Watching the sun set over the sea last night and there was movement along the beach that looked distinctly un-penguin-like.

In the gathering gloom in strolled Tim and Sam, if it’s possible to stroll along a bouldery beach even with a light pack, after a decent day’s effort from Long Harry, ie, jumped Yankee River Hut. They had really scampered the Yankee River to Christmas Village section.

Unable to orchestrate a water taxi to Freshwater due to unfavourable tides, you can only sail up there either side of high tide, they’d taken the more pricey option of a charter plane landing at Mason Bay beach, giving the toughest days on the track on their Day 1 and 2, but with only six nights out the pack weight, ie, food, wasn’t such an issue as for some.

Today I took my time stopping often to try to spot a kiwi, the Christmas Village to Lucky Beach section has to be one of the prime, ie, easiest, legs of this trip. You climb at the start but then sidle around for much of the time at a similar altitude, only a few creek up and downs, through more rimu forest with often a lush carpet of Blechnum, ie, crown fern, understory.

Sure is purdy.

No kiwis to date.

+++++horizontal rule+++++

A guide to the night’s accommodation: Yankee River Hut

Yankee River Hut, North-west Circuit, Stewart Island
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