Stewart Island’s Halfmoon Bay is arguably misnamed, since it’s shaped more like a horseshoe. But there’s also a Horseshoe Bay on the island, so at least the term halfmoon avoids that potential source of confusion. You can contemplate the challenges that faced cartographers when they selected names for the island’s landmarks as you walk along golden beaches and through lush coastal forest on an easy hike from Oban to Acker’s Point, site of the oldest house on the island. Lewis Acker, an American boatbuilder and whaler, built the stone cottage in 1835 before marrying the daughter of a Maori chief and having nine children with her (plus another five with his second wife). As you view the cottage on its bluff by the sea, it’s easy to imagine how the island looked to the first settlers, who arrived in the early 19th century. A nearby lighthouse has panoramic views of both the bay and the rest of the island. Don’t forget to look down, too: Nesting sooty shearwaters and little blue penguins can be found along the coast here.
