After motoring north for 6 hours, late Saturday afternoon we were taken by local guide Bevan for a walk (1 hour each way along a gentle grassy track) on The Neck — a low sandy isthmus at the mouth of Paterson Inlet on Rakiura, and an area with a rich Māori history.

At the entrance to the walk, with guide Bevan. Grass, gorse, sea. Wind-shaped trees and bracken. A glimpse of the isthmus. Rocky island with boat in the background. People getting a cup of tea in a hut. Rear view of the hut made from punga logs.