through the dunes. Water clear and warm. Back on the boats to travel deeper into the harbour and moored onto a buoy for coffee and cake (thanks Mary) sharing stories of what they had seen and done. Then the inevitable - back into the wind. Passed Paddock Rock and safely into French Pass and home to the Resort.

WE SURVIVED!!!!!!
And what stories we had of losing sight of the boats at times,etc.

Sunday 8th March brought beautiful calm seas, clear skies half the group went off fishing and came back with Blue Cod and a few Sea Perch.

The rest of us climbed the hill behind the Resort, huge Beech trees, silver fern, Dracophyllums old trees with buttressed trucks, Pseudowintera colorata and fabulous views over to the South Island mainland.

All good things must come to an end and with the boat packed we had an excellent trip back to Port Nelson, through French Pass, experiencing the strength of the tides when the boat was allowed to go with the flow and turned completely around.

An excellent trip with MANY THANKS to Mary Duncan and Family, for organising the trip; the Team at the Resort for their hospitality; and our two Skippers, Barry and Lynley for their amazing skills, especially for the fresh scones cooked in the little galley. YUMMY.

Sunday on Durville Island trip - On Sunday morning people could choose to go fishing on the boat or to spend time ashore at our idyllic hideaway. The ashore people could relax and maybe explore the bay or do walks. There was a coastal walk to a waterfall or a more strenuous walk up the ridgeline, through the regenerating gorse and manuka and up into forested areas. I was impressed with the filmy ferns and particularly a large patch of kidney fern growing at the base of a beech tree. The bush was quite open with a lot of pig sign. If the assent was strenuous, the descent was treacherous, steep and wet clay surface, a few muddy trouser seats.

After lunch the first sailing took the road travellers to French pass and returned for the rest of us to travel back to Nelson, through the current basin, where we paused to play and photo-shoot, and then back along the coast of Tasman bay to Nelson in a much more civilised manner than our outwards journey. We paused at the harbour entrance to allow a container ship with a pilot and two tugs depart Nelson and proceeded to our wharf to be greeted by the road travellers.

As we disembarked we were able to have a pack of fresh blue cod, courtesy of the fishing team and apples not eaten on the trip.

Saying farewell is almost a happy event as it holds the promise of the next great time we will have together as part of the IPPS family. Thanks Mary.

Coming Up

D&D turns 100 and there's reunion gathering in November - details here

Done and dusted - news from the 2010 Conference - details here.

International Tour and Conference is in Eastern Region from 16 September

Spring field day plans are a work in progress

Ok, so it's a month or two away, but put these dates in the diary for the 2011 Conference!

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How's this for commitment? We're told that Gus Evans has not missed a conference for his entire membership duration of 37 years. That must be an attendance record and worth noting!

Never spoken at conference and you'd like some help - Coaching is available

At the Blenheim conference Richard Ware was presented with the Award of Merit.

Peter Waugh was honored too - with the John Follet Award of Recognition.

New Japan / New Zealand Exchange.

IPPS Travel Scholarship details

D'Urville Island Field Trip, 6-8 March 2009

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