A gentle amble along the Rakiura coastline

Date: 13-21 October 2023.
Trip type: Tramp (M).
Location: Rakiura / Stewart Island.
Author: All / Photos: All.
Trampers: Anna, Leo, Murray, Mon, Lynsey, Anne (leader).

Kiwi sightings: 9
Number of huts bagged: 16
Number of days: 8
Number of days with wet boots: also 8
Distance: 117 km
Elevation gain: over 6,500m – a very undulating track!

A Rakiura haiku:

The mud is everywhere.
Bog-a-licious, soggy mud.
No coffee cart here.

Friday 13 October

Landing in Mason Bay
8km of local exploring, 2h

Boarding a tiny plane, flying over our route for the next week, surviving a bumpy flight despite the alarms going off. Smooth landing, incredible views
Meeting Murray at Mason Bay hut
Moody beach views and sand dunes
Dodgy gun and broken Garmin left on the deck at the Homestead Hunters hut
Fat possums sitting on the track and staring back at night
Evening entertainment: local explore and hut bagging – Martins Creek Hunters hut, Island Hill Homestead, Homestead Hunters hut, Island Hill Run Deer Pen Shelter, Mason Bay hut.

Chartered plane and beach landing in Mason Bay. No club van needed for this trip.

Saturday 14 October

Mason Bay hut to Big Hellfire hut, via Little Hellfire Hunters hut
17km, 7h30
Tip: make sure to cross the rocky outcrop on Mason Bay beach within 2h of the lowest tide. Rocky outcrop is about 1h walk from Mason Bay hut.
Access to Little Hellfire Hunters Hut was not clear and we went through the marsh.

4 kiwi sightings
6am start and moody morning on Mason Bay beach + crossing at low tide
Little Hellfire hut for lunch one at 9am – an hour break and a hot cuppa
Short grunty climb up and down, and gradual climb up again
Views and late sunshine over the Ruggedy Mountains. Cosy hut and fire
Incredible and unexpected sand dunes and sunset
Evening entertainment: clothes drying, half a game of 500 and a nap

Sunday 15 October

Big Hellfire Hut to East Ruggedy hut
15km, 8h

3 kiwi sightings + 1 human
A bog-a-licious day
Diverse bush, boggy, steep and slow progress
Arriving in Waituna Bay + incredible views of the Ruggedy Mountains. Dino-like landscapes
Soggy climb but great lookout and views of Waituna Bay, just before the saddle
Long and undulating way down to West Ruggedy beach
Wild ocean, windswept coastline
Views of Codfish Island/Whenua Hou
Mars-like mini Grand Canyon, but sandy. Insane 10 minute storm, huge temperature drop and wet bums
Evening entertainment: Quiz night (Listeners’ quiz)

Monday 16 October

East Ruggedy hut to Long Harry hut
10km, 6h
Tip: quick sand at Ruggedy Stream is easily avoidable by crossing about 50-100m downstream of the markers. Best at low tide.

1 kiwi sighting + 3 deer
Started the day with sleet, thunder and hail – crossing the dunes and skipping around quicksand. The weather gods were little bastards that morning
Climbing up through scrubby bush, person-deep bushbashing with max sogginess: sog-a-licious
Unnamed beach nicknamed Hop Boulder Coast, fun rocky travel, intense waves crashing on the rocks, just enough sun for lunch.
Sticky, slippery mud. Glimpses of the ocean. A little impromptu off-roading adventure.
Primo sea views from Long Harry hut. Sandflies were plentiful at this hut, and wherever the rain wasn’t.
Evening entertainment: 2 truths 1 lie

Tuesday 17 October

Long Harry hut to Yankee River hut, via Smokey Hunters hut
10km, 5h

1 kiwi sighting
Waking up to a soft sunrise and rainbow over Long Harry bay
A civilised track with little mud
Summoning of the kiwi: envision the kiwi, feel the kiwi, BE the kiwi.
Smokey Hunters Hut to shelter from the one and only shower of the day. Stop for lunch one, except Anne who didn’t get the memo
Smokey Beach was smokin’. Amazing dunes stunning manuka flanking the coastline
3 wire bridge
Refreshing river dip and leisury afternoon at Yankee River hut + drying of soggy gear in the sun
Evening entertainment: reading from the hut library – including Bridget Jones’ diary for lucky Leo

Wednesday 18 October

Yankee River hut to Christmas Village hut
12km, 6h

No kiwi sightings + 1 suspiciously clean human
Undulating track, up and down creeks. Arete Forks track vibes.
Not too much mud, many roots + a few significant windfalls
Squeaky trees and confused Tui birds clearly not speaking the North Island dialect
Nicely appointed hut with primo sea views
No rain
An uneventful day
Evening entertainment: Quiz night (three made up questions by each person)

