Beach Hop South- Ngawi- Part 2; Lighthouse & Seals

Catch-up, we're still in the Catlins and enjoying every minute, the wildlife encounters have been amazing, I can't wait to bring them to you. Although the weather leaves a lot to be desired (the story of our lives recently) but I have heard it is similar right around New Zealand except for a couple of hot(literally) spots- Hawkes Bay & Northland- funnily enough both where my family live! We've also been out of internet reception for a few days hence the delay in posting this blog.

Continuing on from Part 1

One of our first tasks after settling in at Ngawi was to visit the lighthouse at Cape Palliser, a further 5kms past Ngawi and through the small coastal settlement of Mangatoetoe. The old Lighthouse keeper's house sits at the bottom...

...of an impressive flights of steps...

...which we have to climb to take in the views.

All two hundred and fifty three (253) steps; one foot in front of the other, slowly, slowly does it, hold onto the rail, don't stumble, feel the pain. It helps to carry a camera, stopping to take photos on the way up provides a good cover to catch your breath.

This grand old lady is built of cast iron and has stood on the cliffs here since 1897 and she is still shining strong.

Lighthouse details are on the shed at the base of the steps- don't forget to click on the photo to enlarge.

The 180 degree views are spectacular even on a dull overcast day- looking north...

...and south. We stay for 10-15 minutes soaking in the views and encouraging other stair climbers as they falter near the top.

And then it's time to head back down...just as slowly and just as painfully.

Someone with a sense of humour owns this bach (we're in the North Island, so they are baches not cribs), you can see it in the photo looking south from the lighthouse above; it's on the shoreline between the road and the water. Perhaps there are a few frosts on the coast in the dead of winter but falling ice? I'm sure the last time there would have been ice here was during the last ice age. And the mannequin in the window is classic Mum. Those that know my mother will understand.

This huge slab of sandstone rock near Mangatoetoe was thrust up by an earthquake a very long time ago (imagine if that had happened at Kaikoua!). It's called Kupe's Sail after the shape of the sail on the Polynesian explorer's canoe.

This is the south side of Kupe's Sail, taken on a different day when I went to visit the seal colony.

The same day I shot this photo of the lighthouse- what a difference a bit of sun, some puffy white clouds and a bit of blue sky make.

Just before the lighthouse, amongst a particularly rocky part of the coastline, lives North Island's largest colony of NZ Fur Seals/Kekeno. Look carefully, they are very well disguised.

And in amongst the rocks is a large saltwater pool which acts as a creche at this time of the year, for some very cute seal pups (similar to Ohau Stream near Kaikoura). The pups are able to safely swim and play while their mothers are away feeding at sea; they can be gone for three days or more before they return to their hungry pups.

This little guy is patiently waiting for his mum's return.

Mothers, pups, a few males and other non-breeding seals also relax amongst the rocks. Some are blissfully unaware of me, others take no notice as I carefully rock hop around the outskirts of the colony. 

Others carefully watch as I pass by. They also watch for aggressive males who are on the prowl looking at building up their harem or fighting other bulls in the area. Occasionally, I frighten both myself and the seal as I come across a few that have removed themselves further away from the colony (look at that expression on the pup's face)

In amongst it all there are quite a number of nursing mums and fat healthy pups feeding. This little guy had a go on every nipple (4) before lolling back in the warm sun to fall asleep. I was amazed at the noise the pups make while nursing; extremely loud slurps.

Later on, when I passed back by this pair, the pup was well and truly in the land of nod.

Other than keeping an eye out for the occasional bull seal who crashes the party, there's nothing much to do but snooze in the sun.

And if mum's not there to keep an eye out for you then the safest place for little ones is back in the paddling pool with your friends...

Learning to fly?...

Or having a good scratch-  'Poster Pup' (or was that poser pup)...

'Ooooohhhhhh.........that's hit the spot, it's feels sooooo good'

This little pup has climbed up high and found a place in the sun...

Everyone is on snooze time today. Seals own snoozing.

'Bye, bye Shellie' (seals lift their flipper in the air to cool down; it directs the breeze down onto them)

Ngawi continued...Part 3

Beach Hop South- Ngawi- Part 1; Boats

Catch-up (Sept 30th, 2016)- Finally the one you've been waiting for....well, one of you has been waiting for! (see comment on the previous blog). Dad, like the cheese ad says, "All good things take time". This is the last (3 parts) in the Beach Hop series; when we visited most of the beaches south of Napier along the east coast.

Ngawi (pronounced Naa-wee) is a small Wairarapa fishing and holiday settlement located on the exposed south coast of the North Island. 

It's other claim to fame is the Cape Palliser lighthouse which sits at the southernmost point of the North Island, and is in fact, more southerly than Blenheim & Nelson in the South Island. It was a stunning day and once we reached the coast the views were spectacular out over Palliser Bay.

Once Cape Palliser Road reaches the ocean, it hugs the coastline for the next 25kms...

...and in a number of places heavy seas have claimed not only sections of the road...

...but a number of the baches in a couple of the smaller settlements.

We pass a number of farm stations and comfortable homesteads before the Ngawi settlement appears before us, tucked in and sheltered from the easterlies by the steep slopes of the hills behind. 

In front of the houses, lined up along the shingle beach are the fishing boats and bulldozers that Ngawi is famous for. 

And like the Castlepoint fishing boats, this fleet are also launched into the surf from the back of their very long trailers attached to more conventional bulldozers. 

The target catch is also crayfish; cray pots are set and retrieved around the rocky coastline of the south east coast.

There's a large area right on the foreshore set up for freedom camping (gold coin donation) with portaloos and rubbish disposal but no water and unfortunately dogs are not allowed either. 

There's also a takeaway cart parked nearby, but don't expect to be able to buy a crayfish (although you can get paua fritters), the commercial fishers aren't allowed to sell to the public.

We decided to stay at Malcolm & Julies' POP (park over property #5168) just a couple of kilometres back up the road.

And what an awesome spot! Our very own enclosed yard in the middle of a sheep paddock...

...overlooking Palliser Bay and the snow capped Inland Kaikoura mountains of the South Island ...

...and where every night there was a glorious sunset!

I was quick to explore the village and check out the boats and bulldozers. The bulldozer fleet are brought right up to the road's edge after hauling out their boats.

A touch of humour in a gritty environment.

Of course I had to shoot all the bulldozers; big ones, little ones, rusty ones and neglected ones...

A bit like the boats on their trailers; big ones...

...little ones...

...aluminium and fibreglass boats, monohulls and catamarans...

Much of the fleet heads out to check and reset their crayfish pots at first light...

 ...so I got up early (5:30am) and headed down to the boats to find many of them had already left...

or were just about to leave. The boats power backwards out of the cradle with a large roar.

A couple of the local retired residents act as the on call bulldozer drivers...

...sending the fleet out every morning then parking the 'dozers up ready...

...for when the boats return around lunchtime. The boats arrive at speed, waiting for the swell to pick them up and then riding it under power into the cradle as quick as they can.

The 'dozer just as quickly pulls the trailer out of the surf. It was a relatively calm day but I can imagine the timing is critical in a heavy swell.

You can see in the last photo of the triptych above why the draw bar is so long and with a movable bend in it- to allow for the height of the tide and the drop off just past the wave line.

And as you can imagine I took dozens of photos- just one of the reasons it takes me so long to do a blog. Trying to choose the best ones is extremely hard when you have such interesting subjects! Luckily I was able to return to the boats a few times as various times of the day to capture them in different lights and at different times of operation.

To be continued...Part 2