Sunrise at Oban before departure



Time to travel to a new destination, the Catlins and Mohua Lodge.  You can follow the ferry ride and drive to the
 Catlins with the pictures below.  

Supplies back to mainland as well as over $100,000 of live crayfish which will arrive in Shanghie the next day.



The ferry runs 365 days a year, two return (round trip) trips daily. 
Passengers are a bonus to the money they make on hauling frieght to and from Stewart Island.

                                                                    

The captain cut the engines abruptly to announce there were whales in sight.
 Everyone was excited to see them as they had been almost fished to extinction, so this is a sign of recovery. 
This is a Southern Right Whale and her calf.

Beginning the drive to the Catlins, blue skies, green grass, and sheep are everywhere.
Here, a mobile electric fence is put between the fence and the road and sheep are put in place
as an all natural  mowing operation. 
Great use of a natural resource!

Just like in the Lord of the Rings!

Sheep and cattle grazing side by side.

Curio Bay was breathtaking!  My luck held and I was there at low tide.  This is a National Park
 area that protects the petrified forest you can see in the picture. 

Curio Bay

Petrified trees showing at low tide.

Curio Bay side tidal flow

Another view of the petrified forest.

Curio Bay: beautiful from all angles!

Close up of a petrified forest stump



At every turn, more beautiful scenery.  This is view of Curio Bay further down the road.



Hike to Matai Falls.  The red trees are Ficus Trees., only place in the world.

Beautiful forest on hike



Scramble to the top to see the falls.



Matai Falls



And more incredible views.  Tautuku Bay from Florence Hill Lookout.



View from my cottage at Mohua Lodge to the west

View to the north from the front porch

View to the east

Sunset from cottage.