World Cruise - Dunedin and Otago

The Otago peninsula is one of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand and the harbor by Port Chalmers is peacefully surrounded by rolling hills that were a little brown from the lack of rain. Other trips here, the green hills were amazing. They still were, just not as green. We docked at a pier full of logs again. Logging is a huge industry in New Zealand and these were probably destined for China which does a lot of importing of NZ wood.

With so many going off the ship on tours or catching the shuttle into town, we decided to do our laundry before it was time for our excursion. We loaded the washers and set the timer on Bob’s phone then decided to use our forty minutes to take a quick walk into the little port town. Our exit from the ship was blocked however for a few minutes by the scenic train picking up its passengers for their excursion to Taieri Gorge. Once on our way though we walked past all the limousines lined up for those who had ordered private cars for the day. Lovely, but not our style.

Businesses were not open except for a few cafes serving coffee and light breakfast. The church that sits on the hill is always a great picture opportunity. There wasn’t enough time to take a look inside again but I remembered the last time hearing organ music during our visit.

We scurried back to the ship (which seemed to be the tallest building in the area) when it was time to move the clothes to the dryer. It probably wasn’t necessary to hurry. The ship was pretty empty and we didn’t see anyone else waiting for the machines.

While our clothes dried, we got a cup of coffee in the Bistro on board and talked about our other visits to Dunedin to see the Larnach Castle, the train station, Cadburry’s and Speight’s and so many of the other sights passengers on excursions were enjoying.

Clothes stowed once again, it was time to gather with the others on our volunteer excursion. Since we’d visited Dunedin so many times, we decided this was a great opportunity to give back. The excursion was to the Penguin Place we’d seen on our last visit but this time we were there to do a little work—plant a tree.

The Penguin Place is way out almost to the end of the peninsula where the albatross have a colony but before we even started out there, the bus took us around the city of Dunedin to show us highlights, stop for a few pictures along the way and then head out to our primary goal. “No wonder it’s a six hour excursion,” I said to Bob. We were a little disappointed because we could have done all of the sightseeing on our own if we’d wanted. Still, it was a good opportunity for those who might not have seen it all before.

I enjoyed the drive out to the Penguin Place. It’s a winding drive all around the harbor and eventually we could see our ship on the other side of it. I wondered why we couldn’t have all gotten on a boat and just ferried across to a dock on the peninsula and save time. I’m sure there were reasons.

At the Penguin Place, we divided into two groups of twelve and each had a guide to take us on a little walk to see some of the rare yellow-eyed penguins that were molting. After the egg-laying season, and raising the young, the penguins have to take a month to molt away from the sea. During the molting when the old feathers are pushed out by the new, the birds are not waterproof and the sea would kill them. That being said, they have to eat a lot before molting so that they have the energy to survive the month on shore away from their food source.

The birds we saw in the underbrush were a pair. Penguins mate with one other and as long as they keep producing young, they stay together. The male was a little farther along in his molting since the female had been on the nest so long. They were grooming each other and not moving far from where they were. The less energy spent in movement, the more likely they would survive the month of not eating.

We found some blue penguin nests. The blue penguins are burrowers and often make their own nests or expand on the little wooden shelters set up by the conservation group. They are quite small and hard to see when they are inside their nests. Hence, no pictures. Maybe some other day, some other place, at the right time. Sigh.

We took a look at the colony of young male seals below us on the beach and rocks. They were called sneakers because they would sneak around the other point of land, mate quickly with a female, and then hurry back before the alpha male of the other colony could attack them.

Up on a hillside, we could see the trailer with our tools and plants ready for us to get our hands dirty. It was actually quite an easy task since the fellow in charge had already cut through the turf. The dirt below the thick grass was easy to work and since the plants were not all that big, we didn’t have to dig much. Each of us planted one of several different varieties and watered it thoroughly. They were hoping for rain in the evening to water them again.

A little higher up from where we were, was a patch of plants, shrubs and trees that had been planted about eight years ago. Most of the vegetation was about waist high. They are slow growing plants but as the guides assured us, the new plants and vegetation would be a welcome sight to the penguins who looked for a place to make new nests. We all hoped it would encourage the penguin population to grow.

On our way back to the bus, we stopped in at the “hospital.” Penguins seem to be a delicacy for barracuda or maybe just a little fun. Whatever the case, the barracuda were attacking the penguins at sea and causing injuries. So some were there recuperating and others were there because they were young and were not eating enough to survive out on their own yet. Once their weight was increased to normal, they would be given a gentle release meaning they would be in a pen that they could leave whenever they wanted and they would continue to get fed in the pen. Our guide said it didn’t take long before the call of the sea won out and they would not return to the pen.

