Well this week seems to have flown by, as it is Friday already, and we still have such a lot to do and see. The weather is looking rather dire as it started to rain at 6:30 and looks to all intents to be carrying on.
It’s good news week – the forecast is for clearing by lunch time with temperatures as high as 18⁰. So, breakfast over and bags packed we head off for Waipapa Point to see the lighthouse and possibly some wildlife in the shape of NZ sea lions which are quite rare.
The road is mostly gravel from Tokanui and so Scooby is now cement coloured with silver highlights. Margery says he’s much happier, but as she was driving I’ve no idea. By the time we get to Otara about 5km from the lighthouse the sun is shining and our mood lightens with it. Waipapa is the scene for the worst civil shipwreck in NZ history with the loss of 131 lives. It all happened on 29th Aprill 1881 when the SS Tararura ran aground of a reef southeast of the point. This was a very busy shipping lane from Dunedin to Hobart and Melborne and there were many wrecks until the wooden lighthouse was built in 1884 at accost of £6000. It still functions today but instead of a paraffin lamp it is powered with solar powered LED lights!
We saw some amazing trees yesterday and some more today shaped by the wind in contorted shapes due to the constant wind. Whilst investigating the grounds of the lighthouse “garden” we happened across a bull sea lion as you do looking to all intents and purposes like a log! One thing they say about these creatures, and seals is that you should not get any closer than 10 metres and never get between them and their means of escape – the sea.
These creatures are at least 2-3 metres in length and weigh up to 30 stone in weight so you don’t argue with them. Further along the beach this time we found a cow and her calf flicking sand over themselves to keep cool.
We also saw black-backed gulls picking up shell fish and then dropping them from a great height on to rocks to get to the contents. Philias held on to some bull kelp just in case he was spied by the gulls and carried off!
We left the wildlife in peace got in the car and set off for Slope Point, the southernmost part of NZ South Island where the Tasman and Pacific meet. We have sand flies in the car and I am making clapping sounds trying to get the little b......s. Margery mistakes my efforts as congratulatory applause for her driving on gravel roads. Uhhh!
As you can expect at the Point the sea was rough from waves travelling in two different directions crashing into each other giving a maelstrom of a view. We also discovered we were marginally nearer the equator than we were from the South Pole. Comforting that!
Sand flies are a coming... we’re getting bitten to death! Better put on some bug spray before we look like two aliens with measles!
We escape into the car DEET’ed up and almost being gassed by the smell, and travel over to Curio Bay once again, to see the petrified forest. We park up and pass a sign “No dogs”. I say “are the trees THAT scared of dogs?” M says “Stupid boy!” and carries on walking. Well, I don’t know , do I!
The trees were petrified of a volcano as it turns out. So would I have been if it was chucking silica ash at me. I think I would get the h... out of there. I suppose trees can’t do that –hence petrified forest!
The trees absorbed the silicates over a very short, thought to be 5-6 months time span before being swamped by muds from the eruption. With the passing of some 180 million years the coast has eroded and the remains are visible today. The tree rings can still be seen.
And guess what, we saw two very rare yellow eyed penguins as a bonus. Yeah! Much to M’s delight she was taller than them, but not by much so she might still get mistaken for one from the rear view!
Well, what an exciting time, but it’s not over yet. We have a waterfall on our back yard so to speak, so we go off to see it. It is spectacular and rounded off the day nicely.
Good day and Good night.
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