46°48’23.0″S 167°15’42.8″E

I’m exhausted. A brief foray back into the ‘real world’ on dry land has left me feeling lost. But now, breathing in the biting air on the stern, rolling as we make our way south again, my eyes come back into focus. The sea feels alive. The world is all contrasts, the burning sky and thrashing spray, black and white seabirds tacking and spiralling in the gale. The sun is hurling golden rays through ever-thickening clouds, casting a gasp of golden light on the rugged west coast of Rakiura/Stewart Island. I hurry back inside to grab my camera.

Albatross shoot past, fighter jets with serious dark eyes. They court the spray kicked up as our wake slaps against the swell. Towards the coast, thousands upon thousands of petrels, shearwaters, prions spin through the waves – a chaos of wings and water. The wind is tugging at my jacket, flicking my fringe into my eyes, and I wish I could leap clear of everything and spread my wings over the waves. I settle for panning along with those albatross that soar past the ship, following their smooth and seemingly effortless flight.

The sun is dropping in front of us, the sea a shock of black and gold. Closer to the ship, I can see the blue depths hiding beneath. Sea lions explode out of our wake on the starboard side, keeping pace with the ship. Next minute, Dusky dolphins are off the port side briefly before they plough on ahead of us, off into the Southern Ocean. My camera misses both of them; I’m too busy staring. In any case, I’d rather experience it with my own eyes than have a dozen shots of blurry splashes. The sunset is fire in the sky, but the light is fading rapidly.

It feels a bit like a promise. The weather is wilder, the sky is violent clouds and spells rough seas to come. But in spite of, or perhaps because of it, the world is spilling over with life. The wilderness of Rakiura is slipping away behind us as we forge forward into the ocean, seabirds all around.

The sun dies, plunging into coal-black clouds before it can reach to horizon. Rakiura is layers of blue, rugged. I’m drawn to it even as we sail away – another place I’ve yet to explore. There’s always more to see.