The Catlins Coast winds its way between Kaka Point in the north and Fortrose in the south. We were lucky to find the one of thousand touristic brochures in the i-Site that was on the Southern Scenic Route. At first, we wanted to visit Invercargill and then go to Dunedin quickly, but the southern explorer fever really got us: We stayed at Invercargill and did daytrips to the west (Orepuki), south (Bluff) and east (Catlins Coast). Until 10th of January we’ll stay at Balclutha and then visit Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula before deciding what to see next.
At Waipapa Point we were entertained by a curious seal that let itself wash up the beach again and again, sometimes eying in our direction, but making no attempt to go on land. When it was sure we were only boring tourists (or maybe just hungry like we were), it swam away. One picture shows an old, rusty box – a remnant of the Tararua or just some part of the late lighthouse keeper’s inventory?
