Auckland Island Trips

Sub-Antarctic islands: Ultimate Pelagic

There' s just no better travel on earth for sea birds and sea birds. New Zealand's sub-Antarctic archipelago offers the largest variety of "tubioses" on the globe, and if you complete the entire route, you can count on well over 30 of them. To the south of New Zealand, in an empire inhabited only by the hardest spirits, there are a number of isles that are uncommonly frequented, and some of the roughest and most wild on the world.

Another added benefit is the ability to come into contact with these animals in huge nesting populations, which include a wide range of albatrosses and penguins. The Subantarctic Islands also provide a rich diversity of other Arctic fauna, from an abundance of whales wandering through the frozen water to populations of harp seal and seal, among them another huge and stunning creature, the spectacular Hooker's See Lion; or if you like your oversized wild animals, how about the gigantic Southern Elephant Seal.

They are truly expeditions of expeditions across the Snares and Auckland Isles to rarely seen destinations such as Macquarie Island and Campbell Island. The longer journey from Campbell continues to the Antipodes and Bounties, which are only attended once a year by expedition participants, before concluding with a tour to the Chatham Isles, where we look for two of the world' s most rare sea birds - Chatham Island Petrel and Taiko, or Magenta Petrel.

"The" bird-down under" is the 19-day journey, the route of which is given below and which ends in Dunedin. "The Galapagos of the Southern Ocean" is a 12-day journey that will take you to Snares, Enderby, Auckland, Macquarie and Campbell Islands, ending in Invercargill. "The" 8 Destination of the South Pacific" is the 8 longest and includes Snares, Enderby, Auckland and Campbell Islands.

Snare and at sea. On the third and last days of this tour we approach the little-attended Snares in the early mornings. Hardly more than cliffs in the Southern Ocean, these wind-whipped outcrop are indeed amazingly life-giving and keep some endemics of which we are hoping to see. We will be hit by a different number of Buller's Albatross (few or none in November, hundred or more in January) but regardless of the time we are accompanied by tens of soot divers and Cape or Pintado storm birds, tens of dive storm birds, among them both Common and the undescribed'Subantarctic' dive petrel (a separation from the Southern Royal Petrel) and probably several Southern Albatross.

As soon as we have reached the island, we will try to start the Zodiacs for a coastal trip, according to meteorological and marine circumstances. There are no landing restrictions on these untouched, predator-free isles, but we will see all their riches from the Zodiacs. While approaching the shoreline, we will see more and more Snares Crested Penguins native to these cliffs, and although we have already seen them from the boat, once we have reached the isles we will be observers in their worlds as we move back and forth between floats of tens of birds and bump into dormant groups of hundred of them.

If that wasn't enough, we shouldn't have any problem to find the native Snares Fernird and Snares Tomtit (certainly an impending cleavage), the latter particularly elegant in their very dark feather. We' ve seen Snares Snipe here occasionally, although it's extremely hard to see, but we can really feel it when we drive towards the world-famous penguin slide, where the penguin gets in and out of the sea and finds its way to their wooded vertebra.

When you leave the Snares, it pays to be on board or on the bridge. The number of albatross should be high and will probably comprise Northern and Southern Royal, White-capped and Salvin's and perhaps Campbell. 4th day: Enderby Island. It is reserved for a trip to the wilderness, windswept, craggy and often sun-drenched Enderby Island, part of the Auckland Islands.

A truly sub-Antarctic paradise, populated by scarce and indigenous wildlife, most of which are extraordinarily gentle and typically sub-Antarctic. We' ve got a whole full days to get to know this island. Once at the seaside we are struck by huge and often frightening Hook-er's or New Zealand Sea Lion, while along the coast we find the zombie-like Yellow-eyed Penguin, from which the vast majority on Enderby Island hatches.

On our way through the Rata Woods we may find Auckland Island's Tomtit, Red-crowned Conure or even Yellow-crowned Conure with extraordinary fortune, and New Zealand Falcon is not uncommon here. Auckland Island Dotterel (a characteristic sub-species of Banded Dotterel) and the opportunity to see the mysterious Auckland Island Snipe, which requires some work.

From the craggy rocks on the other side of the island (an easier and more relaxed walk) you overlook the shore along the Auckland Island Shags. Returning to the shore we look for good photographic possibilities with yellow-eyed penguins and of course with the Auckland Island Teal, the least likely resident of the island.

5 Auckland Island. Our goal is to reach the harbour of Carnley at daybreak and drive down the side of Adams Island. While our flight schedule will be reviewed indoors, it will involve landings on the Auckland Island as far as possible. It is a good chance to see the distinction between a pest-free island (Enderby) and an island of parasites (Auckland) - the wildlife and vegetation are very different, with most endemics from the pest-infested island missing.

Occasionally the wheather can allow a trip to the southwestern cap settlement Weißkappen-Albatros. Exiting the Auckland Islands is often an excellent way to get close-ups and photographs of Gibson's Albatross, the Auckland Island breed of Wandering Albatross. This day will be on the way to Macquarie Island at the seas.

The seabirds on this route are exceptionally varied - over shallow water it is often calm and there is plenty of leisure and photography to do, but when we get out of the Aucklands and into Macquarie, the activities can be quite amazing. Blackbellied, Wilson and Greyback Petrels will probably be seen a lot today, as will the many albatrosses we have become used to and maybe even some new ones like Grey-headed albatrosses or snow (hiking) albatrosses.

