Today started with a beautiful sunrise. The early morning was focused on birds, and we spotted a few albatross species on our way to Enderby Island. Enderby Island is part of New Zealand's uninhabited Auckland Islands archipelago, south of mainland New Zealand. Situated just off the northern tip of Auckland Island, it is the largest island in the archipelago. We split into smaller groups for two rounds of Zodiac cruises. Sunny weather and a light breeze offered great conditions to explore. We spotted Hooker’s sea lions, southern giant petrels, pipits, Auckland Island shags, red-crowned parakeets, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, subantarctic skuas, etc. The highlight of the day was a yellow-eyed penguin, a species of penguin endemic to New Zealand.
After a light lunch, we went hiking ashore. A boardwalk leads across the entire plateau of Enderby Island, from Sandy Bay Beach to the cliffs on the western coast. We enjoyed absolutely stunning and unusual landscapes that included what looked like peat marshland with very unique flora – rata bushes, gentian flowers, mosses and ferns, and various megaherbs.
During evening recap, we reviewed all the bright moments of the day and discussed plans for tomorrow. We finished our day with chats and a delicious dinner at the restaurant.
