Every fisherman’s journey starts somewhere. For keen spearfisherman Adam Hutchinson of Canterbury, like many New Zealanders, he first discovered the thrill of the catch as a boy of five or six, when eeling with family and friends. “It was a pretty big part of my childhood,” Adam reflects with a hint of nostalgia. He even recalls a little catchphrase his friend’s dad taught him – that if the month had an ‘r’ in it, then it was a good time for eeling – which has stuck with him to this day.

As men and women of the southern hemisphere prepare to clock off and kick their feet up for a hard-earned summer holiday, there is an air of excitement amongst this keen, adventurous bunch. For us, summer isn’t about sipping cocktails by the poolside of an over-priced resort in an over-crowded “destination”. For us, it’s about keeping it local in New Zealand and exploring Godzone.

So, this summer, we’re hitting the hills and bays of our own backyard: Canterbury’s stunning Banks Peninsula. Swanndri HQ is nestled at the foot of the Port Hills and that’s no accident: the peninsula is not only our backyard; it’s our playground and bread basket, too.

Just a short drive from Christchurch is the stunning public reserve at Godley Head: the backdrop of our Summer 2021 season photoshoot. It’s here, surrounded by golden tussock-laden hills and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, that the little-known Uncle Bill’s Cabin - commonly known as Scott’s Cabin - perches on the hillside. It couldn’t be in a more alien environment than the ice world of Antarctica it was designed for, and the story of how it got here is as fascinating as the great polar explorers who were once destined to live in it.