Dancing With The Penguins

The happiest penguin in the Southern Hemisphere!



This was the most incredible six hours of our lives....we went on a wildlife tour on the Otago Peninsula, where the Royal Albatross center resides, and saw these very large birds with six foot wing spans....fur seals on the rocks.....yellow-eyed penguins (quite rare).....sea lions......and blue penguins.

What a hike! The view was spectacular as we drove along the low road on the peninsula. After viewing the albatross and getting our picture made by the lighthouse, we drove to a private farm by the ocean. Yes, a sheep farm by the ocean. Incredible. The lambs and sheep were not surprised we were there, although I really didn't chase them. We divided into two groups, and our group first climbed down to an overhang close to the rocks that the fur seals love....With binoculars it was not too hard to see the families of seals. Sometimes the babes lay on the rocks for days waiting for a parent to come back with food. The wind was gusty, and it was cold, but we didn't mind; besides, by the time we climbed back up that hill we were very hot and quite breathless.

Next, we travelled down to the beach, another steep trek. We saw the rare yellow-eyed penguins, who mate for life and live in the same place always (the only penguins to live this way). We sat in look-outs with binoculars and camera, waiting for them to come out of the ocean, but they were shy, as the sea lions make them supper. There was one nest housing a blue penguin, and we saw babies on camera in other nests.

The sea lions were huge, and sometimes they chase people, so we all stuck together. I couldn't imagine those lethargic looking creatures going fast, but they evidently can! One picture I got looked like the sea lion was part gorilla.

Ok, then it was back up that dern hill. Thank God I had a sandwich at the penguin look-out, or I would have needed air-lifting.

What an incredible day. What amazing pictures (I promise to get them up soon)....and what wonderful long days these are!

Next, as I have time, I will fill you in on the Larnach Castle scandal! (That was my Tuesday morning excursion!)
Delicious!
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Note: It may be a few days before I blog again, since we are leaving tomorrow on a train trip to Queenstown, then the next day to Milford Sound. Friday will be LUGE day for us in Queenstown, then Saturday we will head up to Wellington to stay. I will get internet connection then on the weekend, and will catch up in order!

A million photos to sort! Best work in the world!

Love to all.....