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Published: March 6th 2009
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Hector at Homer tunnel
Wiating at the traffic lights to go through March 5th
Well where have we been for a week? we’ve been right down south, where the campsites either haven’t had electricity or internet connection, or we’ve been too tired at the end of busy days to do anything about writing the journal up.
We went down to Stewart Island from Bluff. It’s an hour’s ferry trip in catamaran- very bouncy and choppy on the day we went. The weather is still inclined to be rainy and cold. From Stewart Island we got a water taxi
To a tiny place called Ulva Island which is a bird sanctuary with no predators. Anna & Charles would have been proud of us - bird spotting away like mad armed with our new binoculars and a decent leaflet to describe the birds, there are self-guided walks around the island. The ferry back from Stewart Island was at 6.30pm - Bluff at 7.30, Invercargill and the campsite - 8.30pm - we were so glad to see a take-away Pizza place in Invercargill so that we didn’t have to think about cooking that night.
We went further south Bluff
this is the point to travel further south ti Stewart Isalnds then, to the very southernmost tip of NZ- at Slope point - great signpost there but very windy, then on to Curio Bay. Sarah and Andrew had told us about this place- the campsite is on a headland and on one side you see an amazingly long sandy beach where you can watch Hector’s dolphins in the bay and if you go to the other side of the headland Curio Bay is a petrified forest beach - which you can walk on at low tide and onto which the Yellow-eyed penguins come to sleep. The first morning in the camp we were startled to see sea-lions in the campsite - there were warning signs but we hadn’t realised they came right up to the site. They walked right through- apparently they’ve been known to lie down on tents!!! A couple of juveniles had a long play-fight session almost as a side show - watched by all the campers at a distance!! At night -fall we went to watch the YEPS come in. a couple had stayed on the beach all day as they were moulting and their buoyancy isn’t good so they stick around on land looking very
Stewart Island robin
they are very sociable cute. I fell on the slippery rocks and gave my head a good crack - I’m OK but I did get a big bump! So we didn’t stay too long as it was very cold and windy once the sun went down.
We then drove along the Catlins coast which is sooo Beautiful - beaches that go on and on and on forever. We took our time and enjoyed stopping at various places, Howell’s Point was a must of course, and some quirky local museums were fun. We actually had some warm sunshine - for the first time for ages - David managed to wear shorts and my blue fleece cardigan had a rest! - We are going up the east side now and as we go further north the weather should be better.
Dunedin is a lovely city - BUT the hills!!! Their roads don’t wind up the hills they go straight up and down - a lot of hill starts in a heavy van - hard work. We liked the city more than Christchurch - it’s a university town with youngsters and a more vibrant feel about it. - Not that we spent
Hooker Sea lions
onthe beach - having a snooze long there as we then went onto the Otego peninsula - an unspoilt peninsula around the harbour of Dunedin. At the very tip is a very unusual place - a colony of Royal Albatross has been established there - very protected of course- the only place in the world where they have colonised a mainland site. So you can pay to go up to one of the hides with a guide and see these amazing birds close up. You can see them gliding in- at present they are feeding their chicks - 8kg chicks at 5 week old!! It was another great day.
We are now heading towards Aoraki/Mt Cook -and we are assured that if the weather is good we are in for a treat - as if every day hasn’t had its own treat!
We can’t believe that we left England a month ago already - and we’re still talking to each other!
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Gill
non-member comment
Way down South
Sounds as if you have been having a brilliant time,despite the cold and rain! Hope you enjoy Mount Cook on a good day, and the local lake, whatever it's called that was such a remarkable turquoise when we were there. Keep sending e blogs - beings back lots of memories and lotsof things for us to think about doing if we get back down there! Thinking of you lots Gill, Jeff and Laura