The West Coast Part 2

Wrapping up our south island trip here are a few more photos from the West Coast.

We travelled south from Haast to Jackson Bay, the southernmost point on the West Coast road. There is not much there now, but in the nineteenth century is was touted as having the potential to be the biggest town in New Zealand. This is what remains of the cemetery – slowly being reclaimed by the forest.

At the Haast DOC Centre this kotuku seemed to have taken up residence. They only breed in one place in New Zealand, Okarito, slightly to the north.

Another rare avian local is the Fiordland crested penguin. We went to a beach just up the coast from Haast and had an entertaining walk through bush and streams to where they come ashore. It was a rough day

so we didn’t have much luck but here is one trying to navigate the surf into shore.

The day we travelled north was particularly wet and misty so I haven’t got any suitable shots of most of the journey. These are from Punakaiki, home of the famous pancake rocks.

 

 

 

Travelling from Murchison over the range into Marlborough the temperature dropped to 1 degree and we had brief snow.

(I should have dusted the dashboard before taking that photo).

Running down towards the east coast the sun came out and the temperature climbed. There were lambs to remind us that spring was just around the corner.