February 11 Campbell Island

Lying like stepping-stones to the Antarctic continent are the little known Subantarctic Islands. Weather permitting we were to visit some of those remote island - The Snares, Auckland, Macquarie and Campbell Islands on our way to and from Antarctica. The original plans had been to visit many of these islands on our way south but with COVID spreading its claws across land and oceans alike, Macquarie Island said 2 weeks iso before you can visit us. So with some last minute and clever rejigging we changed route and headed for Campbell Island. 

What a delight after almost 2 days from when we cast off from Bluff and after sailing through pretty rough seas, we arrived at Campbell Island - and quiet waters! Tranquility - was a wonderful respite. 

Formed by volcanic eruptions, Campbell Island is the southern most island on the New Zealand continental land mass. It’s home to the Southern Royal Albatross as well as other bird species but importantly for me were its mega herb fields. Sadly most plants I came across were not in full bloom when we visited but I was told there were bigger fields of these beauties on the high plateau. Sadly I wasn’t up to the climb wearing gumboots 2-3 sizes too big - add to that a dose of vertigo from the rocking and rolling of the ship over the previous day or so. However, we were to visit 3 more Subantarctic Islands later in the voyage so I had my fingers crossed to see more flowers.   

The island is covered in a beautiful array of grasses and ferns as well as Rata forests and mega herbs.

The two top images are Pleurophyllum criniferum a strange giant perennial daisy. The flowers are unusual - dark purple disk florets which have no petals. The leaves are huge measuring up to 1m long. The stems are snowy white. Quite stunning. The image in the bottom left is a Acaena minor and is endemic to Campbell and Auckland islands (another of the Subantarctic Islands). Also endemic to the Campbell and Auckland Islands on the bottom right is a Bulbinela sp.

Although Lindsay and I didn’t climb to the top of the island to visit the albatross breeding colony, while exploring through a dwarf Rata thicket, we stumble upon a wee baby Hookers sea lion and its huge mum just dozing. We didn’t dwell long for fear of stressing mum and bub - and especially because mum was massive and probably could have outrun us - and she had one eye on us! 

This spot was a long way from the water and quite high on a cliff but the sea lions haul themselves up here to birth and suckle their young. We saw sea lions much further inland later in the voyage.