We paddled out, along the rocky shore, and then out across the water to Adele Island. Adele Island was named by Captain Cook after his wife. The Maori think it is shaped like a dragon. Hmm, was Captain Cook trying to say something? Now the Island is a bird conservation area. They have eradicated all non-native mammals from the island to restore it to it's natural habitat. The results are obvious; near mainland you can hear a couple birds singing, but, if you get anywhere near Adele Island hundreds of bird voices sing back and forth. Our guide told us that when Charles Darwin came to NZ he sat a mile off of the coast and wrote how the noise was deafening, the land too hilly and the bush to thick for his wanderings. Oh if only he knew what he was missing!
We stopped on a beach in Fisherman;s Island to eat lunch and listen to our guide tell the Moari story of how New Zealand came to be:
As the youngest brother, Maui was never allowed to tag along after his older brothers. One day they all went fishing, but no matter how much he begged they refused take Maui with them. But, as the youngest tend to do, he decided to go anyway. He hid under some fishing net's in his Brother's boat. His brother's fished all morning before they stopped to have lunch. Tired, and feeling very full from their mid-day meal, they decided to take a nap. When the eldest boy lay his head down on the fishing nets he heard giggling, upon investigation he found Maui. Furious, he banished Maui to the front of the boat so that the brothers could finish their naps. Maui, growing bored, decided he would win his brother's respect by catching the biggest fish anyone had ever seen! Using only a bone hook made from his grandmother's jaw bone, and his own blood as bait(for his brother's refused to share theirs) he soon dropped his line in to the waters. Soon he felt a tug, then a tremendous pull; he had caught the giant fish! But the waters became too turbulent, it woke the brother's, who begged Maui to cut the line. But he held fast, and slowly a giant fish was pulled to the surface. The brothers huddled in the waka shivering with fright. The giant fish towered over their small canoe. Maui told his brother's to guard the fish while he went to fetch their people. The brothers agreed to stay, and Maui headed back to Hawaiki. However as soon as Māui had gone, the brothers began chopping greedily at the huge fish, claiming huge pieces of it as their own.When Maui returned, his people were amazed to see the giant fish."Maui is the best fisherman ever," they marvelled.As they neared the brothers were seen still chopping and arguing over which part of the fish was theirs. The people saw them for the greedy brothers that they were. They were so greedy that they had chopped huge gullies and mountains from the fish's flesh.Over many hundreds and thousands of years, these gullies and mountains became part of the landscape of Aotearoa(New Zealand) as we know it today. Birds, plants, animals and the people of Hawaiki populated the giant fish of Maui. And in time Maui's giant fish became known as the North Island of Aotearoa, and Maui's canoe the South island. This is the story of Maui and the giant fish.
This wasn't the first time we had heard this legend, but it was the first time we had heard this version, and the first time we've had it personally told to us along with actions and pictures drawn out in the sand. Our guide was a talented story teller and made the whole thing come alive.
Right before we left the beach to start our long paddle back to the main land, some one spotted blue penguin tracks in the sand. Ah-ha! They are close! Shortly in to our paddle, we spotted the culprit swimming along in the sea!
As the youngest brother, Maui was never allowed to tag along after his older brothers. One day they all went fishing, but no matter how much he begged they refused take Maui with them. But, as the youngest tend to do, he decided to go anyway. He hid under some fishing net's in his Brother's boat. His brother's fished all morning before they stopped to have lunch. Tired, and feeling very full from their mid-day meal, they decided to take a nap. When the eldest boy lay his head down on the fishing nets he heard giggling, upon investigation he found Maui. Furious, he banished Maui to the front of the boat so that the brothers could finish their naps. Maui, growing bored, decided he would win his brother's respect by catching the biggest fish anyone had ever seen! Using only a bone hook made from his grandmother's jaw bone, and his own blood as bait(for his brother's refused to share theirs) he soon dropped his line in to the waters. Soon he felt a tug, then a tremendous pull; he had caught the giant fish! But the waters became too turbulent, it woke the brother's, who begged Maui to cut the line. But he held fast, and slowly a giant fish was pulled to the surface. The brothers huddled in the waka shivering with fright. The giant fish towered over their small canoe. Maui told his brother's to guard the fish while he went to fetch their people. The brothers agreed to stay, and Maui headed back to Hawaiki. However as soon as Māui had gone, the brothers began chopping greedily at the huge fish, claiming huge pieces of it as their own.When Maui returned, his people were amazed to see the giant fish."Maui is the best fisherman ever," they marvelled.As they neared the brothers were seen still chopping and arguing over which part of the fish was theirs. The people saw them for the greedy brothers that they were. They were so greedy that they had chopped huge gullies and mountains from the fish's flesh.Over many hundreds and thousands of years, these gullies and mountains became part of the landscape of Aotearoa(New Zealand) as we know it today. Birds, plants, animals and the people of Hawaiki populated the giant fish of Maui. And in time Maui's giant fish became known as the North Island of Aotearoa, and Maui's canoe the South island. This is the story of Maui and the giant fish.
This wasn't the first time we had heard this legend, but it was the first time we had heard this version, and the first time we've had it personally told to us along with actions and pictures drawn out in the sand. Our guide was a talented story teller and made the whole thing come alive.
Right before we left the beach to start our long paddle back to the main land, some one spotted blue penguin tracks in the sand. Ah-ha! They are close! Shortly in to our paddle, we spotted the culprit swimming along in the sea!
On the way to the islands I had grown suspicious of how hard it was to paddle, and how much effort I was putting in to it. So when we started paddling to the shore I periodically looked back to check on my partner. Turns out he was either not paddling or fake paddling but not actually moving any water. I admit, this made me a little angry. I was working my butt off so we could stay up with the group and he was just enjoying the ride. You don't let your partner do all of the work, ever. It's just wrong. I asked, explained how to properly paddle, and threatened to no avail. Oh well, it turned out to be an excellent workout! And what better, more beautiful place could you ask for?
When we got back to Nelson that night, Erik, Katelyn, Kasey, Ilona and I were all staying in the same room. As one last huzzah before we went our separate ways again, we treated ourselves to a night of Indian Food. This is only the second time I've had Indian food(the first being a disaster!), but always willing to try new things I was excited for this. I ended up getting a chicken curry that had a strange green spinach goo/sauce stuff. Delicious! Such a great way to end a wonderful weekend!
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