South Island Experience Part 2: Kaikoura to Craigieburn

Although leaving Kaikoura was disheartening for a few moments, we knew we were about to be engulfed by the Southern Alps of New Zealand. However, we would take a stop over that night in the city of Christchurch. It did not seem to matter to us that it was a Monday, it instead was a day off. We separated after checking into the backpacker’s lodge and went about shopping for a bit. Understand now that in the last few months most of us have grown an affinity for op shops (for opportunity or second hand stores). At the first one, even though we had separated previously, we had an impromptu game of dress-up. I walked away from the event with a $10 silk shirt. I also happened to leave my winter hat there in the commotion. Running back to get the hat seemed to be he sign for me to make another purchase, a $16 wool bush shirt. Now, of course, anytime someone complements you on a new article of clothing, you have to say “Thank you” and how little it set you back.

From Christchurch we headed west to the Great Divide, the north-south line of highest altitude separating the east and west of the south island. Before getting to our destination we stopped for a photo op at Castle Hill. This is a set of hills with limestone boulders protruding vertically from them. You may know this sight as the passage from Rivendale that the Fellowship takes in “Lord of the Rings” or the great battle scene from the “Chronicles of Narnia.” I would later return there for a sunrise bouldering trip and viewing session.



In Craigieburn we stayed at the Environmental Education Lodge. Ria, our educational director, had previously worked there researching a native bird called the Kea. These birds are known as the bears of New Zealand, anything left outside overnight will not stay put for long. When the Department of Conservation decided to regionalize the management of the area, an educational trust formed to allow for student and other interested groups to stay on the nature reserve. (An aside: So far the majority of places we have visited this term have been a previous site of interest to our field leaders; Opoutere – Wendy, Leigh & Poor Knights – Sally, and eventually Nelson Lakes – Sally) It is remarkable how clean a place can stay when left only to the personal responsibility of the groups who make use of the lodging.



The first night there we were escorted to a patch of beech forest and left there to ponder the structure, function, pattern and process driving the ecology of our target ecosystem. That 40 minutes of isolation was very rewarding, even more so that I was no more than two meters from a wasp nest and was only surveyed be a handful of workers. However, even if you couldn’t see the wasps, their collective hum emanated through the entirety of the forest. They feed on honeydew, which is the poop of a scale bug. It is extremely sweet and is a delicacy in some parts of Europe.



The picture is of me in a beech forest, but not on the occasion mentioned. This is underneath the Devil's Punchbowl at Arthur's Pass.

For class one day, we were taken closer to the Great Divide, through Arthur’s Pass, to the Otira Valley. Here we would make observations on plant adaptations for our group leader’s oral presentation. The highlight of the trip was lunch next to a mountain stream. I never truly realized my connection to water before I was struck with excitement at the roar of water while in the alpine range. I don’t ever feel truly comfortable unless I know a body of water is within a quick jaunt.



We also participated in some service learning with a man, Jeff, who established the Wilderness Lodge for eco-tourists. A fee of $300 a night gives you lodging, two meals on the day and a number of nature related activities. The one we participated in was the clearing of invasive species from a nearby frost flat. In the 1960s American pine trees were planted to avoid erosion of the Southern Alps. Not only should erosion not be avoided, as the range is rising as just the same rate as it is being taken away, but the pines are now rapidly colonizing in the valleys and excluding a number of native species. So just as green as planting trees is, it is sometimes as equally green to pull out trees. In two days I pulled and sawed over 250 pine saplings. You begin to look at a pine tree as an enemy, when your mindset has been to kill and destroy for a few hours.

With the little time off we had in Craigieburn, I was able to climb to my first summit of the trip. Helicopter Hill is about 1300 m tall. The view was amazing, as you will see from the few pictures I have and perhaps a video. I still don’t consider myself a mountain man, but I am beginning to feel more acquainted with the altitude and the often-steep climb to get there.



From Craigieburn we move over the Great Divide to the West Coast. The final account of this trip will include Reefton, Nelson Lakes, and Wellington. Cheers!