Day #14 Valentine's Day - Invercargill to Stewart Island

We parked our car in the long term lot (at the Invercargill airport long and short term are the same lot). We checked in with a max of 15 kg each. We checked a bag with some of our stuff (above our 15 kg with Stewart Island Flights - no charge). There is no luggage screening, no shoes off, nothing. The man who checked us in said they are very trusting.

While we waited, we saw a replica of Burt Munro's motorcycle used to set the 1000cc speed record. Burt is very well known in New Zealand. He set the under 1,000 cc world record, at Bonneville, on the 26th of August 1967. This record still stands; Munro was 68 and was riding a 47-year-old machine when he set his last record.

Burt Munro's motorcycle (replica)

Stewart Island Flights was sending 2 flights to the island at about 1 PM. Both were Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft each accommodating 9 passengers. One lucky passenger gets to ride next to the pilot. We took off from a grass runway and landed 20 minutes later on a blacktop runway. A van picked us up on the runway along with our bags that the pilot helped unload. It is all very personal.

Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft

one lucky passenger riding next to the pilot
he was asked not to touch anything

pilot and baggage handler

We dropped our bags at our 2 bedroom cottage and headed out to rent a couple of E-bikes. Pete the owner of the bike rental store was a wealth of knowledge and a funny guy. We pretty much covered the island's hard surface roads in a few hours.

electric biking

After biking, Randeen opted for a swim. It was short. It was very cold water.

ready to swim

quick swim

the downside of boat ownership

Then it was off to the store to purchase our Valentine's dinner.

Happy birthday to my brother, John.

Tomorrow we explore Ulva Island.