Ship Cove, Te Araroa

Do you remember Māui's story when he reeled in a giant fish, which turned out to be North Island? The next stage of that story says that South Island was Māui's waka (canoe), and Stewart Island was the anchor.

However, on Te Waipounamu/South Island, another story is told by its principal iwi (tribe), the Ngāi Tahu. It relates to the four sons of Raki (sky father), who traveled from the heavens on their waka to meet his second wife, Papa (earth mother). Upon their return, their karakia (incantation) failed, and the waka overturned, becoming the Te Waipounamu (the South Island). Climbing atop the waka, they waited for help that never came and eventually turned to stone, becoming the mountains of the Southern Alps. The highest peak is said to represent the eldest son Aoraki, hence the mountain's name, Aoraki/Mount Cook.

South Island is 32% larger than North Island, yet it contains only a quarter of New Zealand's population. It is a spectacular mountainous island with hundreds of lakes, glaciers, fiords, and national parks. Many are included within the World Heritage site, Te Wāhipounamu - South West New Zealand, which I will cover when I get to Mavora Forest.

The Southern Alps stretch along the length of the South Island, dividing the Canterbury Plains to the east from the rugged coastline of the West Coast. It contains 18 peaks over 9800ft (3000m) and over 3000 glaciers over one hectare.

Eight of the ten largest lakes in New Zealand are in the South Island, with Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown as the largest on the Te Araroa route. The trail passes several other large lakes, including Wānaka, Hāwea, Pukaki, and Tekapo.

Having arrived by boat in Meretoto/Ship Cove, I disembarked on a jetty and walked up the beach to Captain Cook's Monument. The raised monument signifies the day in 1770 that Cook, in the presence of the island's Māori Chief, raised the flag, claiming British sovereignty over South Island.

The cove is surrounded by lush forest, with the taller trees over 200 years old. They were probably growing when Cook was here. He must have loved this place as he spent a lot of time here every time he sailed these waters. In a more practical sense, he probably chose this location because it was accessible to open water, sheltered, and could stock his provisions.

On the eastern shore of the cove is Tōtarunui/Queen Charlotte's Sound. The Sound is home to a pod of Hector's dolphins. Endemic to New Zealand, they are the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world. Hector dolphins have a distinctive black facial marking, a short, stocky body, and a dorsal fin that resembles Mickey Mouse's ear. It was named after Sir James Hector, the 19th century Colonial Museum curator in Wellington (now the national museum). The dolphin is currently listed as an endangered species.