HE LIVES!

Well, after a long hiatus from the civilized world, it sure feels good to be back in a city, even if that city happens to be sleepy Invervegas. You've probably lost count by now, but I spent a grand total of 9 consecutive days hiking in the backwoods and beaches of Stewart Island. It was by far the longest backpacking trip I've ever been on, and it was an incredible experience. I won't bore you all with the day-by-day details, but hopefully I can distill the tramp down to the highlights:

The MUD: Maybe this doesn't deserve to be a "highlight" per se, but hey, mud is undeniably part of the character of the Northwest Circuit and of Stewart Island in general, so there it is. I'd say that, out of all the hiking I did, I probably spent at least 60% of it in the mud. Some of it was fairly dry and shallow, some of it was ridiculously sloppy and up to my knees. But it's not as bad as it sounds. In fact, I found that the Stewart Island mud bogs can be real character builders. After a serious bog or two, you realize that you can't simply skirt around the edges or find an alternate route. You just have to slog straight through...dry boots be damned. This straightforward mentality actually requires far less time and effort. Maybe this is a metaphor for life in general: when life deals you a mud bog, just bite the bullet and bash on through it. You may get a little (ok, a lot) dirty in the process, but you emerge a little bit stronger (and hardier) on the other side.

Here are some mudographic photos to satisfy your curiosity:

A typical Stewart Island mud bog. Actually, this one is pretty small. The longest one I came across was roughly 1 km long and featured knee-high mud (I am not joking). I was in too much of a hurry to GET OUT of that one to take a picture:

This is how my boots looked after a typical mud bog trounce:

The BEACHES: For me, Stewart Island's beaches made all the steep climbs, precarious descents, and never-ending mud bogs worth it. It is hard to convey just how rugged and remote they are. The best part is that pretty much whenever I came across a beach (which was just about daily), I had the entire place to myself. Having access to a beautiful beach is one thing, but being able to experience it in solitude really adds a new dimension.

Here are several random pics of the beaches I visited:

The DUNES: Stewart Island is somewhat unique in that it is home to a suprisingly large collection of sand dunes. My favorite beach, Smoky Beach, gets its name from the smoky appearance of the wind blowing sand over the dunes. One of the dunes is so extensive that it reaches up from the beach up to the top of a mountain pass, attaining an alititude of roughly 300 meters above sea level. In fact, when I first came across this dune, I had just been slogging through the aforementioned 1 km mud bog from hell. Just when I was thinking that the sloshing would never end and that I might soon find myself neck deep in mud, I stepped through a gap in the trees and found myself, inexplicably, surrounded by sand. It was one of the most bizarre changes of scenery I have ever experienced.

The BUSH: Since it is so remote, much of Stewart Island's forested land remains the same as it has been for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Rimu, rata, and beech trees provide the canopy, while a lush collection of ferns and mosses coat the ground. Stewart Island's flora is a beauty to behold.

The SOLITUDE: According to DOC, fewer than 1000 people hike the Northwest Circuit each year, which means that you'll have plenty of time to yourself to muse, meditate, or, well, do whatever you want. For me, the most peaceful time of the tramp was when I hiked across Freshwater Flat from Mason's Bay to Freshwater Landing. I left early in the morning, and it was so amazingly quiet that if I stopped and stood perfectly still, all I could hear were the distant sounds of the ocean and my own breath. Ocean breathing, me breathing, and nothing else. Beautiful.

Well, this is turning out to be one hell of a post, and I am racking up one hell of an internet charge, so I should probably let things go here. I'm actually not sure where I'll go next...probably Queenstown or back to Dunedin since, after 9 days in the bush, I feel like I need to be re-socialized for a bit. I'll keep you posted.