The biggest reason for moving here was to live a more natural life: simpler, more focused on the environment and with a reduction of my global footprint. A life with less emphasis on the almighty dollar and more on the currencies of environment and community. With an ultra-light kit of necessary skills I put my trust in the Universe and stepped off the treadmill.
The Islanders have been wonderful and welcoming. Most of them wear several hats and are multi-talented - I guess living on an island and having to rely on the resources available does that by default. There is passion and pride when talking about their island and their acceptance of 'unusual' and 'different' has made it easy to feel at home. I moved here during peak tourist season but the locals went out of their way to make time for me and my questions.
So what have I learned? I've discovered that a 40 square metre well-insulated whare is perfect for my needs, and that less storage space equates to less clutter (although I still have too much!). I can identify a lot more of Aotearoa's amazing flora and fauna and love waking up each morning and taking that first look at the ngahere surrounding my home. I have heard 32 kiwi calls over the year, mostly from my snug bed; so much more comfortable than previous times in the East Taranaki outback. I've realised that I'm sadly lacking in 'useful' skills such as carpentry, sketching ideas and decorating but I'm taking baby steps to learn them now so better late than never!
Picking up work with the weeds team, and currently a 15 week fulltime contract in the Visitor Centre, means I've had less spare time but gained a lot more knowledge about the island. I've learned to navigate using a GPS and compass and seen firsthand the threat that weeds have on native bush. It may be too late to eradicate pest plants and animals from most places in Aotearoa but surely it's worth making a concerted effort on Stewart Island before it's too late. The thought of Darwin's Barberry, Chilean Flame Creeper and Selaginella thriving in the national park is heart-wrenching but eradication will only succeed if everyone helps to remove pest plants from their properties. So much easier and cheaper NOT to bring the plants here in the first place!
The biggest surprise has probably been the weather - I love it! Compared to Taranaki it's been less wet, less windy and although cooler by the thermometer, it doesn't feel it. The sun heats my whare up quickly and good insulation means that I don't need to light the fire as often as I thought. There was hail and snow in winter, but it was lighter than the New Plymouth snowfall when I was there in August. Having a day of continuous rain is rare, it's more likely to rain, then be sunny until the next shower breezes across. I've discovered that modern raincoats, leggings and gumboots keep you dry on the inside and that the rain sounds much heavier when you are inside a building than when you are walking in it!
Highlights of my year (not enough room for all of them!)
- Being greeted the first evening by a flock of 12 kereru
- Seeing a pair of kiwi in my vege garden early one morning in November, then hearing their duet a few minutes later
- Using my new shower for the first time
- Catching rats - both in my traps and on my Deep Bay ratlines
- Skyping with family when my (slow) internet connection allows
- Picking fresh silverbeet from my garden (nowhere near as easy as in Taranaki)
- Hearing birdsong most of the time that I'm home
- Kayaking to Kaipipi Inlet
- Christmas in Christchurch - Kia Kaha
- Sharing my new life with friends who have come to visit
The day is going much too quickly so I'll post this now - my ratlines need checking and sitting in front of a computer isn't half as much fun! Thanks for following my blog and posting comments; it's very much appreciated.