It was a wonderful afternoon and another scenic ride back to the ship. This is a place we would love to return to—often.

New Zealand Diary - Otago Peninsula, Penguins and Albatross

Wednesday Afternoon, October 23, 2013

After exploring Larnach Castle and enjoying a wonderful bowl of Kumara (sweet potato) and apple soup for lunch, we continue out toward the end of the Otago Peninsula that is near Dunedin. That is where we hope to see the Albatross colony but along the way we find an interesting stop, the Penguin Place. I wonder if this is going to be another extravaganza like we’d found before.

When we look in the reception area, we find pictures of a large field that has been equipped with hides or blinds as a hunter might call them. They are like bunkers that allow you a view of penguins without disturbing them. We probably won’t see blue penguins because it is daytime and they are out fishing but the yellow eyed penguins are nesting so one of them has to stay on the nest. We're hooked.

The Blue Penguin

A short drive in a mini bus and we set out on a trail that takes us along a cliff where we can look down and see some fur seals lounging in the sun. There is bull kelp growing on the rocks as well. It is huge and looks like giant strands of thick hair swishing back and forth in the surf.

Suddenly Harrison our guide puts a finger to his lips and motions us to quietly move forward. There is only one other couple with us so it is easy to be quiet. Harrison points to a wooden box and we look in. “It’s a blue penguin,” he says. “Don’t know why he’s not out with the rest.” While we have a hard time really seeing him, we can still say we saw one. Tick that off the list.

We enter a trench that has a green netting over it supporting a lot of vines and is camouflaged well. There are several paths leading to various hides. The opening to view the penguins is perfect for picture taking and as long as we don’t use a flash it is permitted.

The yellow eyed penguins, Harrison has told us, are very anti-social even among themselves. They mate and sort of stay in their couples to themselves. The first wooden nesting shelter reveals a penguin who graciously gets up a couple of times and stretches so we can get a good look. We move on to several others all of whom are named and have charts on the wall to show who they have mated with and how many times they have reproduced.

Harrison points out with a wry smile that although the experts say they mate for life, their observations have been that many of the males have a wandering eye and one female has cheated on her mate several times. By the time he’s done with his stories, I decide he should write a soap opera.

We didn’t expect the penguin experience to be as good as it was so we are not disappointed when we learn that the Albatross are not nesting and really can’t be seen up close. They are flying around though so instead of spending the huge entry fee to go through the museum and then go to the observation area to see them fly, we opt to walk out to the viewing area that is free down by the cliffs.



Above our heads there are several Albatross that pass over and I manage to get a few shots of one. While these are a bit bigger than those we saw in Galapagos, they are still every bit as beautiful.

The wind and cold chases us back to the car—unscathed I might add since the sky is full of sea gulls as well as Albatross. We take the low road back into Dunedin and enjoy the scenery once again. The Otago peninsula is absolutely breathtaking in places.

After a quick freshen up at our motel, we head off to Speight’s Ale House. We have found that the most economical meals and some of the best tasting ones are in the pubs. I want to try the Beef Schnitzel that’s on the menu. I love Wiener schnitzel (veal) but I’ve never seen beef schnitzel before. It turns out to be very good, a thin piece of beef dipped in crumbs and fried. The beef comes with the biggest glob of mashed potatoes I’ve seen in a while and an equally large pile of peas that taste fresh cooked. Ooooh, how much weight am I going to gain on this trip?

New Zealand Diary - Larnach Castle, Otago Peninsula

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Just outside of Dunedin is the Otago Peninsula. As we cross the bridge to the peninsula, we turn to take the high road. It will lead to the castle we want to see. We are early so we decide to follow the road out to a track which we can walk to a lookout over Lover’s Leap—with absolutely no intention of leaping.

The road we need to take to the track turns to gravel and as we round a bend, we see a truck stopped alongside the road. A lady signals us to stop. We see why ahead. There is a huge flock of sheep crossing the road and heading to the farm buildings down the hill. Bob puts the window down and the lady apologizes for the delay. We tell her it’s fine, we will enjoy the parade, and I get out and take a few pictures. The farmer’s wife goes back to watching to be sure that no strays try to wander up the road instead of off to be sheared for the season.

A few minutes later several herding dogs and the farmer on a four wheel ATV bring up the rear. Their morning duty of rounding up the sheep accomplished, they follow the flock through the gate. The lady turns and waves us on with a big smile. She didn’t have to chase any wayward sheep.

