We had another early morning to catch the ferry back to the mainland. It was hard to leave. We had only seen a portion of Stewart Island, there was so much left to explore!!
We had another smooth ferry ride back to Bluff. We decided to visit a few of the local landmarks. The first was Stirling Point, which is known for its signpost that indicates the direction and distance to major cities across the world. It marks the beginning of State Highway 1 which runs the entire length of New Zealand.
The second was a chain sculpture . The Maori legend explains that the chais illustrates the mythological link between the Stewart Island and the South Island of NZ.
“Maori creation stories tell how Maui, a legendary Polynesian voyager, pulled up from the sea floor the anchor stone Te Puka a Maui (Stewart Island/Rakiura) to act as the anchor for the great ancestral canoe Te Waka o Aoraki (South Island of New Zealand).”
This sculpture represents the spiritual and physical connections between Stewart Island/Rakiura and Bluff/Motu Pohue, the traditional taurapa or stern post of Te Waka o Aoraki.
We took the scenic route back to Queenstown. We were able to stop in a few small towns and visit a couple of scenic overlooks. Once in Queenstown we visited the local market that was taking place in the city square. There were all sorts of vendors with really cool handmade wares. It was hard not to buy multiple pieces of pottery and every piece of jade jewelry that we stumbled across. After stopping by a few more of the local stores it was time to drop Jason at the airport and say goodbye. It was sad to see him go. I wish he could have stayed but the next adventure was about to begin…
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