We spent an enjoyable afteroon on a tour of the Dunedin Peninsula, including a visit to Lanarch Castle (see pictures linked to the graphic at right), and Nature’s Wonders. Nature’s Wonders takes you on an ATV vehicle ride to see New Zealand Furry Seals basking in the sun along the shorline, as well as a view of some yellow-eyed penguins, which are apparently the rarest penguins of the 18 known species. Supposedly there are only about 400 left, and none in captivity as they reportedly do not fare well under those circumstances. We watched a few of them come up on the beach from a covered walkway along a cliff, not getting any closer than about 100 yards from one individual who seemed oblivious to our presence. There was one kept in an area where we were able to get a bit closer. The pics of them on my Flickr account were taken with our Sony Handicam at maximum zoom, so you get a feel of how far we were from them.
According to our guide, Dunedin peninsula was the site of the first European settlements in New Zealand, and it was one of the most panoramic drives I’ve ever experienced. I did get a lot of nice video footage, and plan to have M?lia edit together and put it online so everyone can see it. It’s nice to have her learning something while we wait for the start of her school on February 4.
