NZPHOTOGRAPHYTOURSTIRITIRIMATANGIISLANDITINERARY&TOURBRIEF

Introduction:TiritiriMatangiIslandisaworld-famousOpenSanctuaryadministeredbytheDepartmentofConservation(DOC)with2rangersbasedontheislandandsupportedbyvolunteerswhoaremembersoftheSupportersofTiritiriMatangiInc.Onlyoneferrycallstherewithnomorethen150passengersallowedonboard.Theislandishometomanyrare&endangeredspeciesofbirds&reptiles,someofwhicharenowextinctonmainlandNZ.Todate,13specieshavebeenintroducedtothispredator-freesanctuary,wheretheybreedinsafety.Theyincludekakariki,saddleback,NorthIslandrobin,takahe,whitehead,stitchbird,kokako&rifleman.Althoughnottamethenumerousnativebirdsmostlyignorepeopleand,coupledwiththelowheightoftheimmaturenativeforest(plantedbyvolunteersfrom1984-1994)allowsforunparalleledphotographicopportunitiesatclosequarters.Youcanexpecttoseemostoftherarebirdspeciesduringyourvisit.Thehistoriclighthousearea&stunningcoastalviewsprovidemorephotoopsatlunchtime.Thewalkingiseasy,onwell-formedtracks&boardwalks(somehills).Lunch&extragearcanbesentuptothelighthousebytruck,sopackaseparatebag.PleasereadtheBiosecurityinformationbelowreyourbags&footwear.Yourguide:TBAThereisonethingforcertainandthatisthatyouwillthoroughlyenjoythistrip.

DepartmentofConservation(DOC)biosecurityrules

Youcanhelpkeepthisislandsafefromunwantedplants,insectsandanimals.Thisisvitalfortheprotectionoftheuniqueplantsandanimalsthatliveontheseislands.

Beforeboardingyourvessel,takecaretocheckallbagsandcontainersforrodentandinsectstowaways.

Topreventbringingplantpeststotheislandpleaseensureallclothing,footwearandbagsarefreeofsoilorvegetationthatcouldcontainseeds

Youneedtobringyourownlunch(nofoodavailableforsaleontheisland);allfoodistobeplacedinsidesealedcontainersegTupperware(noplasticbags)andwillbetakenbyDOCtotheLighthouse,wherelunchcanbeconsumed.

allbags/packstobesealable(noopencarrybags)Notes:

ColddrinkscanbepurchasedfromtheshopattheLighthouseandcomplimentarytea/coffeeissuppliedbytheSupportersofTiritiriMatangiandDilmah.

Pleasealsoremembertobringsuitableclothingfortheweatherconditionsontheday,togsandtowel,sun-block,hatorraincoat.

Totallybannedontheisland:

Dogs,catsandotherpets-theyareathreattoprotectedwildlife Firesandbarbecues-thesecoulddevastatetheisland'shabitats Campingisnotpermittedanywhereontheisland

Please:

Takeyourrubbishofftheislandwithyou Keeptothetrackssoyoudon'tdisturbrareplantsandbirds,orscientificstudiesbeingcarriedoutontheisland

Nosmokingapartfromatthewharfandthevisitorscentre No lure tapes/ mechanical callers are to be used to attract wildlife

FinallypleasegotthroughtheBiosecuritychecklist(AppendixA),signitandbringitalongtogothroughthedetailwiththetourguidebeforegettingontoTiritiri.

Cancellations:

Youcancall0800FANTAILafter7am,tochecktheferryissailing. Ifitrainsthenwe’llemailandtextyouonwhatwe’lldoonthedayat7aminthemorning;wemightmoveittothefollowingweek.

Ifyouarenotabletomakeittheneitheremailorcall/textRoberton0274-795887

PhotographyNotes: Bringalonganycamera Youcanbringatripod,butitmighttakeyoutoolongtosetitupandthebirdmightbegone,howevertheremightnotbealotoflightinbetweenthetrees,whichwouldwarrantatripod;yourchoise.

Makesureallyourequipmentisingoodworkingorder UseRaw,ifpossible,sophotoscanbeenhancedafterwards TrytouselowestISOpossibletoensurepicturesharpness, Bringalongsufficientmemorycards,howeverwehaveamemorybankavailabletostoreyourpicturesifyourunoutofspace.

