Maatsuyker Island

Been there done that, no picnic but a very unique experience

Yeah hard to put in words. Did winter 2015 basically priorities were maintenance keeping grounds in check, heaps of mowing and brushcutting. We were doing 3 weather obs a day it has now been cut back to two. Highs seeing the southern ocean in full flight with a maximum of 100knot gusts. That swell that lit up just about every spot in the Southern Hemisphere in June that year was pretty speccy. Having the place to yourself with no internet or tv. Great library down there lotsa different reading. Lows coldest winter in forty years with no heating took a bit of getting used to but that was about it. Never felt like Groundhog Day at any stage as there was always something different to get your head around. Not a ridable wave any where around the island paddle or tow. And not getting near the water was a bit weird when you are living on an island

Yeah despite a 125 years of white habitation, no introduced species rats cats or mice and a weed eradication programme has nearly eradicated introduced species. so apart from a diverse bird range including about 800K pairs of shearwater. You only have the marsupial mouse and 3 varieties of skink, no snakes and fur seals Australian and NZ plus the odd elephant seal.

I know I have looked at It before but cant find it now, how do you post photos?

wow! i just had a look at some photos and a map. that is remote, rugged and scenic.

i bet that was quite an experience stayng there for a length of time. why no heating?
and landing a boat? that looks tricky.

Sticky did you spot any cape weed on Maat? Isle de Gulf looks like it is covered in it at the moment

Nah Wesley no cape weed the main introduced species left Montbretia.
Yeah chook old houses and you only have a couple of small heaters so yeah you could heat a room at a time but then you have constant mould problems, so we took a fresh air policy. Ive never appreciated one before but an electric blanket was a luxury. A gulch where you can land but you could only tie an inflatable up there to leave while you had a look around, but that gulch is also a seal haul out area.

Some one help me on how to load a couple photos cheers

sticky look at the bottom of the page lfthand side click on "photos" explains how... Oops no it doesn't!! Ben, Craig , Stu ??

Wild place Sticky. But the fact you're smack bank in the Roaring 40s, have muliple rock outcrops, plus a leeward side to get out of the wind, yet still no surfable waves is one hell of a tease.

Wow that's pretty hardcore, I've lived and done some long stints in remote places and i really enjoyed it, but this place is the next level, no other people and rarely if ever any visitors and one of the most rugged places on earth.

A week would be cool, but i don't think i could do it long term, i think id go crazy.