Hauturu – Under lockdown

Life on Te Hauturu-o-Toi during lockdown was in many ways little different from normal daily life on the island. The rangers and family on the island usually lead isolated lives.

Visitors must have a permit to land and at times they can keep the rangers busy with comings and goings, so none of that during lockdown. There are of course no shops, cafes or hairdressers. One comment from the rangers during lockdown was the lack of man-made noise from aircraft and boats, which I think they have been rather enjoying.

Due to the rugged nature of the island and the distance from medical assistance, many of the rangers’ normal duties couldn’t be carried out for health and safety reasons. A good chance, if the dubious quality of their internet connection allowed, to catch up with office work, reports and budget planning.

Food and other supplies are normally ordered via the internet and brought to the island by supply ship every three weeks if the weather allows, so they are used to planning with big shopping lists. However, a delivery just the day before lockdown couldn’t supply all the groceries on their list due to supermarket shortages and before their next order came, three weeks later, they were using up some of the stock in the freezers and being creative with meals. But, even so, better prepared than most of us to sit it out.

The children do correspondence schooling from home, so no change there for them. They are very capable of finding plenty to do, be it making body lotions, cakes or creating movies; reading or knitting; card games or metal work. With no-one else about they had more space to walk about in than most of us, but still limited to the flats only.

Some of you may have seen on Facebook the kiwi that strolled into the rangers’ kitchen in broad daylight, breaching the rangers’ bubble. It was unfazed by the rangers, cameras and man-made surfaces. The ranger on Motuora also had a close encounter with a kiwi in daylight on the beach.

Perhaps we have all now had a taste of what life might be like on an isolated island given our own experiences these last few weeks. Some of us have thrived and could probably manage a year or two on an island, but many of us are keen for restrictions to end and life to get back to normal. It has made me aware of the special sort of person you have to be to manage isolated conditions month after month or year after year. But, like us, the island rangers will still be chomping at the bit to be able to get back to the usual work that is required to care for our precious island taonga.

Lyn Wade, Little Barrier Island Supporters Trust
www.littlebarrierisland.org.nz