November
3, Saturday
Leaving Dunedin and driving up into the mountains of the Otago Peninsula
Lots of pasture lands. I stopped to snap a photo of this young lamb. Not a baby, a bit older.
I stopped at a lookout to snap this picture of the peninsular and Otago Harbour
Drove up to the high hills on the upper road. Stopped to visit Larnach Castle, the only one in New Zealand
"The Larnach Castle gardens are one of only five gardens nationwide to have been given the rating of 'Garden of International Significance' by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. They were the first gardens in the South Island to be given this award. The house was built between 1871 and 1887 as the residence of William Larnach, a prominent entrepreneur and politician in colonial New Zealand. The resulting complex eventually contained 43 rooms and a ballroom and required a staff of 46 servants. The ballroom was built as a 21st birthday present for Larnach's favourite daughter Kate in 1887. The building, which Larnach himself simply called "The Camp," did not ensure his happiness. After many years in which the place fell into disrepair, it was bought by Barry and Margaret Barker in 1967 and has been restored. It affords spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula and Harbour and is 10 kilometres by road from the city centre."
No photography was allowed inside the house, but it was OK from the roof of the tower. It does afford spectacular views.
From the tower looking down to the lawns below and the arbour leading to the pond
One of the many gardens on the property
Under the arbour looking at the ducks in the pond.
Ground view towards the restaurant area. People can rent it and have their wedding (or any other special occasion) celebrated here.
"Taiaroa Head was one of New Zealand's earliest settlements. Oral tradition tells of five successively arriving peoples: Te Kahui Tipua followed by Te Rapuwai - some middens on the Peninsula have been identified with them - then Waitaha who arrived from the North Island in the 15th Century and Kati Mamoe in the late 16th Century. Kai Tahu became established in the area about a hundred years later. Pukekura pa, a fortress, was built on Taiaroa Head about 1650 by Kai Tahu. Nearby villages date from that time. Captain James Cook's ship 'Endeavour' was off the coast in February 1770. Sealers used the Otago Harbour from about 1809, anchoring off what is now known as Weller's Rock."
It was extremely windy on the point and I found out that I had missed the last tour of the day. I was disappointed, but as I watched the people in the last group make their way across the top of that windy rainy hill I was kind of glad to be indoors enjoying a hot coffee and banana bread.
The views from the cliffs were wonderful
I waited for the rain to stop and for the sun to peek out and ventured outside to try to get photos of the albatross, flying across the top of the promontory. One of the only good shots I got of a Royal Albatross in flight.
The Southern Royal Albatross is a large seabird from the albatross family. At an average wingspan of around 3 m, it is the second largest albatross, behind the Wandering Albatross.
A display at the Royal Albatross Centre
The view, through the high chainlink fence
The cliffs of Talaroa Head. Can you see the light house on the far cliff ?
Just before I got in my car, I snapped this picture. It gives you a better idea of this bird's size compared to the huge building it is flying over.
I must have taken 30 shots that did not turn out at all. These are the best I could get. 1) We were behind a high metal fence. 2) The flying albatross didn’t come anywhere near where we were standing.
It rained off and on during the drive back to Dunedin
Across Otago Harbour, the pastures on the mainland
McAndrew Bay
Got a late start this morning. It was really cold in the unit and it was
still raining outside. I read and slept
until about 11 am and then decided to get my butt in gear and go out to explore
the Otago Peninsula.
Lots of pasture lands. I stopped to snap a photo of this young lamb. Not a baby, a bit older.
I stopped at a lookout to snap this picture of the peninsular and Otago Harbour
Drove up to the high hills on the upper road. Stopped to visit Larnach Castle, the only one in New Zealand
"The Larnach Castle gardens are one of only five gardens nationwide to have been given the rating of 'Garden of International Significance' by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. They were the first gardens in the South Island to be given this award. The house was built between 1871 and 1887 as the residence of William Larnach, a prominent entrepreneur and politician in colonial New Zealand. The resulting complex eventually contained 43 rooms and a ballroom and required a staff of 46 servants. The ballroom was built as a 21st birthday present for Larnach's favourite daughter Kate in 1887. The building, which Larnach himself simply called "The Camp," did not ensure his happiness. After many years in which the place fell into disrepair, it was bought by Barry and Margaret Barker in 1967 and has been restored. It affords spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula and Harbour and is 10 kilometres by road from the city centre."
No photography was allowed inside the house, but it was OK from the roof of the tower. It does afford spectacular views.
From the tower looking down to the lawns below and the arbour leading to the pond
One of the many gardens on the property
Under the arbour looking at the ducks in the pond.
Ground view towards the restaurant area. People can rent it and have their wedding (or any other special occasion) celebrated here.
Drove on at the top of the high crags when it started to
rain, it was also very windy and cold.
As I manoeuvred around the hills the rain turned to hail. I drove on and finally ended up back at the
water level near the town ofPortobello.
I drove on to the tip of the peninsula, Fort Taiaroa fortifications, at
the Royal Albatross Centre.
It was extremely windy on the point and I found out that I had missed the last tour of the day. I was disappointed, but as I watched the people in the last group make their way across the top of that windy rainy hill I was kind of glad to be indoors enjoying a hot coffee and banana bread.
The views from the cliffs were wonderful
I waited for the rain to stop and for the sun to peek out and ventured outside to try to get photos of the albatross, flying across the top of the promontory. One of the only good shots I got of a Royal Albatross in flight.
The Southern Royal Albatross is a large seabird from the albatross family. At an average wingspan of around 3 m, it is the second largest albatross, behind the Wandering Albatross.
A display at the Royal Albatross Centre
The view, through the high chainlink fence
The cliffs of Talaroa Head. Can you see the light house on the far cliff ?
I must have taken 30 shots that did not turn out at all. These are the best I could get. 1) We were behind a high metal fence. 2) The flying albatross didn’t come anywhere near where we were standing.
I decided to call it a day and drove back the length of
the 20 km peninsula along the coastal road this time. Of course, if you go by the squiggly coastal
road it’s almost 30 km and it takes one hour to drive.
Across Otago Harbour, the pastures on the mainland
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