The Nuggets- Catlins

 Catch-up

There was one last photo I was hoping to capture before we left the Catlins; sunrise at Nugget Point Lighthouse. And I knew where we'd stay so I didn't have too far to travel in the early morning darkness; Winston & Hazels'  POP (park over property) Nuggetburn #8967 which is conveniently located on The Nuggets Rd, right on the beach and just a few kilometres from the lighthouse.

Winston was nowhere to be seen when we arrived so we squeezed around the back of a bus which was already parked and pulled up alongside the sheep yards. It wasn't long before we knew where Winston was;  we could hear dogs barking, a quad bike revving followed by the noise of a mob of sheep arriving on our door step! 

A stock agent arrived soon after and he, Winston & a neighbour spent a couple hours drafting the mob into two pens. We spent the night listening to muted baa-ing (and catching the occasional distinct whiff of sheep poo). We've certainly had our fair share of unusual neighbours while living this lifestyle. A truck was coming early in the morning to collect them for the Balclutha sale yards. I was disappointed that I'd miss the loading as I was heading to the lighthouse early to catch the sunrise.

The photo of the sheep was taken from the door, the old cottage was once part of the farm.

Across the road from Nuggertburn there's a beautiful long sandy beach and if you're lucky you might find one of the resident sealions lounging on the sand.  He might even be waving at you! (sealions do this to catch the breeze to cool down)

Nugget Point Lighthouse is in the background

I walked  to a rocks at the far end of the beach where it was sad to see this addition- an old tractor- to the reef which looks to have been there a very long time. I guess it's not adding anything more to the environment now other than a place for seaweed, barnacles & small shellfish to call home.  

As I walked back along the beach the sealion sat up, gave a big yawn and headed back into the surf. You can see one of the major differences (although there are many) between sealions & seals here. A sealion is able to swing its back flippers around and use them to 'walk', this is also what makes them very fast on land. And never under estimate how fast they can move. Seal flippers stay facing backwards, they wriggle forward on their bellies rather than 'walk'.

Photographing sunrises is mostly a hit & miss affair. As Forrest Gump's Mom said '...like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get'. It depends on how much cloud cover there is and where the cloud is laying as to whether you'll get a dramatic sunrise with all the brilliant reds, oranges & yellows or a mediocre one with a little colour or not even a sunrise at all if thick cloud rolls in and blocks it out. 

But to shoot a spectacular sunrise you have to haul yourself out of bed and get to the site well before dawn because often the best shots are in the 60-30 minutes before the sun pokes its head over the horizon. And Murphy's Law dictates that if you don't bother to get out of bed, it'll be the most fabulous sunrise you'd ever see. 

Nugget Point Lighthouse & The Nuggets

Nugget Point & the lighthouse are about 4kms from Nuggetburn and I arrived to a very dark and empty carpark. Great! I'd have the place to myself. No other photographers vying for the best position to shoot or people getting in the way taking selfies; Nugget Point photos are very popular with tourists. I still had a 1km walk ahead of me and with my headtorch on I followed the well formed gravel walking track along the side of the the steep bluffs to the lighthouse. 

I positioned myself in a small area overlooking the Nuggets (rock islands) to one side & the lighthouse to the other (see the first sunrise photo above) and patiently waited for the action. I wanted to climb up the bluff behind me- I've seen photos taken from higher up- but thought better of it. I know my limitations, especially in the pre dawn gloom. The sky did glow a little & I was able to get a few decent shots.

I moved to the lighthouse platform to take photos of the Nuggets out in front and that's when the first people started arriving. And when I stopped on my way out to take the photo below, looking down into the small bay, a guy was climbing up the steep bluff behind (the one I'd briefly thought about climbing). I could now also see that there was a fence & danger netting trying to block the worn track up through the rocks. He'd missed the early sunrise action but I'm sure he'd got himself some 'danger' shots anyway. 

The best sunrise photo happened as I was making my way back to the carpark. A rich golden glow filled the sky behind me as the sun slowly rose into the sky dipping in and out of the cloud cover.

I stopped to check out the seal nursery & the spoonbill nesting site located on the rocky islands at the bottom of the cliffs near the beginning of the track. The plaintive cries of the pups can be heard from the track far above and with binoculars you can see them playing in the rock pools. Royal Spoonbills/Kotuku Ngutupapa have built nests on the scrubby trees & shrubs that cling to the sides of the rock islands. 

Spoonbills with their strange bills, big black feet & unusual head gear, never look the most graceful of birds but I was mesmerised as I watched group after group arrive in V formations, gliding in from a great height, spiraling around & around and dropping quickly and landing quite elegantly onto their nests or the rocks on the impossibly steep sides of the island. Some birds disappeared out of sight below me & it wasn't until I walked further along the track that I could see another large colony of birds nesting on the mainland cliffs too.

