Flying the Long White Cloud
A New Zealand Tour 2014
A New Zealand Tour 2014
LEG ONE: RYAN'S CREEK, STEWART ISLAND (NZRC) to INVERCARGILL (NZNV)
The alarm rang loudly in my ear. Yet another 6am start - but today was different; today I was excited.
I was up like a flash, tucking into some toast and a warm cuppa as a howling South-Easterly banged it's way at the door, rattling the old timber that was sourced from this very island. Not long after I had taken my last warming sip of tea I was out the door and off to Oban to meet my newest group of clients - three extremely wealthy Yanks who have decided to take a one month break from the hustle and bustle of New York and come to our beautiful country to pursue our finest array of game animals. I will be their private guide over the next while, taking them around the majestic country of ours in chase Red Deer, Thar, Chamois, Fallow Deer, Wapiti and Wallabies.
We will start our journey here in Stewart Island, where for the past few days these guys have been tramping around the Rakiura Track. We will first head to Invercragill where we are picking up more gear, and then onwards from there. We will snake our way up the country and eventually end up in Auckland for their return flight home to the Big Apple.
I will fly the trio around the country in my Cessna 208 Caravan; however at various stages, in order to take the group up to some remote hunting areas, we may use local aero clubs aircraft.
The sun was coming up over the eastern coast of Stewart Island while I shot down the road to the B & B where the three were staying . Jumping out of the car, the inviting smell of bacon and eggs greeted me, so I made my way in. I was promptly introduced to three mildly overweight Americans who were about to realise what this New Zealand outdoors was all about. Would they last in the remote high country, chasing Thar over snow capped peaks, stalking deer over slushy river flats? It looked to me as if they were more used to dieting on Latte's and Biscotti.
Looking over their gear (we certainly need to pick some more up in Invercargill!) and giving them a run down what the next while has in store for them, I couldn't help but have the urge to just get up into the air as I had only flown my aircraft for just 12 hours so far since I bought her. However the weather wasn't playing ball and we were forced to stay inside for the day until the evening bought lighter winds and the rain had stopped. This was it - we headed down the road to the airfield.
There she was, my glistening Caravan, sitting proudly on the apron ready to tackle whatever the next few weeks had to throw at her. We loaded her up with all the gear, rifles, ammo, food, and of course a lot of beverages for the remote places we were to visit. I then sat in the cockpit planning our flight that would take us out over Oban to the north, crossing Foveaux Strait then a simple descent into Invercargill, which will be our destination for the night.
We fired her up, fully loaded and ready to go....
Alright .... lets go , just make sure you leave the "beverages " until we land .... looking forward to the rest.
