Tintin in New Zealand: Kapiti Island: finally!

On Saturday morning we took the family to Kapiti Island, which we had been looking at from the mainland since we moved here. It looks like a big, green, shrubby rock, it’s only when you get there, that you discover the lagoon, and the views are just breathtaking! The island is home to many native birds, of which some are incredibly inquisitive and actually plain thieves. We couldn’t have picked a better day: the sea was calm and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

The day before we left we noticed a couple of red spots on Jacob’s body, which had spread by Saturday morning. After a wrong diagnose of chickenpox last week this time it was for real. He was feeling quite miserable, but we decided to take him to the island anyway. Scott and I had to carry him most of the way, which was really good exercise for me, even though I got to do the bit downhill. After too much car driving and sitting at my desk my muscles are probably going to be soar for quite a bit.

We saw plenty of native birds: fantails, tui, robins, weka, kaka, takahe and also introduced birds as black swans and (nests of) swallows. The island is covered in traps, to get rid of pests, like rats or stoats. A couple of months ago a stoat was spotted on the island, what caused immediate panic. No one could understand how that animal could have reached the island. It took months and a lot of money to trace the little stoat, that killed a couple of protected birds. Now everyone knows that we should never underestimate the swimming skills of a stoat.

Once we reached the lodge where they serve drinks Jacob’s mood got much better. As soon as the kaka and weka spotted our biscuits and banana bread they started attacking us, which is not very pleasant as their nails and beaks are really sharp. We’re warned for next time we encounter these fearless animals!

This trip was a good test for the walking endurance of our kids. It’s now clear that we can take Ilias for longer walks in the bush, while we’ll need a bit more patience with Jacob. In a year or so we should be able to do some real tramping, as the Kiwi’s call hiking. Finally!