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 The
Sub Antarctic Islands of New Zealand
and Australia
 
The Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell and Macquarie Islands occupy
the stormy latitudes of the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties, known also
as the Albatross Latitudes.
The region hosts the most diverse collection of seabirds in the world.
More than 40 seabird species – at least 11 percent of all the worlds’ seabirds –
breed in the Sub Antarctic region, and over 120 species have been observed at
the islands or in the surrounding ocean. Ten of the world’s albatross species-
some 40 percent- breed in the region, five of them nowhere else.
Among the world-wide family of petrels, shearwaters, fulmars and prions, 21
species or 30 percent breed on the Sub Antarctic Islands. Penguins too, are
special in the Sub Antarctic region. Of seven penguin species breeding here,
three (Snares crested, Erect crested and Royal) are endemic to the region.
The land birds indicate, through their diversity, just how long these islands
have been isolated. No fewer than 15 species are Sub Antarctic endemics.
Our “Birding Downunder” expedition which
has been voted “the best ever pelagic birding expedition” includes all of these
islands as well as the Chatham Archipelago which lies just north of the Sub
Antarctic region and is renown for its high degree of endemism.
Expedition includes plenty of time ashore and zodiac cruising with experienced
local “birders” to see and photograph the many island endemics.
Landings at the Sub Antarctic Islands are by permit only as administered by the
governments of New Zealand and Australia.
No landings are permitted at Snares, Antipodes and Bounty Islands and South East
in the Chatham Islands group.
Circumstances may be encountered during our voyage which will make it necessary
or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. These circumstances include
poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition
Leader will keep you fully informed during the voyage.
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Cabin options: |
Prices valid to April 2009
inclusive |
| Heritage Suite |
USD11,096.00
per person sharing |
|
Mini Suite |
USD10,426.00 per
person sharing |
| Superior Plus |
USD9,974.00 per person
sharing |
|
Superior |
USD9,151.00 per person sharing |
| Main Deck |
USD7,750.00 per person
sharing |
|
Main Deck Triple |
USD6,338.00 per person sharing |
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Additional
charges: |
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| Government Landing
Fees |
USD350.00 per person |
Heritage Suite
Has a large lounge area, a separate bedroom with
double bed, a single bed in the lounge, writing
desk, wardrobe, drawers, and fridge. There is
a private bathroom with shower, toilet and
washbasin. There are large forward and side facing
windows with great views.
Capacity: 2
Shared: USD11,096.00 pp
Sole Occupancy: USD22,192.00 pp
Mini Suite
Has a small bedroom with a ¾ bed and a single
bed in the lounge, wardrobe, drawers, a desk and a
private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin.
This suite has windows.
Capacity: 2
Shared: USD10,426.00 pp
Sole Occupancy: USD20,852.00 pp
Superior Plus
Cabins have two lower berths, wardrobe, drawers,
a private bathroom with shower, toilet and
washbasin. These cabins have windows.
Capacity: 2
Shared: USD9,974.00 pp
Sole Occupancy: USD17,953.20 pp
Superior
Cabins have one bunk (an upper and lower - two),
wardrobe, drawers, a desk, a private bathroom with
shower, toilet and washbasin. These cabins have
windows.
Capacity: 2
Shared: USD9,151.00 pp
Sole Occupancy: USD16,471.80 pp
Main Deck
Cabins have two lower berths, wardrobe, drawers,
a desk, and washbasin. The nearby showers and
toilets are shared with other Main deck cabins.
Capacity: 2
Shared: USD7,750.00 pp
Sole Occupancy: USD13,950.00 pp
Main Deck Triple
This cabin has one bunk (one upper and
one lower) and one lower berth, wardrobes, drawers,
a desk, and washbasin. The nearby showers and
toilets are shared with other Main deck cabins.
Capacity: 3
Shared: USD6,338.00 pp
Government Landing
Fees
Circumstances may be encountered during our
voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to
deviate from this itinerary. These circumstances
include poor weather conditions and opportunities
for making unplanned Zodiac excursions. Your
Expedition leader will provide more information at
the start of the voyage and keep you fully informed
during the voyage.
USD350.00 pp
Prices valid to
April 2009 inclusive
Next Voyage is #2560 –
9 November 2008 – 27 November 2008
 Day
1
Arrive at the city of
Invercargill, New Zealand's southernmost city. Established by Scottish
settlers with its wealth in the rich farmland - sheep and dairy farms
predominate. On arrival please make your own arrangements to transfer to
the Kelvin Hotel in the central city. A detailed programme will be
available to you when you check in at reception. Dinner is at the hotel
which is an opportunity to meet fellow expeditioners.
