Catlins Coast

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The day dawned clear but cool but we figured we could run to shorts and sandals as it was going to reach a balmy 16 degrees!

We headed off South on the road to Balclutha, near the mouth of the mighty Clutha river than supplies much of NZ's power. There, we called into the Information Centre for some good maps and guidance on the "must sees".

Our first stop was to be Nugget Point via Kaka Point and Beach. We stopped at a new Cafe called the Port Molyneaux School Cafe which was the now closed school turned into a wedding venue facility. A marvellous job had been made to turn it into a new venue. It looks out directly to the magnificent bay where the Clutha River finishes. The sand is golden but the beach looks as if swimming wouldn't be the best temperature wise and wave action. However, around the point there was beach after beach of gentle sloping golden beaches completely safe for swimming if you could tolerate the freezing water. After a week at Coromandel recently where the lovely bays were populated by many rich Aucklanders, one could only marvel at what a huge difference there was in the Kiwi beaches as they used to be as compared to what happens in the far off north. My sort of beach!

Nugget Point was well worth the walk in to the lighthouse to islands made of vertically tilted stratigraphic layers. The drop on either side of the track is directly down vertical cliffs to thundering seas. By the look of the rocks, they must be the sandstones of the Jurassic? Murihiku Group which make up the Southland Syncline.

On leaving Nugget Point we contacted Robin and Lynne to meet up somewhere. They were doing the same trip in reverse so it would have been silly not to have caught up with each other. We met in Owaka, had some food and both then drove towards Papatowhai and turned off to view the Purakaunui Falls. They are pretty and accessed through some virgin forest on a very good track. With a lot more water flowing over them they would have been quite spectacular.

Finally, we drove to our destination of the Whistling Frog Resort at Chaslands which is nearby the Cathedral Arch which we hope to visit in the morning. Along the way we stopped at the Florence Hill Lookout which was high above theTautuku Beach. This beach is a classic curved, isolated golden beach with an island with a blow hole in it nearby. From here the road went through native forest growing right down to the coast. The resort is positioned within the trees. We met with Robin and Lynne for drinks and dinner at the restaurant which has good food and a good atmosphere.

Another good, even if a bit cold day spent with old friends. Excellent!

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Photos

View out over Molyneaux Bay
From the lawn of the Port Molyneaux Bay School Cafe

The vertical rocks off Nugget Point
The rocks are vertical sandstone of the Murihiku Group

A seating curiosity
A cable drum and chairs for viewing the bay. The chairs are weighted down by large rocks indicating strong wind gusts perhaps?

The Purakanui Falls
With Robin and Lynne at the Falls. These are pretty but need a lot more water to be spectacular