Today we headed to the South as far as Nuggets Point. The sun was out and everywhere looked clear and fresh.

The Southern scenic route takes you over forested hills and has view points with picnic areas.

We followed a gravel road up towards the old lighthouse at Nuggets point. We didn’t get to the top of the hills as we didn’t feel safe so went half way to view where the yellow eyed penguins have their nests. They are protected and you view them from a hide. You cannot go down to the beach after 3 pm when they appear each day.

We ate a chowder lunch by one of the beautiful bays at Kaka Point.I tried to find a Paua shell on the rocks, but may have to buy one.

We saw a takeaway van called “Jamaican me hungry” sounds a good slogan.

We spent a while viewing where the River Waipori meets the sea at Taieri. There is an island in the middle of the bay which was important to the Māori people then was a whaling station and then became a centre for helping boats into the river on the way to the gold rush.

we had a lazy sun worshipping day! Walking along long sandy beaches and looking in rock pools. We saw a seal and a squid

More pics from today a fence made of paua shells.