The Catlins, heading north along the coast

Beautiful coastline
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It was with a true sadness that we caught the ferry once again to cross Foveaux Strait and return to the South Island of New Zealand, heading north for the last two weeks of our travels.  We love Stewart Island -- the friendly people, the small town feeling, the wildness!  The strait was calm thankgoodness and we had an uneventful trip.  Our connection from Bluff back to Invercargill was waiting and after a brief time at the museum again, we were picked up for the Catlins' Coaster trip: all along the southeastern coast of the South Island and up to Dunedin.

Talk about spectacular coastlines and beaches! Wow! Breathtaking!

Fur seals
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Talk about spectacular coastlines and beaches!  Wow!  Breathtaking!  We stopped at several beaches and overlooks for "photo opportunities" coming upon fur seals, sea lions, and Hector Dolphins.  We took a fun hike out to a lighthouse and seal colony.  Albatross and shags were flying about.  On the way back a yellow-eyed penguin emerged from the sea, climbed the hill and trekked across the road to it's nest in the grasses above the beach.  They are not social and try to nest far from one another.  That is why they are endangered -- lack of enough habitat.  Wonderful creatures!

Lighthouse with seal colony beyond
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We stopped at Porpoise Bay and did get to watch (but not swim with) the Hector Dolphins as we had decided to go on into Dunedin where we were to meet up with friends of Denny's brother, Keith.  Tim and Marilyn live on the South Island half of each year and he is a heart specialist.  Denny had much to discuss with him and what we learned confirmed all that we know.  Denny will most likely have to "just live with" his atrial fibrillation" -- continue taking the drugs and monitoring his levels.  He is distressed at his dimished energy level when hiking etc. but it certainly could be much worse!

Baby seals in their own pond
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Dunedin is a lovely city!  We stayed at a GREAT hostel, the Chalet Backpackers.  It is a renovated mansion and we had a room with a double bed, two overstuffed chairs, dresser,  and a sink -- great, high ceilings AND a story of hauntings...:)  The Otago Peninsula there is known as a wildlife sanctuary.  We joined a tour to go to the Albatross Research Center and once again saw fur seals as we traveled up the coast to the furthest point where it sits.  There is a museum, video presentation, and guided tour of the nesting area.  We learned all about the life cycle of the albatross.  Currently the pairs are alternating between going off to fish and returning to feed their chicks.  We got to see several 3-4 week old chicks plus nesting and soaring adults and sub-adults.   They are HUGE!   The center is doing some amazing work tracking them and trying to gain protection for them from the fishing trawlers (long lines) and predators (stoats).  There was also a colony of sooty petrals -- so very graceful and fun to watch feeding and on their unusual, carefully constructed nests!

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Dunedin has a beautiful harbor and is an easy town to visit.  The downtown is very "funky" -- a uni (college) town with fun coffee shops and bars everywhere.  There are many international students.  We missed the museum preferring to spend a rainy day relaxing in our room reading.  Christchurch is next though -- can't wait!