I had one more stop before heading home for breakfast. Just down the road from the lighthouse carpark is Roaring Bay, a well known haunt for Hoiho/Yellow-eyed Penguins. There's even a bird hide from where you can wait to watch the penguins depart or arrive at either end of the day. 

When I entered the hide there was already a woman inside waiting. She told me she'd been waiting 45 minutes and hadn't seen any so far and none on the previous day's visit either. This was her last day and as she was flying home later in the day she really wanted to see a penguin. She was going to wait just 10 minutes more & then she'd have to leave.

And then with about 5 minutes to spare, she let out a muffled squeal as two penguin heads appeared out of the weeds & driftwood down below the hide. They cautiously glanced around and then slowly hopped over the rocks, the front one stopping several times waiting until its partner caught up before waddling on some more until they both reached the surf and disappeared under the waves.

Once the penguins were gone I turned my attention to a Welcome Swallow's nest that was just behind me up on the top rail of the information panel. The parents had been swooping in and out complaining loudly at our presence while we waited for the penguins. With 3 chicks to feed they weren't too perturbed though, the darkness of the hide helping them feel less threatened too. Though one of them gave my head a brush as I walked out, a belated warning to stay clear. 

Later on I walked down the beach in the opposite direction and once again found the big male sealion,  asleep and partially covered in soft sand this time, another cooling tactic. Every so often a large flipper would carve into the sand beside him and fling it high over his body. 

You can see in this photo how, unless you were looking closely, it would be quite easy to mistake a sealion for another piece of seaweed on the beach. 

And in the photo below,  how close vehicles can come without realising one is there. Can you see the tire marks passing within a few metre of him (and why sometimes when you're scanning a beach for a sealion you can totally miss one). 

It's the first time I've actually looked at their flippers up close too, look at those nails! I've watched sealions scratching themselves with their back flipper but never realised (or thought about it) that they'd have nails to do it with. Makes perfect sense of course. Click the photo to enlarge.

We headed into Balclutha later in the day to get a few supplies and of course when I saw all the trucks lined up at the sale yards on our way past, we had to stop.

Thousands of sheep filled the pens in every direction & dozens of people milled around moving from pen to pen. We also moved in closer to listen to the auctioneering...

...and as luck would have it, the very auction we watched happened to be Winston's two pens of sheep! That's him in the background looking very nonchalant. He'd told us the day before that his Perendales (breed of sheep) were keenly sort after & he usually got the top price at the sale. Later he told us that while it wasn't his top yearly price, he still got the best price on the day. 

Sometimes it's not what you know but who you know or in my case, who knows you. We often fly under the radar (if the photo on the back of the 5th-wheeler is out of sight) but there are many people on the road that recognise our rig & know of me from the photos I post on Facebook or the articles I write for my blog or for the NZMCA. 

On our last evening at Nuggetburn there was a loud knocking on the door and when David opened it two gentlemen stood at the bottom of the steps eager to cart us away to Happy Hour. Marilyn had recognised our rig & had also seen some of the recent photos I'd posted from the area and had sent her husband & Winston back up the road to invite us to their weekly neighbourhood happy hour. 

It's held in an old converted horse stall on a local farm, the interior decked out as a bar with the usual pub paraphernalia around the walls and with amazing views out over the bay. We had a great time; met the neighbours, learnt some of the local history, discussed the world's problems & listened to a few tall tales before time was called & everyone made their way back to their respective homes.

The next morning after a thoroughly enjoyable stay at Nuggetburn, and a coffee, cake & farewell on the deck with Winston & Hazel, we pulled out (carefully); another visit to the Catlins done & dusted. We had to be in Roxburgh the next day. 

Weir, Waipapa & a Coal Pit

Catch-up (this may be the last post for a week or so, we've been at the Cavalcade in Omakau the last few days and will be off to another one of our must re-visit places; Poolburn Dam tomorrow, where there is no internet.

The weather once again foiled our attempts to enjoy a leisurely summer in the Catlins. After 4 days of rain and no internet to keep us occupied, we pulled out of Niagara and carried on south, heading to a favourite freedom camping site, Weir Beach Reserve, which is just off the Slope Point Road.

Who should be coming over the rise ahead of us, not far from our turnoff but our two friends in their Ultima who we'd last seen at Hinahina. We'd been playing leap frog all the way south- we both flashed our lights & tooted but couldn't stop and talk as another vehicle came up behind. They'd just spent the night at Weir Beach. We saw them yet again a day later near Fortrose.

Weir Beach looked a little worse for wear (no pun intended), we dodged a few thick mud holes and squelched our way over to the far side... 

...where, because of our height, we had a view over the estuary from our front door. We didn't know it until a couple of campers told us, but we parked in exactly the same spot as our friends did the night before. The campers did a double take when they glanced over to see another Ultima there.

