Okarito Boat Tours

27/05/2026

omg he's such a voracious eater - no wonder he's looking so plump these days! this is "Heronius" as named by our good friend Rina Sjardin-Thompson and photographed here by Paul Francis Photographer !! check out the size of that flounder! not sure I want to see the sequence?!

26/05/2026

One of the most photographed buildings on the West Coast and yes, the subject of many a photography workshop, from some of NZ's most accomplished photographers. Thanks for sharing Paul Francis Photographer!

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25/05/2026

Of course we always love it when people share their photos! and of course we absolutely love this one from Paul Francis Photographer - we think maybe his 5th or 6th trip out with us and guessing not the last - looking forward to your images Paul and thanks again for joining us yesterday. Beautiful day out there!

A sneak peek at one of the shots in the Heronius Series from the weekend in Okarito. Stand by!

23/05/2026

Love this! 3 fabulous photographers here and all part of the team that make up the invincible Predator Free South Westland - and true, not only are our birds thriving, our forest, from the ground up, is too.

06/05/2026

In motion across stillness 🌿

A kōtuku “skipping” across the water, wings half outstretched as it chases fish—using speed, balance, and just a touch of lift to stay with its prey.

The reflection holds almost perfectly beneath it, while a gentle wake trails behind… and the wetlands glow with oi oi and toetoe in the background.

A fleeting moment of action in an otherwise still world—this is Ōkārito.

04/05/2026

A season of abundance 🌿

A kōtuku settles atop a te kōuka, branches heavy with white berries, wings still catching the sunlight against a clear blue sky.

It’s been a mast season here—trees, shrubs and grasses all laden with fruit, berries and seed. And now, with predator control in place, that abundance is flowing back through the ecosystem—supporting birdlife in powerful ways.

Kōtuku may not be berry eaters, but this image captures the beautiful essence of Ōkārito - light, life, and a thriving forest. It feels good to be here.

03/05/2026

This is just one of the many reasons that spurred us on to develop the Okarito Plant Project - while we're not changing the world, we are engaging and providing an awareness and educational tool for people of all ages. People often ask us if there are eels in the Okarito waterways, and yes there are. It would be a sad day to have to say...there used to be. Let's keep working together for clean waterways - its something we can all do together.

🐟 What’s Happening to Our Ika? A Global Collapse, Reflected in Native Fish Here in Aotearoa.

A new UN report reveals a global 81% decline in migratory freshwater fish since 1970. These species share one thing: they need connected rivers to move between freshwater and the sea.

Of our 51 native freshwater fish species, most are migratory - and many are diadromous, moving between rivers and the sea to complete their lifecycles.

Tuna, īnanga, kōaro, shortjaw kōkopu, kanakana are species that must move. Their survival depends on access and the ability to travel from river headwaters to coastal waters and back again. 76% of our indigenous freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction or at risk of becoming threatened.

Tuna (longfin eel) are a stark example: dams, weirs, and culverts block migration, and with some females living 90+ years, every barrier compounds the problem. Īnanga face similar pressures - their eggs need riparian cover, juveniles need clear passage, and culverts disrupt the cycle.

Protecting migratory fish means managing rivers as connected ecological and cultural systems. Taonga species like tuna, kōaro, and kanakana are vital to iwi and hapū knowledge and culture.

Solutions exist:
• Fix or remove barrier culverts
• Restore riparian margins
• Protect lowland spawning streams
• Ensure rivers flow for fish

The message is clear: connectivity is survival. Our rivers and our ika are telling us it’s time to act.

Read more: https://www.endangeredspecies.org.nz/post/what-s-happening-to-our-ika

📸 Tuna – Longfin eel – Jason Burton

03/05/2026

Storm light over the glaciers 🌿

A dark sky gathering above, while Franz Josef Glacier reveals itself in rare clarity—crevasses and blue ice cutting through the mountains.

Below, the forest sits in deep shadow, almost black against the luminous rock and ice beyond.

It’s a landscape of contrast—light and dark, movement and stillness—seen from the calm of the lagoon.