Campbell Island and the World's Loneliest Tree

               

You cannot imagine how glad 50-odd stir-crazy people sailing one of the older ladies of Russian research vessels were after reaching the shelter of Perseverance Harbour on Campbell Island, one of the World Heritage listed New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands.  Apart from many, many trips up and down stairs, there is really nowhere to go to get some exercise to burn off the calories delivered to us every day by the two superb chefs on the vessel! So the prospect of either a 12km “Long Walk” or a 5km “Short Walk” on the island was appealing to just about everyone, including the Russian staff.

There is a very well-constructed boardwalk for the Short Walk which leads up to the nesting site of the southern Royal Albatross on the western side of the island. However, it is mostly uphill, and the steps have quite a high rise.  A challenge for those with Bad Knees, but gotta say mine held up really well – a bit stiff from using muscles that haven’t been used in a while, but overall I am excited about the very possibility that most of my knee issues will become a thing of the past.

Prevailing easterly winds has meant the island has been shrouded in fog and light rain for most of the day.  Up in the hills, the endemic “megaherbs” are sight to be seen (more about them later) and also the nests of the Albatross.

A couple of hours resting in the tussock grass waiting for the albatross to start doing something (they have been described as being like teenagers, sleeping until around noon then starting to move after that!) did not alter the wetness factor, but it was still fun.  After waiting for around 4 hours, I moved my stiff muscles out of the tussock grass for a short meander back up the hill to the end of the boardwalk to warm up the muscles for the tricky descent down.  Tricky because it is much harder on knees going downhill than uphill, and combined with tiredness and sore muscles, could have represented a recipe for disaster!

Safely back on the ship, a hilarious auction in the bar for the Last Ocean organisation, which helps to monitor and hopefully eventually prevent the over-fishing of the Antarctic toothfish, was brilliantly handled by Lloyd.  I was very glad that my hand-knitted silk scarf went for $160, and that Catherine eventually ended up with it, as she had her eyes on it from the start.  As it was a gift from Wiebke, I have now undertaken to make her one as well.

A great Red Wine dinner with Cath, Nigel, Scott, Lloyd and Wiebke – they have been fantastic staff, great fun to be around, and hopefully we have all made the connections to become friends.  They know there is Open House in Perth for them!

Today an early morning zodiac cruise in the mist eventually led us to Camp Cove, where apart from a very stroppy sea lion, there grows the “Loneliest Tree in the World”, a spruce,  which during the time the island was “colonised” regularly had its top lopped off – probably for a Christmas tree!!