FreeSpirit : Petrified forest, waterfalls and a birdie in distress

Thursday, 2 February 2023

Petrified forest, waterfalls and a birdie in distress

Feb 1st

Rain today and cooler, welcome change from the heat this past week. So lazy this morning, I was still in my PJ's at 9 am when a hail from a lady offering to give us some fish. She had caught it that morning and was too big for her to finish alone, We declined, I haven't the room in the fridge and didn't fancy the fishy smell. Funnily enough this is the second time we have been offered fish. Two days ago a French chap also brought us salmon having too much for his own use. Must be a NZ thing!

A dull day lay ahead as we set off along the coastline of the Catlin's. Cathedral Caves had been on our to-do list since 2017, last time the tides were wrong, this time they appeared to be right. Off towards Slope point, the most southerly point of New Zealand. Last visit we got confused thinking Bluff was the place to be, had a few selfies at the famous finger post. Anyway we were wrong and so it was a 'must' to correct our mistake.

20 minute walk from the car park across private land (permitted) and the light beacon came into view. Not a lighthouse as such but did the job equally well lighting the horizon to stop the possibility of ships coming to near to the unforgiving reefs and rocks of the south coast. No barrier at all at the cliff edges so extra care had to be taken. It was unadvisable to stray too near the edge if a strong wind was blowing, today it was very calm.

From Slope point the next inlet was at Curio Bay. We had been here before to see the petrified forest and then the tide was with us and the fallen trees could be seen. Today was an incoming tide which meant only some of the tree remains could only just be seen.

Yellow Eyed Penguins has made Curio Bay their home, a predator proof fence line surrounds an area that should help to keep them safe. Too much in the way of bushes and high grasses to see any sign of them or their burrows. The Little Blue Penguins also nest here, this time of year they feed their young, we would have to come back at dusk if we wanted to see them return to their chicks.

As I said Cathedral Caves had been where we were heading. For a while there was no internet so couldn't check the tide times. On route, we spied the McLean Falls. This was again another of those 'have we been to them before?' Maybe we should check it out. The walk was a 40-minute return to some of the most dramatic forest I think we have been through so far. It looked every bit the rain forest it was, plenty of hanging moss and lichen gripping branches. The trunks themselves were old and gnarly, you wouldn't want to be walking through this forest at the dead of night!

The falls sort of rang a bell with me, not so Ian though. We were about to take a selfie when a lovely lady and gent offered to take our photos.

That done Ian decided he wanted to get even further toward the falls for an even better look. OMG, heart was in my mouth as I watched him climb those rocks. Making the top wasn't a problem, but then he had to come down. I took photos of his ascent and descent!

And these were his photos

Coming away with Ian completely unscathed, we set off back to the Toy. On the road toward Cathedral cave, not a kilometre along that road was the sign for the car park. But as luck would have it the gate to the car park was shut. And this was why.

So another failed attempt, but we may well try in 4 or 5 days time.

I wanted to go into a proper site tonight. The Whistling Frog, café and resort was just down the road. It had all the amenities and a hot shower would have been welcome. We didn't stay though! When 65 dollars was mentioned for the one night we said bye, bye, too expensive!

A DOC camp ground was found at Papatowai. 10 dollars each, much more like it and there was proper flushing toilets, and a big indoor enclosure for washing pots.

I feel it was fate that brought us here because in the window and fluttering like a demented soul was a Silvereye. OMG, it looked in a very sorry condition. Goodness knows how long it had been trapped between the window and a smaller pane of glass. It was asking to be rescued and so with Ian's help, we managed to catch and release it straight away.

. That poor bird was starving. It flew to the first tree with yellow berries and ate one after an other for ages. So glad we came to the bird's rescue. I reckon an other day or two and that would have seen its demise.