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Today was warm and sunny, very pleasant.
We started with a visit to our third record breaker in two days, Baldwin Street in Dunedin. This is officially the steepest residential street in the world. It climbs a vertical 47m over a length of 161m, an average gradient of 1 in 3.4. Over the steepest section the gradient is 1 in 2.86. So we bravely climbed up it and back down again. A few braver(!) souls jogged up and down.
We then drove to the top of Signal Hill, which afforded fantastic views over Dunedin and Otago Harbour. Here also a few brave souls had run up, and a couple had cycled. I'm just glad we had JB to get us up there!
Next stop was Lanarch Castle, New Zealand's only castle, on the Otago Peninsula. Built in the 19th century, it wasn't really a defensive structure but more of a family home. Very impressive and beautiful nonetheless. Again, stunning views were available from the tower at the top. We also enjoyed lunch in the castle ballroom.
Then we headed further south to the Catlins, starting at Nugget Point. The walk along the cliff top from the car park to the lighthouse perched at the end had lovely views and looking down we could just make out seals basking in the sun on the rocks below. At the end there are a stunning collection of rocks jutting out into the ocean and in one of them was a kind of nursery pool with seals at play.
We then motored across more unsealed roads to Cannibal Bay, so named for the human bones found there. However, this was where we struck gold, for the beach was free of fellow humans (perhaps they'd heard about the bones) but not totally deserted for there were around 10 sea lions stretched across the expanse of sand sunning themselves. Taking care not to disturb them, we were able to get close, observe and photograph them. We then noticed further up the beach one was heading for the sea. Quite an undertaking as the tide was out. He would get so far before flopping back down for a breather. Again taking care not to scare him, we were able to saunter over to witness him reaching his objective and swimming off. Truly magical.
On route to our overnight accommodation, we first stopped off at the Florence Hill Lookout for views over the bay. Then a second stop at Niagara Falls, named so by a surveyor who had seen the more famous falls in North America and obviously had a sense of humour as the NZ version is not quite of the same scale.
We spent the night in the remote village of Waikawa in New Zealand's remote eastern coastal region of The Catlins, where there wasn't the remotest chance of internet or phone signal - bliss!
The Anchorage is without doubt the best place we have had the privilege of staying. Consisting of 2 bedrooms, large kitchen/diner and large lounge. But the icing on the cake was the stunning view across Waikawa Harbour.
Total driven today: 266km
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