Day 2
Breakfast at your leisure in
the dining room at the hotel. Your programme will advise a time for bags
out and we will be transferred to the Southland museum to view the special Sub
Antarctic display in the Museum before being transferred by coach to the Port of
Bluff (27 km south of Invercargill) to board the Spirit of Enderby.
Depart for the Snares Islands.
Day 3
The Snares is the first of the
Sub Antarctic Islands we will be visiting. It is an amazing island - more
birds nest on this small island than there are seabirds around the entire
British Isles. We will arrive early morning, landings are not permitted so
we Zodiac cruise the sheltered eastern side. Cruising in the sheltered
bays we should see the endemic Snares crested penguins, tomtits and
fernbirds. Cape pigeons, Antarctic terns, white-fronted terns
and red-billed gulls are around the coastline. There is an
estimated six million sooty shearwaters nesting on the Snares Islands.
Buller's albatross breed here from early January onwards.
Day 4
We arrive at Enderby Island, a
great island to view birds and wildlife in the Auckland Island group. Our
plan is to land at Sandy Bay, the main breeding ground for the New Zealand
(Hooker's) sea lion. We'll also be able to observe the following species:-
Southern royal albatross, Northern giant petrel, Auckland Island shag, Auckland
Island teal, Auckland Island tomtit, bellbird, pipit, red crowned parakeet,
yellow-eyed penguin and light-mantled sooty albatross. We will
spend some time searching for the Sub Antarctic snipe which we
have a very good chance of seeing. Other more common species we will see
include goldfinch, song thrush, blackbird, European starling, red-bill gull,
redpoll. On Derrycastle Reef there is a good chance to see
bar-tailed godwit, turnstone and perhaps other migratory waders.
Day 5
This morning we will cruise to
Carnley Harbour in the south of the main Auckland Islands. There will be
an opportunity for the energetic participants to climb to the Southwest Cape
shy albatross colony. Gibson's wandering albatross nest above
the colony amongst the tussock, we should get good views of these birds as they
will be nesting at this time. Those remaining on board will have an
opportunity to Zodiac cruise along the coastal forest with a chance to see
New Zealand falcon and enjoy close encounters with other bush birds.
we depart the Auckland Islands in the mid afternoon and head south west to
Macquarie Island.
Day 6
At sea we will have a series of
lectures supported by videos of the biology and history of the Sub Antarctic
Islands and the Southern Ocean. The Sub Antarctic Convergence Zone is
traditionally very close to the area we are sailing through so we should expect
the birdlife to reflect this as we get closer to Macquarie Island. We will
be at sea all day, another opportunity to see pelagic species, including
wandering albatross species, royal albatross, shy and white-capped albatross,
light mantled sooty albatross, grey headed albatross, black browed albatross,
white-chinned petrel, mottled petrel, white-headed petrel, cape petrel, diving
petrel, grey backed and black bellied storm petrel.
Days 7 & 8
Arrive at Macquarie Island
which is the only place to see the royal penguin and there is an
abundance of these. King penguins are also found in large numbers.
Two other penguin species breed on Macquarie Island - the gentoo and the
rockhopper. Along the coast we will see the imperial
(Macquarie) shag. Redpolls can be seen as can the
European starling along the cliff edges. We plan landings at both the
ANARE base and at Sandy Bay. We will also Zodiac cruise Lusitania Bay,
where there is a huge king penguin colony. We continue our
exploration of Macquarie Island and then depart for Campbell Island on the
afternoon of our second day.
Day 9
At sea en-route to Campbell
Island, we will see a similar range of species as we saw en-route to Macquarie
Island from the Auckland Islands.
Day 10
Arriving early in the morning
we will spend the day exploring the island on foot from Perseverance Harbour.
Campbell Island is a magnificent island. Rats have recently been
successfully removed with encouraging increases in small bird numbers being
observed, most notably the pipit. There is some great birding and
photographic opportunities on this island, especially southern royal
albatross and the early flowering mega herbs. During the day ashore we
should see the southern royal albatross, light-mantled sooty albatross,
northern giant petrel, Campbell Island shag, southern skua, red billed gull,
black backed gull, Antarctic tern, redpoll, dunnock and the The New
Zealand pipit. The regeneration of the mega herbs since the removal of
the sheep in the 1970's and 80's is a spectacle to behold.
