New Zealand February 17 - Continues

From New Zealand

As we drove from Cape Farewell back down the narrow road to the "body" of the island we noted the mud-flat were gone - replaced with water lapping up to the green strip fringing the pavement. At the end of the spit road we took a short detour to Collingwood for lunch.

From Collingwood we needed to do a couple of hours of backtracking to get to the highway that would take us down the western coast. So, we had the opportunity to stop at some of the sights we'd passed up the day before.

Pupu Springs (Te Waikoropupu)- the largest freshwater springs in NZ and reputed to be the clearest in the world. We followed a short walking trail to the spring where we were disappointed not to recognize any sand dancing. Maybe sand doesn't dance in the rain. At the big spring pool stood a guide who was very knowledgeable and informed us about all sorts of spring facts and figures. Amazingly helpful for someone standing in the rain... but at least he had an umbrella.

From New Zealand

Ngarua Caves - Kevin was excited about seeing caves. He'd identified several in the South Island. One, Harwood's Hole, the largest cave in the Southern Hemisphere!!!, we had already decided to skip. (Eleven kilometers on an unsealed road then a 30 minute walk (in the rain) to peer into a big dark hole - no entry.) We pulled into the parking lot and split up as it was just past 4 PM and that was the time of the day's last tour. Kevin rushed in to see if we could get tickets while I found our coats. Everything worked out and the cave was a fine one - with all the stalactites and stalagmites a person could want, the mandatory turn off the lights ("this is what real darkness looks like"), and moa bones!

From New Zealand

From New Zealand

Moas were a form of flightless birds. New Zealand is literally crawling (well walking) with flightless birds and these were particularly big flightless birds. Flightless birds do well on an island with no predators. Unfortunately for New Zealand birds, particularly the moa, the predator-free status changed. While many of NZ's are struggling to survive the introduction of stoats and ferrets, cats and dogs, the moa were wiped out by people. Giant chickens (up to 12 feet tall) - it was all too easy.