Queenstown after Te Anau

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Hello all
Comtinuing to have a great time. Weather remains good with lots of sun and very little rain. It's been quite a busy 3 days since the last entry. We moved on from Dunedin and headed south towards Te Anau. Took a detour of about 100km from Balclutha when we went to see the wildlife around Nugget Point and Surat Bay. Not much at the former except seals swimming below the cliffs but at Surat we met up - almost literally - with the sealions. We went for a walk on the grassy track behind the beach and could see a female sealion on the sand about 10m away. Whilst quietly watching it flick sand over itself to keep cool in the sun Joan saw a bull sealion heading for the beach. It came out of the water and straight for the female quite aggresively. The female back off towards the sea and then did a circuitous route towards us. She stopped and we thought all was ok but she then set off again towards me - Joan had done the sensible thing and moved on - and sealions can move quickly and don't stay on the sand as I thought she would. I left very quickly and we had to find another way back as she was on the path by then - geat to see them but scarry.
Went on to Te Anau nad had to decide between Milford Sound with a 5 hour coach journey or Doubtful sound with a crossing of Lake Manapouri befiore reaching the Sound. Decided on an overnight cruise on Doubtful and what a great decision it was. 64 people having dinner breakfast and an 18 hour cruise on the Sound. The whole experience was very moving to see the wildlife - crested penguins, fur seals, blue eye penguins and best of all bottle nose dolphins riding the bow wave as we cruise along at 10 knots. We anchored mid afternoon and Joan took a tender ride with one of the nature guides on board and I went in a kayak for an hour and then a swim in the sound - cold at 10'C. That night we got a call about 10.30 to go on deck as someone had spotted the Southern Lights - Aurora Australis - a fantastic sight with flashing lights of purple and green. It was the first time the crew had seen these when on the boat in 14 years! Endeed the cruise with a stop in one of the side arms of the Sound - there are 4 in all about 15km lond. The sound is 40km long out to the Tasman Sea where we saw the fur seals. In Hall Arm we went to a very calm cove and the captain stopped the engines. There was total silence - no-one moved coughed etc and it was very moving to be able to be in such a wonderful place with absolute silence!
Drove on to Queenstown yesterday and went up the gondola last night for views over the lake town and mountains. Moving on to Wanaka later and the over the Southern Alps pass to the west coast and on to the glaciers. A quiet day today and a chance to look back on the cruise.
Bye for now
Derek & Joan

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Photos

Campervan pic for Claire
We're the one on the left