11 February 2014
I joined a small group of the fit passengers this morning for an 8hr trek on the island. We explored a variety of terrain and landscape and were able to tick off the Campbell Island snipe and teal, hookers sealion, elephant seals, royal albatross, NZ pipit and yellow eyed penguins.
Our zodiac was created onshore by 8 female hookers sealions surfacing next to us and porpoising yellow eyed penguins.
My highlight was seeing all the royal albatross up close. I was so excited to see the first one and then they just kept popping up everywhere scattered throughout the tussock grasslands and herb fields. They were so big it is hard to describe – I guess you would call them large seagulls on steroids.
We stumbled across a sealion up high from the coast that did a projectile snot ball that went half a metre and all over its face. There was also a yellow eyed randomly wandering through the Dracphylum.
Really interesting terrain, cliff faces, Dracophylum forest, tussock grassland (some over my head), boggy wetland.
A glimpse of Dent Island where the Campbell Island teal was disovered.
Close encounter of an albatross trying to take off before the wind died. It came within a couple of metres of us which was really neat to see such a huge bird up close.
Hookers sealions amongst the tussock
Old wharf at Tucker Cove
Apparently the sealions always have a go at the government reps - must be the high vis
Looking out towards perserverance harbour
Dracophylum in flower
A dead royal albatross
Royal Albatross nesting near the top of the ridge
Pleurophyllum speciosum was abundant in the herb fields
We saw several Campbell Island snipe - this one was running through the herb fields
Greg in the herb fields
Looking across at Northwest Bay and Dent Island to the right where they found the Campbell Island teal
West side of the island
Tussock grasslands
Some sort of daisy
Interesting rocks on the cliff tops with a sort of sandstone coating over crystal rock
Lunch stop on the ridge with an amazing view of the island
The steep cliffs of the western edge of the island
Giant tussock over our heads
These four male elephant seals at Northwest Bay blew me away with their size at 6-7metres. I got reasonably close to one of them which then lifted itself up and opened its mouth. I certainly felt vulnerable and was glad it did not chase me. You can see the size of the pipit for scale
Campbell Island teal feeding amongst the kelp on the shoreline at Northwest Bay
We climbed back up over the ridge through I think Southern rata forest
Fantastic view back across Northwest Bay over the Dracophylum dominated vegetation
The valley we came down earlier
We stopped to watch these Royal Albatross take off but the wind died and instead they came up to us and had a look around
Campbell Island weevil
Some more tussock grassland
This was a strang plant that looked like a mixture between a
Pleurophyllum species
We had a break amongst a nesting Royal
Some sort of lichen
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