Friday, 10 October 2025
Yesterday’s albatross experience came with an albatross guarantee. Because we did not get to see an albatross in flight we received an email inviting us to try again at another time, free of charge. Because we are such birdy nerdies we decided that we had time to drive out to the Royal Albatross Centre again this morning, to try one more time to see an albatross in flight.
We arrived about 10.40am planning to do the 11.00am tour. However, since we had seen and heard the introduction yesterday, they let us tag onto the 10.30am tour just as it was concluding the indoor component. We hiked up the hill again to the viewing area, running the gauntlet of the red-billed gulls in the air above us! Joining in late as we did, we missed the name of our guide this morning but she was very optimistic that we would see an albatross flying because we had a good strong wind blowing. Apparently yesterday was really much too calm for good albatross flying conditions.
On the way up the hill I asked about the variety of sheep in the paddock, since I didn’t catch that yesterday. Our guide said that the small group of rams are Arapawa Sheep, from New Zealand’s Arapawa Island and they are descended from sheep left behind by Spanish explorers in the 1500s. Well, that’s one theory. Googling it after we left, I discovered that other theories include: descendants of flocks brought by whalers and sealers in the 1800s or escapees from a Merino flock introduced to the island for farming in 1867. I guess they could feasibly be a mix of all three??? Anyhow, despite the fact that they are actually feral, they are considered rare and endangered.
Despite spending another session in the albatross viewing hide, we did not see an albatross in flight. There were plenty of black-backed gulls taunting us with the similar colouring (but they are only about one third the size!), red-billed gulls and Otago shags. Despite not seeing an albatross our guide today managed to share facts about them that we didn’t hear from Libby yesterday. Most of the info was very similar but a little bit of new stuff too which made it worth repeating the tour today. We always accept that wildlife is wild and viewings can’t be guaranteed so we weren’t too disappointed.
As we walked back down to the centre, our guide told us that today it was too fine for the albatrosses!!? She told Bernie that what they like the best is wet and windy. Basically, the more unpleasant the conditions are for humans, the better the albatrosses like it. Back at the visitor centre we needed to make use of the facilities before continuing our drive south. I was standing in the foyer waiting for Bernie when our guide raced over and told me that Libby had just called down to say that the 11.00am group up in the hide could see an albatross flying. Damn, we could not see it from the visitor centre. Despite spending another half an hour hanging about looking into the sky we had to leave the Royal Albatross Centre without having seen one soaring overhead.
We drove back to Dunedin where we picked up State Highway 1. We arrived in Waihola about lunch time so pulled into the Black Swan Cafe for a quick bite to eat. Back on the road, the SatNav was set for Nugget Point Lighthouse. At Balclutha we turned off onto the Owaka Highway before turning onto the Kaka Point Road. As we continued south along the coast we took a couple of long distance photos of the Nugget Head Lighthouse which was still many kilometres away.
Eventually, we turned onto The Nuggets Road and drove out almost to the end of Nugget Point. From the car park we couldn’t see the lighthouse, we had to walk nearly a kilometre for some close-up photos of the lighthouse which is, apparently, one of New Zealand’s most photographed locations. The 9.5-metre lighthouse was built in 1869-70 and is situated 76 metres above sea level. At least lighthouses can be relied upon to be there when you turn up to see them, ha, ha.
We re-traced our route along The Nuggets Road, before taking a left onto Karoro Creek Road. A right onto Ahuriri Flat Road took us to Ahuriri Flat, where we turned left onto Owaka Highway. We were now chasing a waterfall, so drove through Owaka (our destination for tonight) and onto the Southern Scenic Route (Papatowai Highway) to drive around the end of Catlins Lake, over the Catlins River Bridge and onto the Purakaunui Falls Road which took us almost to the falls. From the car park we had a short walk to view the falls. With recent rain we were rewarded with a good flow of water over the falls. Ha, ha, waterfalls are unreliable too, depending on rainfall but we were at least lucky with that one today.
We drove back to Owaka – place of the canoe. We tried to check in at the Owaka Lodge Motel. Oh, no, there was no booking for us. Gaynor thought perhaps we had booked the Catlins Area Motel down the road?? Bernie was sure he had booked the Owaka Lodge but could not find a confirmation email in our emails. Oops! Gaynor showed us to the room she had available for tonight and we said, yes, we’ll take it. We did the paperwork and asked if the Catlins Inn (that we could see at the end of the street) would be open for dinner tonight. No, they are closed BUT the Lumberjack Cafe is very good, the chef is German. Phew, looks like we have got a bed and a meal tonight.
Bernie checked on Google and the Lumberjack Cafe rates very well (4.7) but closes at 7.15pm unless by prior arrangement. That being the case, we walked up the street for an early dinner. With the restaurant full of locals on a Friday night that boded well for a good feed. Initially we were seated on stools in the front window but, when a couple of even earlier diners left, we were moved to a table. The food WAS very good. I had tonight’s special, a Lumberjack spin on a Reuben sandwich and Bernie enjoyed a Lumberjack Burger. The German influence was noticeable in the sauerkraut and pickled red cabbage on our respective meals.
We walked a circuit around town on our way back to our motel and walked past … the canoe. Owaka is named after the traditional Maori canoes which were built and repaired on the banks of the Owaka and Catlin Rivers. The stylised waka sculpture in the centre of town, designed by Russell Beck, has the proportions of a waka tiwai, or river canoe, but also incorporates general waka features. The open lattice-work design of the hull and the woven design of the sail are inspired by traditional Maori flax-weaving.
While we walking back from the lighthouse earlier, Bernie was saying that he’s going to check out the albatross live feed after we get home. They set up a camera on one of the nests each breeding season and viewers can watch the ‘star chick’ from hatching to fledging. That led to talking about the peregrine falcon cam at 367 Collins Street. I said it can be difficult watching these wild bird cameras if things go wrong. You get invested in their progress and it’s sad if they don’t make it. Anyhow, would you believe that when I looked at Facebook after dinner, I had an alert telling me that three peregrine falcon chicks have successfully hatched in Melbourne??! What a coincidence.
Steps: 9,733 (6.36kms)