Day 7-8: Macquarie Island. There are two day visits to the wild animal paradise of Macquarie Island. Macquarie, a long stretch of the earth's coastline above the sea is one of the hardest to access islets on the world. The route varies from journey to journey according to climatic condition, but is likely to involve several different lands.

Buckle's Bay's Anglo-American Bird Sanctuary is interesting, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime place for birdwatchers to see Gentoo penguins on this side of the globe - and these bird species dare not leave Macquarie and have morphologic distinctions from those on the Arctic Peninsula - a cleavage awaiting to be made.

Alongside the beach we also find the King and probably also the King's penguin, the numerous southern and northern giant petrels, the Macquarie Island Shag, Antarctic terns and tens of giant southern elephant seals. When we can land in Sandy Bay, it will probably be the climax of the journey, and a climax in the life of most peoples more than likely.

This is where we end up amidst a blossoming and busy flock of penguins, thousand of king and king penguins show their nosy natures by being on the beaches with them, often touch us and offer us pebble stones as a sign of interest. Taking a quick nap on the shore can also help you find an intimate boyfriend in a young southern elephant seal - an unforgettable time.

While descending the Macquarie coastline, we will estimate the Lusitania Bay on the southwestern edge of the island, home to over 70,000 couples of King Penguins. This day will be on our way to Campbell Island. The seabird is probably outstanding in many of the bird populations we have seen in good numbers before, as are the opportunities to see grey head albatrosses, soft feathered petrels and rare bird populations such as blue petrels and grey petrels.

There could be many Campbell Albatross. 10 Campbell Island. Awakening in the tranquillity of the endurance harbour, we spent the whole of our days on pest-free Campbell Island. Today there are several ways for you to pick, but they involve a Zodiac River Cruise around the harbour to search for wild animals along with Campbell Island Shag and Campbell Island Teal (one of the worlds scarcest ducks) and a stroll on the Col Lyall Seat to a magnificent Southern Royal Albatrossolony.

There is a very good chance of meeting Campbell Island Snipe, while Campbell Island Pipit is abound. Antipodic albatross is almost certain when we get close to the island. Day 12: Antipode Isles. They are some of the least frequented, most robust and little known islets in the underworld. There are no landing restrictions, so we will try to cross the shore in quest of its ends.

Morning 13: Morning. Friday, Venice. You thought the snares were tough, you' re gonna have to sit tight and watch the bounties. Big cliffs in the midst of the Southern Ocean are unexpectedly well-populated. Indeed, the view of these isles, shrouded in Salvin's Albatros, along with the world's most rare shags - known as the famous birdie - and thousand and thousands of erect crushed penguins is a vision.

This is a unique experience for the birdwatchers (who are the majority of the expedition participants on this trip). We start the tour at Sea in an area known to be prolific for one of the least known marine species in the whole wide open - the Taiko or Magenta Petrel. It looks like an impressive strange pile in the oceans at first sight, but it is particularly attractive to us with a bird in our heads, as it is home to the whole of Chatham Island Albatross's global people.

The Rivalling Chatham Albatross is a Pacific (or Northern Buller's) albatross, which can be seen here in large numbers together with the huge Northern Royal Albatross. On this night we make a particular attempt to find the Taiko and Chatham Island Petrels. The Chatham Island Shag is often seen in these water. Rendezvous 15: Main Island Chatham.

We will be spending the rest of the night on land on the island of Chathaam, where we will be looking for all available endemics, among them Chathaam Island Warbler, Chathaam Island Pigeon, Chathaam Island Oystercatcher, the native New Zealand fantail, Tui and Red-crowned Para-keet, Occasionally there is the possibility to visit a Taiko and/or Chatam island construction for an additional charge, which is directly given to the nature protection effort for these kinds - although this is at this point unverified and only in both cases much later.

Mangere Island and Southeast Island. We are planning a Zodiac trip on the South East Island this mornings, which is sometimes described as one of the largest protected areas in the word. We should see Chatham Island Oystercatcher and Pitt Island Shag here, but the main attraction is Shore Plover. Although Black Robin is on the island, the odds of seeing this species are very slim due to its deeply forested natural environment.

This Chatham Rise we will take with us is particularly prolific for whales and could bring a few surprises. Following an expansive trip through some of the most remote and least frequented of all the worlds inhabited isles, we return to the civilisation of the beautiful town of Dunedin, where there are many artisan workshops and boutiques and cafés.

The Otago Shag could be the last new birds on the voyage within the harbour itself. That is the Southern Oceans and its call as a rugged sea is sometimes well deserved. There' s the very realistic option of the harsh climate on these voyages, which can make the boat roll and stomp to a large extent.

Enderby and Chatham have reached maximum temperature of 18°C (64 F), but it is advisable to store at Macquarie in icy conditions. The Zodiac trips can be very damp and quite chilly, making them very watertight (including watertight overtrousers!). ACCOMMODATION: Throughout the entire voyage we will remain on the Spirit of Enderby, a 22-headed, ice-reinforced, rebuilt hydrologic and weather research ship.