Page 66 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

We rode the Zodiacs over from the Clipper O to the island over

the bumpiest seas we had crossed yet on this expedition but we
were are psyched for this visit because we had heard so much

about the island. Everyone was smiling in eager anticipation and
no one gave way to anxiety or white knuckling—at least not in our

Zodiac. And what magic awaited us there!

First treat of all was our enthusiastic and almost proprietary guide

whose name was the same as the island—Ulva. She told us with
no less pride that she was part Maori, part Scotch and even had

some USA heritage in her past! She is also so proud of what she
and the other participants have been able to achieve on Ulva

Island. No wonder she feels such a sense of happy ownership—
with its combination of protectiveness and a wish to share the

beauties of the place.

She reported to us that the constant vigilance practiced by the

docents and scientists has kept the island completely pest free.
The native birds are rebounding and thriving. She took such

delight in every birdsong she heard and interpreted its species for
us. And the native birds are not the only living things that are

flourishing on Ulva—the orchids, the mosses, ferns, totaro trees
(a stout and tall tree almost

lost to European ship-building
practices in many parts of New
Zealand), ratas (seen in much

greater profusion by us on
Enderby), rimu trees with their

flamboyant red blossoms,
lancewood (described at

Jacob’s Bay), and miro trees

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