Thursday 19 October

Day trip to Mt Anglem/Hananui
12km, 6h30

No kiwi sightings + 4 humans
Wet scramble up a waterfall track
9/10 on the bog-a-licious scale
A toasty and successful bothy bag break on the way up
A knee deep mud bath – good for the skin
Summited Mt Anglem/Hananui and clinged to a rock at top in 90+km/h winds. Anna took flight several times
Didn’t find the promised coffee cart or cheese rolls at the top due to poor weather
“Rest day” = Leg day. Over 1300m elevation
Evening entertainment: drawing names for a Secret Santa that never eventuated. Learning how to socialise with humans again

Friday 20 October

Christmas Village hut to Bungaree hut, via Christmas Village Hunters hut and Murray Hunters hut
12km, 5h20

No kiwi sightings + 3 humans
Mud, roots, undulations
Silly boardwalk fighting for its life in the mud
Lunch at Murray’s not quite up to expectations – persistent sandlies and a bloated, stinky dead rat
But – Murray’s Beach was a top beach. Luxuriant bush and talkative kakariki
Brief, refreshing ocean swim
A bag of salt and vinegar chips donated by a hunter was devoured in minutes
Evening entertainment: WTMC top tips for a North West Circuit

Saturday 21 October

Bungaree hut to the Snugglery cafe in Oban, via Port Williams hut
20km, 6h20

No kiwi sightings + many clean-looking and nice-smelling Great Walkers
“Early” start: 8am
Intense fantasies of warm and rich foods throughout the day
Track from Bungaree to Port Williams: a real breeze. Just the right amount of mud – still undulating
Lunch one at Port Williams hut with nice smelling soap
Beautiful sandy beaches, Māori beach being the nicest one
Boring and hard on the feet Great Walk and road to Oban. Tourist mud and pretend windfall.
Straight to 4 Squares for a Coke Zero fix
Cheesy stop at the Snuggery: cheese scones, cheese rolls, ham and cheese toasty, cheesecake
Long overdue hot showers and very indulgent dinner and dessert at the South Sea Hotel.

WTMC top tips for a North West Circuit

Mon

Research your bird poos and bird songs before the trip. Know your kiwi.
Bring a bit more food, desserts and sweet treats

Lynsey

Lots of dry bags or plastic bags, re-waterproof your coat before the trip
Rotate your breakfasts, pack a couple of calorie-dense breakies other than oats

Murray

Cover your legs – either thermals or gaiters
Waterproof shorts for the win
Skip a few huts e.g. Christmas Village or Long Harry

Anna

Don’t overpack. Wet stuff can dry at the hut. Plan your gear as carefully as you plan your food, bring good waterproof jacket and trousers
Lunches – good to have non-faffing options for the wet days

Leo

Don’t trust the huts’ reading materials
Be one with the island. Embrace the mud.

Anne

Winning lunch: nuts&seeds crackers with a slice of cheese, dipped in basil pesto
Don’t bother with a spare pair of tramping socks – rinse and dry your only pair each day, along with your insoles.

Other tips

After a week of rigorous tasting and rating of countless dehy meals, Real Meals came on top with the Beef Stroganoff, Tom Ka Gai and Sri Lankan Curry making the podium – in that order
Small Bumper bars are great for snacks
Local Dehy dehydrated hummus – light and delicious
Squeezy vegemite on crackers
Byo reading materials – kindle, Libby app
Sandfly repellent!

Trip planning tips

Overall, the trip is a fairly cruisy Medium. Stopping at all huts gave us plenty of time to soak up the views and get to our destination early each day. Times above include generous breaks.
The flight into Mason Bay is well worth the money – very unique. Worth staying the night and exploring.
15kg max per pack on the Mason Bay flight.
Gas canisters can be bought in Invercargill and taken on the tiny plane as carry on. Click and collect from Torpedo 7 the week before for peace of mind.
Suggested amount of gas for 8 days: 5 regular canisters for 6 people (dehy dinners + otherwise generous use)
Check times for low tides and plan your trip around it, especially for the West coast
Make sure to book backpackers accommodation and dinner at the South Sea hotel in Oban early so you don’t miss out
The DOC huts and hunters huts are all in excellent condition, wood was easy to find to warm up in the evenings. Remember to clean up and restock wood supplies for the next party.
Emergency shelter: we opted for bothy bags rather than flies to save weight, but brought ground sheets and mats in case the huts were full.
October seems to be a great time to do the circuit. The weather was very changeable throughout the day, but suitable. Not as cold as expected. The track was quiet and we had huts to ourselves most nights. Avoid peak hunting periods as hunters are known to come in groups and occupy huts for a couple of weeks at a time.
Write the trip report together every night – works a treat as you can see.