6th December 2009
We are currently exploring the Catlins, supposedly a wonderful place for independent wildlife-watching. After our penguin experience last night, we were hoping for more encounters today, and we certainly weren’t disappointed.
First thing this morning we decided to go up to the headland overlooking both Porpoise and Curio Bays to enjoy our breakfast, rather than sit in the campsite. While we were up there, I looked out of the doorway to the van, out to sea and saw a flipper, then a tail. There was a whale, right there out in the bay, a fair way off shore, but close enough that you could see what it was! Wow, just amazing to see one completely in the wild and completely by chance.
Then, looking over Porpoise Bay with the binoculars, we spotted some of the very small and rare Hector’s dolphins. There must have been about 20 of them playing in the bay, too far away to spot with the naked eye, but I had my trusty binos! Whales and dolphins in one morning - how cool!
Since we couldn’t spend all day whale and dolphin watching, we got back on the road and headed out to Mclean Falls, where a 20 minute walk through native treeferns and rimu (red pine) led to a spectacular waterfall. We also heard tuis and saw an inquisitive little fantail.
Our next stop was at Tautuku Peninsula for a spot of lunch while we enjoyed the views over to Cathedral Caves and Long Point.
Continuing on, we made another stop at the much-photographed Purakaunui Falls, again following another short walk thorough indiginous forest.
Our final stop of the day was at Nugget Point. We took the short walk out to the lighthouse at the end with its stunning coastal views across to Kaka Point. More wildlife was on offer with many seals swimming in the clear waters and lazing on the rocks below us.
