Stewart Island, 2005!!

Stewart Island for New Year’s Eve was loads of fun – 8 of us went over on the ferry from Bluff and hiked in to Bungaree Hut (just north of the Rakiura Great Walk track). I’m not sure if I can express how muddy the track, but we squelched in to knee-deep at some points so it was pretty slow-going! However, we were at the hut in time to celebrate with plenty of supplies we’d carried in. Mulled wine, g & t’s, sambucca, vanilla-flavoured Galliano, whisky, and a couple of kiltlifters – between us I think we had more than enough. Fun was had by everyone, and singing Auld Lang Syne on the beach with headtorches to bring in 2005 was definitely a good laugh.

The next morning Derek and I started back to join the Great Walk Circuit and go around it in 2 days, while the other six planned to continue with the 10-day hike. We stayed at North Arm Hut (passing by North William Hut) on the 1st, and then walked back out to the ferry terminal at Halfmoon Bay. Jana’s knees convinced her to walk out the way we’d come in, and then join us for the ferry back on the 2nd for the rest of the adventures to follow!