At the parking area for the track, there is a sign indicating that two of the tracks are closed due to lambing season. Now if you are a city girl like me you might ask what is lambing season? Apparently the farmers can control the time when the lambs will be born. I’m guessing that’s got something to do with keeping  males and females separated until the appropriate time. When the ewes give birth, and especially if it is to twins or triplets, they need time to bond with the young. During that time if they are disturbed, they might reject their off spring. To avoid unnecessary disturbance, the tracks through the fields of moms and their young are closed for several weeks during that season.

We decide to go on up to the lookout that is open. Another morning. Another uphill climb. This is getting to be a habit. Good or bad, I’m not sure.

The views are wonderful the higher we climb and we are encouraged by them to make it to the top. On our way here, as we were driving along, we had passed a jogger. Now as we look down at our car, we see him and expect him to turn and head back as he comes to the end of the road. When I look back again a few minutes later, I tell Bob I think that the jogger is coming up. He shakes his head, disbelieving. No way, he says.

As we are taking pictures at the top, we turn to see the jogger right behind us and not even out of breath. He is sweating so I feel a little better. He talks a few moments telling us he jogs up most every day and then he turns and begins his run down. How he ran down is as amazing to me as how quickly he ran up. The way down is steep. I barely trust my step and I’m taking little ones. Our jogger is still on the road as we pass him on our way to the Larnach Castle. I can’t imagine how far he must have gone—horizontally as well as vertically.

 I’m excited about seeing this castle. It has quite a history. William James Mudie Larnach was of Scottish descent but came from Australia to New Zealand to take manage the Bank of Otago in Dunedin when gold was discovered on the peninsula in 1867. He also built a very profitable career that included farming, shipping, landholding, politics, and speculation.

Larnach was a man who within one decade had to deal with the death of three family members. His first wife, Eliza, with whom he had six children, died in 1880 at the age of 38. He married her half-sister, Mary Alleyne, who died in 1887 also at the age of 38. And then his oldest daughter, Kate, died of typhoid in 1891. He married his much younger third wife, Constance, and amid rumors of her having an affair with his son, a severe financial loss, and bouts of depression, he shot himself at Parliament on October 12, 1898. After his death, there was turmoil in the family over his possessions. The basement of the castle where we begin the tour details much of this and makes for interesting reading.

The building of the castle actually took place between 1873 and 1887 and Larnach dubbed it The Camp. He moved into it in 1874 while it was being built and expanded. Supplies from all over the world were used to build it and over 200 workmen had a hand in it. After Larnach's death the castle had various other uses including a retreat for nuns and an insane asylum. In 1967 it was purchased by Margaret and Barry Barker who over the years have lovingly restored it to its present beauty. 

We explore the rooms floor by floor and eventually make our way up to the tower by way of winding narrow stone steps. Have I mentioned that going up and down narrow winding steps can make you dizzy? The effort is rewarded however with a wonderful view of the Otago peninsula and harbor area.

Back at ground level and outside, a large group on a tour of various gardens floods the outdoor garden in front of the castle. Eventually they thin out and begin to explore the several themed gardens that surround the structure. We follow suit and begin to wander through the garden walks. Bob finds a funky wishing well. I’m not sure it’s a period piece. I’m enjoying the gardens but what I’m really doing is stalling so we can eat lunch here in the café. Something called Kumara and apple soup caught our eye. We enquired as to what Kumara is. Turns out it’s a sweet potato. Can’t pass that up. The soup is every bit as good as I’d hoped, delicate and delicious. Okay, now I’m ready for the rest of our day.

New Zealand Diary - On To Dunedin

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 

Mount Cook (Aoraki) stays hidden to us in the morning clouds and rainy mist. It is mysterious like Denali in Alaska and Mt. Rainier in Washington State. I’m sure it is quite spectacular when there is no rain and the clouds disappear.  

We make our way around Lake Pukaki and turn at the road that leads to Twizel. I can’t help but think of red raspberry Twizzlers every time I see the sign. I hunt for a piece of candy and decide it’s too early in the day to start eating sweets—unless of course we run into a McDonald’s McCafe that has the raspberry/pear bread we’ve been craving. Oh, how I wish the McD’s back home would have REAL McCafe’s and not just a fast food version.

Bob has planned only one stop today on our way to Dunedin so we are tuned into any signs for places of interest to stop. It doesn’t take long for us to see a sign for Benmore Dam and power plant. This area has a series of lakes and rivers that provide a lot of hydroelectric power. Benmore Dam looks to be the biggest dam. The power station is New Zealand’s second largest. The dam project was begun in 1958 and power began being supplied in 1965. While the visitor’s center is closed, we are still able to drive over the top of the dam and go to the viewpoint to look at the two large spillways that are full of rushing water.

