Beauty and the birds

Feathered friends ... (above) white-flippered penguins at Pohatu, or Flea Bay; (below) a view of the bay on Banks Peninsula.


Beauty and the birds
John Maddocks
June 21, 2009


On the spectacular Banks Peninsula, John Maddocks finds a paradise for rare penguins.

The penguin is confused. It looks around for a few moments and then, instead of heading for the water and freedom, it scurries up the beach. This isn't meant to happen. After months of intensive care for a shark bite, the white-flippered penguin has just been released onto the beach at Pohatu, on the Banks Peninsula.

Its rescuer, Shireen, bends down and turns it towards the bay. The penguin realises its mistake and sets off for the water.

This little bird is a survivor and the deep gash the marauding shark made on its neck has healed beneath some fluffy new feathers. After an ungainly waddle across 50 metres of sand, the penguin wades into the water and instantly morphs into a sleek, fast-moving swimmer.

Shireen watches its progress and sighs. She is a hardened and dedicated conservationist who has cared for many penguins over the years. Despite this, returning a penguin to the wild is an emotional moment for her.

"This little chap will swim out to sea and join the group that left Pohatu a couple of months ago," Shireen tells me wistfully. "That group will eventually return here to breed and maybe he'll be among them."

Pohatu, or Flea Bay as it is also known, is undoubtedly a paradise for the hundreds of rare, endangered penguins that nest here every year. Conditions are so favourable that Pohatu has the largest mainland population of white-flippered penguins, which were named for the distinctive white markings on both edges of their flippers.

Shireen owns the farm adjoining the bay and has been instrumental in having Pohatu turned into a marine reserve where penguins are no longer caught in fishing nets. Nevertheless, every year some are injured in a variety of ways, so Shireen keeps them in hutches, tends to their breaks and cuts and feeds them anchovies. Most survive and are eventually released.

Not long after the freed penguin swims out into the bay, we take to the water in sea kayaks. Shireen guides us skilfully past the many penguin runs at the base of the bay's steep cliffs. White-flippered penguins nest in rock crevices, caves and burrows and their runs feature round nests lined with grass or twigs. Sea kayaking is the best way to see the birds in their natural environment without disturbing them.

But penguins are only part of the wildlife here. Dozens of fur seals are lying on the rocks and, as we paddle past a large group, one joins us in the water. It dives around the kayaks, obviously pleased to see us. The bay is also home to Hector's dolphins, which are the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world. They are only 1.4 metres long and have distinctive white, black and grey markings.

Getting up close to wildlife at Pohatu is a feature of the 35-kilometre Banks Peninsula Track. The Banks Peninsula, just 80 kilometres from Christchurch, was formed when two volcanoes blew up more than 8 million years ago. The resulting steep summits and rugged peaks give the area a dramatic beauty. Little wonder this track is one of New Zealand's most popular walks.

The walk starts and ends in the gorgeous harbourside town of Akaroa. From here you can take either two or four days to complete the track, depending on your fitness and energy levels. You start with a steep climb to the top of the volcanic crater rim and then descend through forest to the coast. Highlights include magnificent stands of beech trees and delightful waterfalls but nothing surpasses the spectacular cliff and ocean views.

The four-day walk gives you more time to enjoy the cliff-top scenery and explore secluded bays and beaches, including Pohatu, where you spend the second night.

With the sort of Kiwi understatement that calls a mountain a "hill", the accommodation on the walk is described as huts. All the huts have comfortable beds, fully equipped kitchens, heating, hot showers and flush toilets. Some even feature stained-glass windows. You can have your pack carried between huts and there are two "trampers' shops" for essential supplies along the way.

The Banks Peninsula Track has a nice balance of interesting hiking, scenic beauty, soft adventure and cosy, quirky accommodation. And you won't get close to the loveable white-flippered penguins anywhere else.

The writer was a guest of Tourism New Zealand.

TRIP NOTES

GETTING THERE Air New Zealand has 11 direct flights a week from Sydney to Christchurch. See airnewzealand.com.au for details. The Akaroa Shuttle bus has a daily return service from Christchurch to Akaroa for $32. See akaroashuttle.co.nz.

WALKING THERE The Banks Peninsula Track costs $158-$178 a person for the four-day walk, depending on the season. The two-day walk will set you back between $107 and $119. See bankstrack.co.nz/index.html. You can do the Pohatu Penguin tour as part of the walk or separately. See pohatu.co.nz for more details.

STAYING THERE In Akaroa, consider La Rochelle Motel (larochellemotel.co.nz) Akaroa Cottages (akaroacottages.co.nz), or, for something artistic, Linton of Akaroa "The Giant's House", with its amazing sculpture-filled garden (linton.co.nz).

Source: The Sun-Herald @
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/beauty-and-the-birds-20090618-cj09.html?page=-1