Ensurebatteriesarefullycharged(spareswouldbegood) Notepaperandpen Bringalongaplasticbagtofitoveryourcamera,incasethereisabitofrainalongtheway;we’llshowyouhoweasyitistoprotectyourcameraagainsttherainandstillbeabletotakepictures.

Birdspecificphotographynotes

Fast-movingbirds&shady,dappledlightintheforestedareasrequiresyourconstantattention.

Mostbirdswillbeseenmuchcloserthanexpected Makesureyourcamerasettingsarepre-setforunexpectedopportunities,ifatallpossible;e.g.whitebalanceandanISOofsay400mightbepredeterminedbeforehand,dependingonthelightconditions..

Ifyouuseanapertureofeitherf/2.8orf/4.0youwillgetaverynicebouketwithasmalldepthoffield,howeveryoumustmakesureyourtargetissharpandwiththelimiteddepthoffieldyoumightnotgetthewholebirdassharpasyouwouldhaveliked.

Soifthisisaproblemyoucouldeitherusef/5.6orthe“AlServo”option,whichisCanonspeakforthecameralenscontinuallyadjustingthefocalpointasthesubjectmoves.

Makesuremainsubjectdoesn’twalk/flyoutofthepicture Trytouseruleofthirds;thisandeverythingelsecanbeexplainedontheday,ifrequired

Don’tforgetthatintheendyoujustdowhatyoulikebest,trythingsoutandenjoy

AboveallbehappyJ

Itinerary:0845:InAuckland,joinyourguideoutsidethe360Discoveryticketofficeat08:45,whichisthequaintbrickbuildingneartheentrytoPier4.(Slightlytotheleftofthegraciousoldferrybuilding.)0900DepartAuckland&cruisepastthecity&thebusycontainerport,withthegraciousseasidesuburbofDevonportontheNorthShore.WesailnorthinshelteredwaterspastthespectacularsymmetricalvolcanoofRangitotoIsland,andthemanybaysofaffluentcoastalNorthShore.(Photos:Rangitoto,lighthouses,shipping,yachts,seabirds)0945EnterGulfHarbourMarinaontheWhangaparaoaPeninsulatopickupmorepassengers.(Youmaychoosetoboardtheferryhere,atPierZ.)Nore:pleasebeatthewharfat0930atthelatestA20-minutetripalongthepeninsula&acrosstheTiriChannelbringsustoTiri.(Photos:yachts,seabirds,theapproachtoTiri)1030ArriveatTiritiriMatangi,off-loadlunchetc&listentotheDOCRanger'swelcome.(Photos:wharf&coastalscenery,shorebirds.)1100WewillstrolluptheWattleTrackwellbehindtheotherguidedgroups,withmanylongpausesforphotoopportunity.Yourguidewillfind&identifythebirds,&willexplaintheecology&historyoftheislandwhileyoutakephotos.1230LunchattheRay&BarbaraWalterVisitorCentrenearthelighthouse.(Haveyourcameraready,&bewareofthetakahewhowillstealyourfood.)Anexcellentgiftshophelpsfundtheproject&therearefineeducationaldisplays.Viewthelighthouse(builtin1864&stilloperating),thewatchtower,&formerkeepers'houses.1400Leavingthelighthouseareainagroup,wetakeashortwalktothesteepcliffsontheruggedeasternside.ViewsoflittleBarrier/Hauturu&GreatBarrierIslands.Afterclimbingtoahighpointwith360-degreeviewsoftheHaurakiGulf,wefollowtheroadalongtheridgeoftheisland.Herethereisbetterlightforphotography.WedescendviatheKawerauTrack,strollingdownaboardwalkthroughmatureforest.Superbforestscenery,&morebirds.WeemergeonthecliffsaboveHobbsBeachwherewecanrelax(andswimintheclearwater,ifyouwish,)until1505.Wethenmakeourwaybacktothewharfalongthepebblebeaches&coastaltrack.1515Boardtheferry1530DepartTiritiriMatangiIsland1545ReturntoGulfHarbour1700ReturntoAuckland