A young sea elephant hanging out with a different crowd in the exotic Subantarctic. Photo / Gunther Riehle
A young sea elephant hanging out with a different crowd in the exotic Subantarctic. Photo / Gunther Riehle
Aaron Russ from Heritage Expeditions talks about the wild and wonderful islands that few New Zealanders know about.
Our expeditions are true voyages of discovery, no two days are ever alike and the wilderness and wildlife is always amazing.
The Subantarctic Islands are incredibly diverse so there is something for everyone, from the penguins, albatross, sea lions and seals to the amazing mega herbs and remarkable history of human endeavour. Visitors get to explore New Zealand's wildest and most remote islands, places that many Kiwis don't even know exist. And for many guests, these are life-changing experiences.
Our expeditions visit all of New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands - The Snares, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Antipodes and Bounty Islands as well as Australia's Macquarie Island. Each of the islands is incredible in its own right and very worthy of its Unesco World Heritage status.
Zodiac cruising at The Snares, watching the endemic Snares-crested penguins bustling around the shoreline and navigating the "penguin slide" never fails to amaze. At the Auckland Islands, watching the Hooker's sea lion colony is like a nature documentary coming to life. It also has a beautiful rata forest to explore, myriad forest birds, exceptional history and soaring cliffs.
Up close and personal with some inquisitive crested penguins on the Snares Islands. Photo / T. Bickford, Heritage Expeditions.
Campbell Island is home to fields of mega herbs that transform the island into an alien landscape and are the breeding ground of the regal southern royal albatross, which wheel in the sky above as part of a courting ritual known as "gamming".
Exploring the Antipodes and Bounty Islands by Zodiac, you see the erect-crested penguins, parakeets, Salvin's albatross and New Zealand fur seals on every imaginable space at these seemingly inhospitable rocky outposts.
Over at Macquarie Island (geographically it's in New Zealand, but politically it belongs to Australia), the shores and hills are overrun with millions of inquisitive king and royal penguins. It's also home to enormous duelling elephant seals and their friendly, adorable offspring known as "weaners".
Sailing times differ depending on the islands, but it ranges from 12 hours to a couple of days at sea. We are sailing in the Southern Ocean so there is always the potential for rough seas, but our ship Heritage Adventurer has stabilisers and gives the most comfortable ride possible. If guests are concerned about seasickness there are a number of good medications but the most important thing is to start taking them before you start feeling unwell.
Co-owner of Heritage Expeditions, Aaron Russ, loves taking guests on far-flung adventures. Photo / Derek Morrison, Heritage Expeditions.
Our expeditions are timed to coincide with the summer months in southern waters. You will see different things at different times, the peak of the mega herbs and wildflowers is late December/early January, but most of the albatross, penguins, seals, sea lions and elephant seals are present throughout the summer.
Joining our onboard lectures before arriving at the islands, and taking the time to read about their incredible history, really brings their stories to life. I also tell people to be prepared to be seriously outnumbered by the wildlife, and if you enjoy photography, make sure everything is working before you leave so you don't miss the photo ops of a lifetime.