Day 11
At sea en-route to the
Antipodes. It is a day for pelagic birding. Species commonly seen in
this area include wandering albatross species, southern royal
albatross, black-browed albatross, Campbell Island albatross, light-mantled
sooty albatross, salvins albatross, grey-headed albatross, northern and
southern giant petrel, sooty shearwater, little shearwater. This
region of the Southern Ocean is one of the few places where the fairy
prion, fulmar prion and Antarctic prion occur together providing a
good opportunity for comparison. Other species to be on the look out for
include soft-plumaged petrel, mottled petrel, white-headed petrel, grey-faced
petrel, white-chinned petrel, grey-backed storm petrel, Wilson's storm petrel
and common diving petrel.
Day 12
Antipodes Island is one of the
most isolated, least known and rugged of New Zealand's Sub Antarctic Islands.
Landings are not permitted, so we plan to Zodiac cruise along the coastline
where we have a good chance of seeing the Antipodes Island and
Reischek's Parakeet which is a strong subspecies. We will also see the
Antipodes subspecies of the New Zealand pipit. We enjoy good views
of both erect crested and rockhopper penguins breeding on the
coastline. There are usually a good number of Antarctic terns and
kelp gulls.
Day 13
We arrive at the Bounty
Islands, inhospitable granite knobs lashed by the Southern Ocean, early morning
to Zodiac cruise. Erect crested penguin, fulmar prions and the
endemic Bounty Island Shag will feature on our bird lists for this
morning. After the Zodiac cruise we depart for the Chatham Islands.
This afternoon we should see wandering albatross species, northern
royal albatross, white capped albatross, Salvin's albatross, northern giant
petrel, cape petrel, Antarctic fulmar, mottled petrel, soft-plumaged petrel,
broad billed prion, fulmar prion, white-chinned petrel, sooty shearwater, little
shearwater, grey-backed, black bellied petrel and Wilson's storm petrel.
There is a possibility we could see the Chatham Island petrel and we will
be keeping a close watch for the magenta petrel.
Day 14
This morning we continue
towards the Chatham Archipelago with excellent opportunities for pelagic
birding. We will be especially interested in looking out for the
Chatham Island petrel (it has been seen on this leg of the voyage before)
and also the very rare Chatham Island taiko or magenta petrel
(which has also been seen on this part of the voyage before). This
afternoon we will arrive at the spectacular Pyramid Rock - which is the only
breeding place of the Chatham Island Albatross.
Day 15
At South East Island (Rangatira),
one of the worlds greatest nature reserves we will Zodiac cruise (landings are
not permitted) and should obtain good views of the very rare shore plover
and the Chatham Island Oystercatcher. we should also see the
Pitt Island shag, tui, tomtit, and red crowned parakeet. This
afternoon we will cruise past Mangere and Little Mangere Island from where the
endemic black robin was rescued in the 1970's when the total population
was only six birds. We will relate the story of how the black robin
was rescued. This evening we sail across Pitt Strait to the main Chatham
Islands and pass the Tuku Valley where the magenta petrel breeds.
Day 16
Today we will land at Waitangi
the main settlement on the Chatham Islands. Near the landing we should see
the endemic Chatham Island shag. Local buses and Landrovers will
transport us down the South Coast to the Tuku Reserve. Here on private
land, and guided by the local people we will enjoy a bush walk in the hope of
seeing the Chatham Island warbler and Chatham Island pigeon.
Much of the main Chatham Islands has been developed for farming, many introduced
European birds can be seen in this area. We return to the Spirit of
Enderby early afternoon and depart for Dunedin.
Day 17 & 18
En-route to Dunedin we will
cross what is know as the Chatham Rise. It is a relatively shallow area of
water, compared with the rest of the surrounding ocean, it is also one of the
best places for pelagic watching with an overlap of both northern or more
temperate species from those birds from southern latitudes. We can expect
to see wandering albatross species, royal albatross species,
black-browed albatross, white-capped albatross, Salvin's albatross, northern
giant petrel, cape petrel, Westland black petrel, white-chinned petrel,
great-winged petrel, Cook's petrel, flesh footed petrel, Buller's shearwater,
sooty shearwater, little shearwater, fairy prion, broad-billed prion,
grey-backed storm petrel, white-faced storm petrel, diving petrel.
There could well be other species, so it is a good time to be out on deck.
Day 19
We will arrive in the Inner
Harbour at the Port of Otago, Dunedin. After completing formalities with
Customs and Agriculture, passengers will be able to disembark. There will
be a central city and airport drop off. |
