December 2
That 200 km trip took all afternoon. We stopped at several points of interest along the way. One was the Moeraki Boulders.
We also stopped for lunch at Moeraki. The only reason I opened the door was because the parking lot was full and the advert had said that '”bookings were essential”.
Once inside I knew all was well. Stained glass windows, wonderful stained glass & metal artwork over the bar and a very fishy menu! When the specials were being explained to us the hostess paused to run out to the fish shack to see if the fishermen had brought in anything different that would then be available for the menu!! Gerry had bread and dips – I had a seafood chowder that was almost too seafoody for me!!!
We checked in to a wonderful little motel – about 12 units – that was more like a B&B. The rooms were shown to us so we could choose which we would like, there were fresh flowers on the table, a jug of water chilling in the fridge and muffins were delivered so we could have our ‘afternoon tea’. (Stay at the Ambassador Motor Inn next time you are in Oamaru!)
We then booked a bus tour that took us around town (complete with commentary about the historic precinct),
a view from the lookout,
then to the yellow-eyed penguin viewing area – we were quite a distance away from the sea but the penguins climb high up the banks and we were lucky enough to see several very close up (as well as a seal on the sandy beach),
and finally to the blue penguin reserve. Here we sat & watched the penguins come in from the sea and travel up to their nesting places. No photos were allowed here but we saw over 100 penguins come in. They expected at least 150 (they actually counted 183) to arrive during the evening – they come to land at dusk – after spending the day out fishing. (It is prime breeding time so they come back to land to feed the chicks.)
We went back the next day to take a few photos of the area where the penguins came up out of the sea, the little houses they were heading to and where we had been sitting to watch.
Then it was back on the road again.
No comments:
Post a Comment