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Published: February 28th 2008
Purakaunui Falls
The best known Catlins waterfall, best when there's been heavy rain. Thankfully no for holiday's sake, but still good work with long exposure.From Te anau / catlins /
Our last entry left you back at Te Anau after our trip out to Milford Sound. It was in the Deep South that we saw a lot of different sights as we mosied along the beautiful coastline roads. As it was here I also started reading Gullivers Travels the explorer in me was more than ready to experience something fantastical and I am pleased to report I was not disappointed.
We drove down to Invercargill which is the largest city in the South and made our way back out into the countryside to get to Slope Point (The mainland's most Southerly point). We arrived here completely on our own, late in the day, so we were not there with any other tourists. As this area is actually private land so you are supposed to get permission from the farmer to cross his fields if you want to step on the specific Southerly point, but we were more than happy to park up a short distance away from this and admire the southern tip from the next tip of land along. I was more than happy to sit with my legs hanging of this tip
Adandoned House
In field filled with sheep, lies this deserted leaning house. of rock which was overhanging the rocky seas below but Thom made me come back from the ledge as it was too blustery. We watched the sunset and had all of our cobwebs blown away. It was the next morning we made our first sighting of something that could be construed as a thing of absurdity (In Gulliver/Swift recounting). This was the sideways trees we kept driving past. As Thom was battling with the wind taking control of Bart's steering wheel I did my best to hang out of the other window to get a good picture of one of these sideways trees. They grow all contorted over to the side because of the strength of the winds coming from Antarctica. The perpetual blowing of the fierce winds must make it difficult for the trees to grow naturally upwards and as the thin twigs thicken to form branches they must decide to remain leaned over to the side. "Is this a natural victory for the winds VS. the trees? Or have the trees simply outwitted the stubborness of the wind?" (The money I'd pay to have Mr Attenborough record that line for me!). When you see a few of them
Wind-Swept trees
Here on the southern end of New Zealand's mainland, there is some impressive wind power. As it comes from the southern ocean and Antartica it hits the shore and has caused the trees to grow into these shapes. The trees look like they have been coombed back with some Brylcreem! all spread out over large fields it's like they are bowing to you as you drive past. Many houses have been built under the shelter of the sideways trees which splay themselves all around the wind facing side of the hidden house like a giant wooden mink. As this area is not very populated I can imagine anyone who is suseptible to being frightened by the howl of the wind on a cold lonely night would opt to risk the foundations of their property for a the sake of their nerves.
After the sideways tree experience we had our coffee knowledge grossely insulted by a snooty English bird running a very twee Arts & Crafts Cafe. Some of you know I am heavily addicted to good coffee, when half of the staff at the Norwich Branch of Pret came out from behind the counter to hug me and wish me a good travelling trip I naturally took this as my passing the Coffee Appreciation Trials. Since we have been away Thom has also grown to love learning the fine differences of the quality of foams, blends, beans and barista capabilities that far surpass the skills they seem to have in
Slope Point
Here is the most southerly point of the New Zealand mainland. You can join the cows in the field to get to the very tip, but we just observed the sea battering away from here. the UK. Even though we don't have many pennies to rub together at least we know the difference between good wine and a goon as well as good coffee and a nescafe! So when we had explained our order to the cross-eyed waitress for the sixth time the hauty English manageress came out of the kitchen to find out what the problem was. We told her what we'd like and how we'd like it prepared and she told us "It's all very confusing for you isn't it, I'll prepare them for you. Don't worry they are very similar anyway". When the wrong coffees were brought to the table Thom was ready to throw it back over the counter. I was more concerned with getting a caffiene fix so did my best to calm him down. Thom declared things like "Who does she think she is, telling US about coffee"..... "Mugaccino, without any sign of chocolate in it! What's that about?" It was with these utterances that I silently gave Thom his commended graduation from the Coffee Appreciation Trials. Instead of complaining we made much fun out of the woman's decidely OTT menu which boasted absurdities like "Carrot of Julienne", and
Yellow-Eyed Penguin
One of the world's rarest Penguin species, these penguins occupy a few areas on the south Island. We managed to see them quite often during our time in the Catlins. pieces of meat and fish "laid" or "rested" upon "beds" of other food matter. I'm sure Gordon would fart all over this hideous establishment 5 minutes into a dedicated kitchen nightmares episode. Perhaps this is what made the woman decide to set up her cafe business in such a quiet part of the world: Fear of Ramsay Wrath.
So, charged up on caffiene we made our way to the equisite Catlins. This is a small part of the area but is always featured on any good top ten of places to see in NZ. We could see why minutes after our arrival. We explored many a waterfall tucked down in the depths of mini rainforests - see how good Crowder Photography looks now!!! I spent eons getting a good Fern photo, then Thom got that second one you will see in the gallery in a matter of seconds, to the tune of a Nelsonian "Ha Ha!". We then headed towards the array of breath-taking coastline, as Thom braved the waters and fulfilled his own Vikingesque dreams I went back into viewing the world through Gulliver/Swift eyes and beheld the very strange seaweed. That evening we had a lengthy shoot planned
Macroed Sea Beast
Whilst I was playing in the freezing South Pacific, Laura busied herself by photographing this large beast (seaweed) that was dug into the sand. at Nugget Point, again we were blown all over the shop as we climbed up to the lighthouse, but the cold wind's chill was forgotten in an instant when we spotted a big group of Penguins then further out on the point what seemed to be zillions of seals.
The next day we walked across Suret Bay and got up close to a few Sea Lions. I was rather scared by them to be honest, they were huge! The warning signs of how you should and shouldn't behave did nothing to calm my fears of being slapped in the face by one, or simply crushed underneath one. Thom was not bothered by them in the slightest as you can see from the photos.
Next up Dunedin!
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