"As the world’s southernmost Dark Sky Sanctuary, #Rakiura is home to some of the best stargazing on the planet. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that one of the #Māori meanings of its name is ‘land of the glowing skies.’"

https://adventure.com/new-zealand-rakiura-track-stargazing/

#DarkSkies #Astrotourism #NewZealand #Aotearoa

Today was a driving day, so here’s a further pic from #Rakiura, taken in Horseshoe Bay. Clearly, a spacecraft had crash-landed in the bay & this Alien escaped from the ship’s cargo hold, following containment failure. It was moving, but was that just the tide? There was no sign of a Predator—but then , you don’t see one & live to tell about it, do you?

🚐 #Travel #Nomad 🇳🇿 #Aotearoa #NZ #NewZealand 🤔🌲🧭❤️ #CREWmission 📷 #Photography

Recycling for #MarshMadness. #Rakiura #AotearoaNZ

https://mastodon.nz/@ShayneParkinson/109855786431505103

Saturday was our biggest day on #Rakiura #StewartIsland. We flew in a small plane from Oban to remote Mason Bay on the west coast and walked back to Freshwater Landing.

#Sealion sunning itself on the beach at Ulva Island. We left him in peace and went on to the next beach. #Rakiura

Had a lovely day on Ulva Island. Very sustainable boarding pass. Driver said if we lost it just pick another leaf, which I thought had a rather Douglas Adams vibe. #Rakiura

Walk from Mason Bay to Freshwater Landing. Starts with a big dune system then a vast peat bog. Lots of board walks. Interesting environment. Also easy and flat all the way.
#Rakiura #StewartIsland

Rakiura/Stewart Island weka taking an interest in my pack. They don't have the slightest fear of humans and lots of curiosity. When we dozed off in the sun one of them settled in next to us for a sleep. Just hanging out with the hoomans.
#weka #Rakiura #StewartIsland

On #Rakiura #StewartIsland for the day. Beautiful weather. #Southland

Haven’t seen the daughter since February. Early Christmas adventure for us on Stewart Island / #Rakiura Also hoping to sneak in a few short bike rides up Bluff Hill & around the town. Hope to do TA one day and planning on riding a few sections in the reverse direction for fun. Not this time but research:)

For my first ever Mastodon post, 2 minutes that are STILL among the highlights of my year. Routine for Rakiura residents, but for us seeing tokoeka in the wild in the daytime WAS 'wild' - simply sublime. Seeing another one 30 minutes later, tino pai! #TeWharawhara #Ulva #rakiura #tokoeka #kiwi #aotearoa
https://youtu.be/5nZrfrvkRdM

Looking more likely I'll be here a while, so better make an #introduction...

Born in Calgary, Canada, then spent my teenage years in Rotorua, university (MBSc) at Vic in Wellington, a brief stint in post-quake Chch and now settled on #Rakiura at the southern end of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Work as the Technology Ranger for the #DOC #Kākāpō Recovery team, you'll often find me on remote predator-free islands around the country. Interested in #conservation #tech #photography #bikes and #nzpol.