Otago Peninsula

 Dear all

Today we travelled out of Dunedin out onto the Otago Peninsula. Before we could go I had to make a little 'stop over' at Scrappers Papradise' to pick up more Kiwiana for my scrapbook stash - well I had too!! Dean finally got underway once I had finished all my stroking of the lovely products there and within 30 minutes we were driving along the Portobello Road. The drive in itself was spectacular as it is a very low coastal road which weave in and out along the coast and it didn't take long to reach the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head. This is the only mainland breeding Royal Albatross Colony and is closely guarded. You can access the colony through a very informative centre, but although we made thorough use of their exhibition we didn't go on the tour to see the birds sitting on the cliffs cos it was $45 each!

We had lunch outside overlooking the Otago Harbour and lo and behold the RA's only started flying above us and gave us a free show! Just below the centre is a Blue penguin colony & I managed to spy a few of the teeny guys hiding out in their burrows whilst they molt. We then scooted around to Allans bay, where there were 4 enormous Hooker sea lions slobbed out on the beach. We didn't hang around too long as the sun and been replaced by some pretty miserable weather & they didn't look like they were going to wake up! We took the Highcliff Road over the hilltops on the way back and the road started to fill with cloud and mist as we were so high!

Our last stop was Sandfly Bay - so named because when the wind blows the sand literally flies....... This is the only place on the peninsula that has nesting Yellow-eyed (YE) Penguins that are not on private land and has a DOC hide on the beach. We arrived and the weather was not too good, but I really wanted to do the 40 minute walk to the hide so Dean stayed in the van & I went 'alone'. Three other girls started the route as I set off and it turned out that they were volunteers for the DOC checking on the Penguins as in recent years this particular group had been badly distressed by selfish tourists using flash photography and traipsing through their nesting grounds. One of the things we have discovered is that each colony has distinct levels of 'shyness' and some groups can't contend any interaction with humans, whilst others will allow people to come reasonably close before they bolt for safety!. These were definitely on the former level. The walk 'down' to the beach is via an enormous sand dune which I knew was going to be a complete female dog on the way back, but I was excited so cast it from my mind.  The walk was right across the length of the beach and the weather was one of the those blowy 'remove the cobwebs' afternoon. We arrived at the hide having already seen two penguins in their cliff nest at the other end. The weather was starting to clear a little and no soon had we sat down then a little YE popped out of the water on front of us and sat there trying to dry off on the beach.  He was there for a good 30 minutes in which time another one had also arrived to keep him company  so decided to walk back (the three girls already having left to meet some other intrepid YE watchers, who decided not to walk the beach & had already returned). So I trudged back up the beach and as I got close to the girls I could see them laughing & I turned around to see a little YE scuttling across the beach behind me. Apparently it had been waiting in the surf for me to go past and then had shot out to its nest & the girls had been watching it all from afar! So close and yet so far! The weather started to turn back on at that point just as I had to climb the humongous sand dune. Well I made it despite my calves turning to hot lead and triumphantly returned to Dean who then had to to listen to the whole adventure all the way home through the clouds! Ha ha serves him right!

Night

Hugs

Sara