As the day drew to a close, a steady stream of cars arrived for the night, 35 vehicles before night fall, 35 and at least 70 people but probably more, as some had 3 or 4 occupants. Most of these vehicles were not CSC (certified self-contained) but that's OK. The Southland District Council have set aside a few areas around the district for freedom camping where you don't have to be certified because they provide facilities. Or they should. 

It would be fine if they had sufficient facilities to back it up, but Weir Beach has just one filthy stinking long-drop toilet. So it's no wonder, when I go for a walk, I find we're actually parked in one huge cesspit. Campers have been peeing and pooing in the grass surrounding the reserve, on the tracks, in the dunes and even on the beach, either because the toilet is in such a disgusting state (or they are too darn lazy to walk the distance).  

This lovely reserve was once a special place to stay, a hidden gem few knew about and few abused. How can one inadequate toilet service so many people and not be a health hazard. The least Southland District Council could do is bring in a bank of Porta-loos and have them serviced regularly over the busy summer season. This is the sort of camping that is ruining our countryside and the non-CSC campers are not altogether to blame for it either, although the rubbish they leave behind is definitely in their lap.

ETA- this article is timely, thanks Rachel- The Ups & Downs of Freedom Camping

I was up early to see the sun rise over the estuary...

...but the weather sooned turned to custard again and David was keen to move on. The forecast was for rain and high winds, I'd wanted to revisit Slope Point and Waipapa Point Lighthouse if it stopped raining and I was reluctant to leave the Catlins behind because this was quite possibly our last visit to the area. 

We decided to stop at a CAP (cost apply parking) I knew about not far from Fortrose. If the bad weather didn't eventuate, we'd shoot back up the road to Waipapa Point and maybe Slope if it was really good the next day. 

The Ashers Lignite Pit Cafe & Garden has a large gravel area for campers (tents can be pitched on the grass) and at $10 a night, a little more for power, it's a good sheltered place to park- the wind picked up just after we arrived. 

We had a unusual welcoming party as we drove down to the parking area; over a rise in the lawn came a fast waddling line of quacking ducks. They were so funny, you couldn't help but smile at their antics as they checked out our parking spot and had a rest under the van while we unhitched.

Eventually, when no food was forthcoming, they settled down in the tussock grass beside the van. quacked gently at each other and nibbling on the flower heads. I so wanted to get out the loaf of bread, but David kept scowling at me each time he passed by the door. 'Don't you dare'.

There's us over the far side of the pond. This was once a large open coal mine pit. When the mining stopped the diverted water was allowed to run free again, filling the hole and creating a large pond with lots of little nooks and crannies. Trees and gardens were planted, birds welcomed back and a cafe opened.

There's a lovely walking track through the informal gardens right around the outside of the pond...

...where remnants of the coal seams can be seen in some of the pond banks.

I knew the ducks were sent to make me laugh, I was over the far side of the pond when they spotted me and came paddling as fast as they could across the water. I thought as they stumbled single file out of the water and up a bank that they'd come just to see me, but no, they waddled straight past and headed for an ice plant covered bank where they promptly set about demolishing it!

They'd been here before, you can see the nibbled line above their heads. About 5 minutes later they waddled back past me and back into the water. I reckon it must have been dessert. Really weird.

We thought we'd better do the right thing and support the cafe by having a coffee and maybe share a muffin. Yeah right. We left not needing any dinner that evening! The spare ribs and mash sounded just too good to miss.

It was interesting ready the history of the pit and what lignite actually is (click on the photo to read)

The next day dawned very cold and windy with rain threatening, we decided on a quick trip back up to Waipapa Point, hoping it might clear. It didn't. 

When you see people standing around like this in the Catlins you can be sure that there's a sealion nearby.

And there he was, a smile on his face and blocking the main track down to the beach. The only solitary sealion on the beach today, unlike the last time we visited when there were four big fat boys sunbathing on the sand (and double the amount of tourists trying to see them).

I skirted around the outside of the people finding another way down to the beach, I had bigger fish to fry, from the lookout beside the carpark I'd seen a penguin coming out of the breakers making its way towards the cliff edge. It didn't take me long to locate it, another moulting juvenile penguin looking more worse for wear than the one at Porpoise Bay.

I willed him to carry on up the rocks and out of sight, I could see more people making their way along the beach towards us.

He carried on, heading to clumps of grass and clay that had fallen down from above, he slipped and slid and tried...

...until he found a spot to stand and look miserable. 

I left him alone and thankfully out of sight from all but the curious of visitors. I felt sad for him as the rain started (that's a rain spot on my lens below) but I guess he's used to water and the cold. He just looked so lonely. 

I walked nback along the beach, stopping briefly to watch the never ending line of White-fronted Terns ferrying food back and forward from the ocean to their hungry fledglings waiting on a rocky platform.

Back in the carpark, I had one last look over the edge to check on the penguin below (he was hidden out of sight) and then we were gone, the beautiful, rugged Catlins, a nature lovers paradise, done for probably our last time.