The Magic of Rakiura Stewart Island
An unforgettable day trip to the land of glowing skies
I first heard about Rakiura Stewart Island from my guide when I was touring the Otago peninsula of Aotearoa New Zealand’s South Island last year. It’s an island of about 674 square miles located 16 nautical miles south of the South Island, at the 47th southern parallel. I remember my guide specifically chose the word ‘privilege’ to describe going to Rakiura. I knew nothing about it, but I longed to make the journey. When I planned my trip to Aotearoa this year, I included a few days in Southland, but wasn’t sure if I would be able to go to Rakiura. I didn’t do much research and imagined it might be quite difficult to get there. I didn’t know what the rules were for visiting or if the island was even inhabited.
Once I arrived in Invercargill, I found the ferry service to Rakiura and a tour offered by Real NZ, so I went ahead and booked them on my first day in town. Following that, I happened to meet a local who had lived on Rakiura for several years before moving to Invercargill. ‘Wow,’ I thought ‘so people live on it!’ She had nothing but glowing things to say about the island; from the way her face lit up when talking about it, I knew it must be a special place.
Indeed, it is! I took the one hour ferry ride from Bluff, the first ferry I have been on with barf bags provided at every seat. The Foveaux Strait is choppy, even on what was a relatively calm day. It was quite a ride and thankfully I enjoyed it without getting sick. As soon as we docked in Oban, the village that serves the 400 or so residents of the island along with its many visitors, it was onto a bus to go see some sights.
The natural environment is indeed stunning, and I only got a small glimpse of it. To really see the island one must stay for a few days or weeks and go on one of the hiking loops. But there is much more than beautiful scenery and friendly people on Rakiura, there is magic and here’s how it struck me:
I had booked a boat trip to Ulva Island, a nearby bird sanctuary, with some hiking trails. Once we were on the boat, they informed us that if the wind was above 25 knots we would not be able to dock at Ulva, so we would have to go there and see what the conditions were like. On the way we saw some Mollymawks who took an interest in our bright orange vessel and followed us across. I was on edge, as this was the part of my trip I was most looking forward to and it never occurred to me the wind might be what gets in the way. Sure enough, when we arrived at Ulva, the captain informed us the wind was too high and we would have to turn around. I was disappointed, but felt that it was just not meant to be - a strange gratitude came over me, gratitude for a world where nature can overrule man. It’s easier to respect nature when it overpowers you.
This was the start of my magical journey, not a bright and shiny magic, but a subtle and enduring one. I felt a sense of ease come over me and a connection with the place. We made our way back to Oban and I now had just over an hour free to wander before the ferry to Bluff. I didn’t go far, just up a hill overlooking the bay and then into the village. As I walked, I was delighted by how genuinely friendly everyone I passed by seemed to be, always with a howsit or heya. I ended my free time at The Snuggery, a warm and cosy coffee house where people were more than happy to share their table with me. Granted, it was mostly fellow tourists I was encountering rather than locals, but I felt as if we were all under the spell of this special place, relishing in our shared experience.
Having only been on Rakiura for a handful of hours, I was surprised by the sadness I felt walking toward the ferry terminal. I’ve only felt that way a few times in my life, and it usually required a much stronger connection to a place than what I had there. I do hope to go back, but even if I don’t I now feel that the island is part of me. While I did not buy any souvenirs, I did bring the magic back with me and truly feel like a changed person. I’m so grateful for having had the privilege to visit Rakiura Stewart Island.