Just a quick glance through our client survey forms, in particular reading the responses to the ‘How would you describe your guide?’ question, has earned Marcus the ‘Ladies Man’ title. But as we do not want to embarrass Marcus, or worse still, let it go to his head, no more will be revealed!

Since the summer guiding season finished Marcus has been on his hands and knees counting mosses, lichens and ferns in the depths of the Fiordland wilderness. He wasn’t joking when he described himself as a plant geek! Don’t worry Marcus does actually get paid for this work, as it forms part of a nationwide ecology survey that is being carried out by Landcare Research.


Marcus has spent the last two seasons guiding for us and his background in ecology and forestry work meant he was well used to living and working in remote and wild locations and a skilled and experienced outdoorsman. Nothing is ever a problem to Marcus, and we look forward to hearing about the adventures he is about to have in South America.  Buen Viaje amigo!

Derek Lightbourne joined the Kermadec Islands Nature Cruise to New Zealand's northern most islands in April this year. Below is an article he wrote for his local newspaper in the North Island. We appreciate Derek sharing this article with us and we have sent him a Macpac long-sleeve merino top as a sign of our gratitude.

Orange trees in the forest, parakeets as if one were in an open plan aviary, marine life in clear waters, turtles basking in the warm ocean. French place names - yet this is New Zealand. Linden (Wellington) resident Derek Lightbourne takes us to the Kermadec Islands.  

About 700 kilometres from the mainland, and half way to Tonga, lies the very north edge of New Zealand territory. They are on the same latitude as Norfolk Island with a sub-tropical climate. Here is such variety and interest at the very north of New Zealand territory. They are a chain of small volcanic outcrops, subject to tropical cyclones, regular earthquakes and the occasional volcanic outburst.

Raoul is the largest and most well-known, with an area one and a half times larger than Kapiti Island. Here a small staff of DOC workers keep daily weather readings, tackle some of the noxious introduced weeds, and welcome the occasional yacht or naval vessel bringing supplies and changing personnel. Tourist ships are rare as there’s no easy landing place. Prior permission to land has to be sought from the Department of Conservation.

I recently travelled to these islands in the ‘Spirit of Enderby’, with 50 visitors to spend four days at Raoul island. On two days it was possible to land in small zodiac rubber dinghies, allowing time to explore some of the island, recently ravaged by tropical cyclone Bune.   

In the 10 days before arrival the DOC staff had worked furiously to clear tracks blocked by pohutukawa branches, and fallen nikau palms. It was possible to look across to the still active crater lake which erupted back in 2006, killing DOC staffer Mark Kearney.

All the islands are part of the Kermadec Arc, an active seismological ridge consisting of islands which rise some 8 kms from the depths of the Kermadec Trench. In Denham Bay on Raoul there are some small more recent volcanic seamounts dangerous to shipping as they lie mostly just below the sea level.

Polynesians explorers came by Raoul and some relics have been found. Most notable among those who have lived on the island is the Bell family. They arrived late in the 19th century and eked out a life over 30 years. In this time there were cyclones, earthquakes, a rat epidemic, and thieves who ransacked their hut when the family was on the other side of the island. This sojourn led to writer Elsie Morton recording their privations in Crusoes of Sunday Island  - Sunday Island was an early name for Raoul.

Rats and goats proliferated, but both have now been eradicated. Tuis are common, but there were fatalities in the recent cyclone. The Kermadec red-crowned parakeet (kakariki) could be described as tame, and are curious of human visitors. Pukeko and swallows live on the island, along with a variety of seabirds which circle the small islands off Raoul. They include the world’s largest breeding populations of some petrels.

After pests were eradicated in 2002, plant life has thrived and could be described as a botanist’s heaven. In a relatively short space of time, those on this trip found some 67 of the 121 species of plants known to grow on the island.

Elsie Morton summed up the Bell’s experience of the island, ‘when one accepts its eccentricities of earthquake, volcanic outburst, landslide, hurricane and rats, Sunday Island was a peaceful and idyllic spot.’

If you are interested in this journey to the Kermadec Islands do not hesitate to contact Glenys at Hiking New Zealand as she also travelled to the islands on the same cruise as Derek.