Catlins Coast

The next region of our southward drive is the Catlins.  This area has a unique feel to it.  Incessant winds from the circumpolar jet stream smash up against the southwest coast of NZ.  At unpredictable times, these winds will find their way back down to ground level.  Down here the east coast is spared the brunt of the roaring forties ever-eastward drive.  The Catlins still have a strange remote and raw-nature feel, despite the farmland and small towns that dot it.

During our time in this region, we experienced calm beautiful sunshine and 20C (65F) temperatures,  gale force winds, interspersed with hail and rain, and cloudy with light winds.  All of this in the same day.  4 seasons in one day is not a figure of speech!

We started the day with a walk along the wind-and-wave-battered coast.  Thankfully, we found some solace from the wind for short while.







 

















Along the drive, we stopped to look at some petrified trees and ferns.  Buried millions of years ago, this area has exquisitely-preserved trunks of ferns and trees.








Next along our route was Slope Point.  Nothing very interesting here, except that it is the southern most point of the NZ South Island (there are other more southern islands).  It was very windy at and near the point, easily over 80km/h (45mph).


Hard to tell from a photo, but it was difficult to stand, much less walk, within 100m of the cliff edge.   We are closer to the south pole than the equator.  46 deg latitude is about as far south as the border between North and South Dakota of the USA is north.