Crashing through the Catlins + Cool Coastlines

Actually, I drove incredibly carefully through the Catlins–which is how I usually drive. However, since I had a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time, it did feel a bit like careening wildly through the region.

Thankfully, I had driven out to see a few sites at the edge of the Catlins area when I’d been staying in Bluff, so I could check two places off the list. But there were still seven stops I had to make in a single day, and at least six hours of driving between me and my next hostel!

So buckle up, cause you’re gonna crash and careen through this with me!

Curio Bay

Curio Bay drew me in because of the petrified trees visible in the rock at low tide. And it was worth the drive–and the wind!

Slope Point

I drove over to Slope Point next because I read online that some people had found paua shells there. I really wanted to find a paua (aka abalone) shell. It’s not hard to harvest your own paua…as long as you don’t mind getting in the water. As I was NOT going to go diving for paua (unsupervised, inexperienced, and without a wetsuit), I really wanted to find a shell or two washed up on the beach.

I walked among the rocks on the coast, having theorized that paua shells are more likely to get caught among the rocks and tide pools than wash up on the sandy beach (and stay, rather than get washed back into the sea). And I was right! I found several paua shells, though they were all slightly beaten and weathered with small pieces broken off. Probably as a result of getting flung against the rocks a time or two before settling.

Also, I happened to stumble across some more petrified tree trunks. Even better, I was the only person at Slope Point Beach, so it truly felt like a wild, windy adventure.

Ready, Set, Go!

The first two sites (above) were ones I visited while staying in Bluff. I started my whirlwind day of exploration by catching an 8am ferry from Stewart Island. Then I drove into Invercargill and bought 3 pies (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) so I wouldn’t have to stop for meals later. Finally, I got on the road toward my first waterfall of the day.

Koropuku Falls

This off-the-beaten path waterfall was my second favorite of the day. The trail felt like something a family had put together for their kids rather than a well-formed DOC creation. And I had the place entirely to myself!

McLean Falls

Even though this was quite touristy–I only managed to scavenge a few minutes by myself among the people constantly coming and going–this was absolutely my favorite waterfall of the day. The size was magnificent–so much so that it was impossible to fit the whole thing in a single photo–and the roar of the water was nearly bone-shaking.

There was also this little bit down below that was impossible to get in the other photos.

Horseshoe and Mitai Falls + Lunch

At least the next two waterfalls were on the same track!

Purakaunui Falls

This waterfall was lovely, but it was struggling. Perhaps the other waterfalls were stealing all it’s water. A fellow traveler had shown me a photo a few weeks ago of this same waterfall simply overflowing with water. Unfortunately, after that video, this did not compare. Additionally, it was the most popular of the waterfalls I visited, so I actually had to wait in a short line to get a photo! It made me miss the winter months!

Nugget Point

I moved out of the forest and to the coast, walking along a short path to reach the picturesque Nugget Point Lighthouse and lookout.

Tunnel Beach

The last stop of my busy day was a popular place just outside of Dunedin: Tunnel Beach. As the story goes, a father carved a 40-foot tunnel through the rock to allow his kids to go play on this beach. Now, it’s a huge tourist draw.

The tunnel itself is certainly cool–and a stunning feat–but the landscape really is the main draw.

From above, you can see another tunnel–this one created by the waves. And once you go through the human-chiseled tunnel to the beach, the wind and sea-carved cliff sides tower above you.

The Finish Line (almost)

Kapiti Point

While my whirlwind day ended there (I slept like a rock that night), there were a few more cool things to see the next day. The first two did require a little back-tracking–and honestly, I winced when I saw my car the next morning–but they were totally worth it!

The first place was Kapiti Point. Kapiti Point also has a light house and a seal colony, but I was there hoping to spot a penguin.

Of course, it was a little bit like Stewart Island all over again: I didn’t have any binoculars. Also, the penguin I wanted to see was the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, which is the rarest penguin in the world. Research told me this was the best place to spot a yellow-eyed penguin up close (i.e. no binoculars required). However, when I arrived and walked down to the coast, I could see that since the blog post I read had been posted (only six months ago), DOC has completely changed the area. There were now huge blockades and electric fences blocking off the parts of the trail that allowed people to get close to the penguins. I was, understandably, disappointed, but I had nothing better to do so I walked back and forth along the fence for two hours. I think this experience right here proves I’m an optimist.

Penguins are wild animals. So, just like you have a good chance of seeing elk at Rocky Mountain National Park, there is no guarantee. Same with the penguins.

Surprisingly, the short 15-minute track I was lurking beside was very busy. Families walked down and multiple tourist groups, but most went to the end to the see the seals and then left. They maybe lingered by the penguin fence for a minute or two, but then they passed on. Yes, I really did stay for two hours.

One such family group passed by and the husband very abruptly told me (as he walked past) “a seagull pooped on your head.” And then he kept walking. It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. Before I could respond by pointing to the hundreds of seagulls wheeling overhead and saying “It was only a matter of time,” his wife said. “Don’t worry. That’s good luck.”

Three minutes later, while I continued to linger and lurk by the penguin fence, I saw a yellow-eyed penguin waddle over the rise.

The two hour wait (and the seagull poop) were well worth it!

Moeraki Boulders

Near Kapiti Point are the Moeraki Boulders. These are rocks visible on a sandy beach at medium and low-tide. What’s most spectacular about the rocks is that, somehow, they are nearly perfectly spherical. While it was a short walk and not a large area, I was so impressed by these boulders. The eeriness of their inexplicable shape was trumped only by their beauty.

Oamaru Wharf

Last, but not least, I headed back to the town of Oamaru. After a wander through the Victorian-style streets, I walked down to the wharf at dusk.

Oamaru is home to a giant blue penguin colony. Interested parties can pay to sit in grandstands and watch hundreds of penguins swim to shore and waddle to their nesting boxes each evening. Or, you can hang out at the Oamaru wharf for free and see 10-20 penguins surf the waves into shore and waddle across the road to their nests.

Some Notes

I am obviously behind on my posts (I drove through the Catlins on December 8 and I’m posting this January 5–eek!), but I am diligently working to catch up. I’m lucky to have so many amazing adventures that I can’t keep up with writing about them! But, if you’re curious to know what I’ve been up to between Dec. 8 and now, I have updated the November and December selfies page, so you can scroll through that here if you’re interested!

Additionally, you can always go to this page to read (or re-read) previous posts about New Zealand!

Finally, if you’re new around here or missed this announcement previously, you can sign up to be notified via email when I publish a new post. That subscription form can be found here.

Thanks for reading!