Moving along, I notice on one of the maps we picked up at an Information Center  that there is a blue penguin colony in Oamaru which is right on our way to Dunedin. When we see the sign, we follow the directions until we find the spot where they can be seen. The problem is that these little guys spend their day out in the water feeding and gathering food for their chicks and aren’t seen until around dusk when they return to their burrows. A stadium like area is set up with seats for observers to watch the penguin parade as they come up from the sea and move through the grassy arena to their burrows. There is no picture taking allowed as it will cause the penguins to hide and not return to their young which need to be fed. We wander around a bit and check out the stuffed penguins in the main building but we can’t stay until dusk.

Not too far down the road we find our next stop, the MoerakiBoulders. Again Bob has done his homework and while the short walk from the café for a $2 fee looks inviting, he knows that a little way up the road is a free parking spot and an easy walk on the beach. The café walk would have been all steps up and down and this path along the beach gives us time to take in the fresh ocean breeze and enjoy nice water birds we see along the way including an oystercatcher we stop to observe for a few minutes as he nibbles his mid-morning catch.

I am more amazed by these round boulders than I thought I would be. Those that are all in one piece are perfectly round! The boulders are huge—some about six feet in diameter. A few have broken apart and look like a stone honeycomb inside. They were originally formed around a central core of carbonate of lime crystals that attracted minerals from their surroundings. It was a process started over 60 million years ago. The boulders were embedded in the muddy cliffs in the area and through erosion by the sea have been exposed.

As I look at them I can’t help but wonder at the shape of them. Everything we read says they are definitely not manmade. Amazing.

In a little while we arrive in Dunedin and find our motel. It turns out to be the smallest room we have had yet but we will make do. It will make our next stateroom on a cruise ship look big. We stash our stuff and start off to walk to the Information Center to be sure we haven’t missed anything in our planning. It is a lot farther than we counted on but once we are committed, we keep walking.

The IC people make the same suggestions as we have on our list. Unfortunately for us we have arrived a bit late to catch some of the tours. We just miss the last Speight’s brewery tour and by the time we find the Cadbury Chocolate factory, all we can do is drool over the large pile of chocolate crunch bars and satisfy our disappointment at missing that tour by buying some chocolate covered caramels.

The Dunedin railway station is still open though and not dependent upon a tour time. The station is an icon to the area and the inside is just as amazing as the brickwork on the outside. Constructed on reclaimed swampland in 1906, the station that at one time was the largest in New Zealand, no longer serves passengers but has an art gallery on the upper floor. The inside of the station is covered in thousands of small porcelain mosaic tiles made by Royal Dalton. 

The symbol of the railroad is repeated in the design in the floor and on the steps as you climb to the open balcony that surrounds the foyer. At either end of the upper balcony is a stained glass window with a locomotive in the center of it. The way it is made, the locomotive’s light seems to be illuminated. I wander around a bit and then find a bench to sit in the quiet atrium and rest.

We pull ourselves up from the benches we’ve rested on in the station and check our map to determine which direction to go to get us back to the motel. One foot in front of the other is an effort but we make it back and rest while we hunt for a place to eat. Bob checks Tripadvisor and I leaf through one of the booklets we picked up at the IC. I find a restaurant that is supposed to be Scottish. We are after all in the most Scottish city of New Zealand. I program Lady Garmon with the address. There is no way we are walking to City Center again.

Dinner at Scotia turns out to be a delight. The downstairs restaurant is a bit pricey so we choose to go upstairs to the bar for the short menu. We order what are called entrees. Over here, entrees are like heavy appetizers but can be used as a meal. The mains are usually pretty heavy meals. We both opt for lamb short ribs with sticky sauce. They come on top of chips (fries) that are wonderfully crunchy. I think they are still frying in the good stuff instead of the healthy stuff. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone good and the sauce delicious. We savor every bite.

Last on our to-see list for the day is the world’s steepest street, Baldwin Street. We were told that most visitors don’t attempt to drive up it because at one point it’s impossible to see the street over the hood of the car. It has a slope of almost 19 degrees and Bob has already promised me that he won’t attempt to drive it. I think he realizes I will jump out before he starts up. We park and take a few pictures. It is amazing although the pictures don’t do it justice. The information says it takes five minutes to walk up it. Sure, I think, for someone whose ankles have grown at an angle. In late February as part of the Summer Festival there is an event called “Gutbuster” where contestants run to the top and back down again. The current record is one minute 56 seconds. Okay.

When we see the arrow pointing to Signal Road lookout, we decide we are up for at least one more site. At the top of the lookout, we find a monument that commemorates 100 years of British rule. There is also embedded in the podium a tribute to Dunedin’s namesake: a chunk of the rock upon which Edinburgh Castle was built. It has a beautiful view of Dunedin but the sun is sinking and the wind picking up and the cold air chases us back to the car. It’s time to call it a day.