Day 19: Seal of approval

I realised today that I had gone about as far south and as close to Antarctica as I'm ever really likely to get. The furthest north I've been is Inverness in Scotland, so that's quite a span I think.

The destination in sight today was the Cathedral Caves in Chaslands, so I started off with quite a span of driving. Once I got there, traversing a stretch of gravel road (always nervewracking in the van), some two-way roads that really should have been one-way roads, and loooooooong distances between public restrooms, I encountered the most New Zealand of things. The hike to get to the place you've come to see. The 1.5km in was no problem at all, but with every step of the 100m decline I knew I would hate past me in such a short time.

The beach at the bottom was rather beautiful, with its bright turquoise waters, and it was only a short stroll across the sands to get to the caves.

There were quite a few visitors at the cave today, but with a lot of patience and a bit of playing chicken with the weaving crowds, I managed to get some photos with a minimum of people.

I really wanted to go in and take a photo looking out at the beach but that water there was a bit deeper than it might appear and I was not too keen on wading through it (it was rather cold). I had watched a few people climb up on the rocks and inch their way in and over the water, so I gave it a go.

I got a few steps further than here before I realised that (1) I was asking for trouble, really, and (2) that woman in pink had no intentions of moving. So, grateful that I had had the forethought to remove shoes and socks, and roll up the jeans, into the water I went. It was up to mid-calf and quite possibly the coldest water I've ever been in. The glacial waters the rivers I'd splashed in were colder - but I wasn't standing in those! By the time I had waded across the 15 metres or so up onto the sand, my toes were numb.

Still, I think it was worth it.

The cave looped around through the rock in a big U-shape, so around I went and came out the other end.

It was a really fun experience, not having been in many caves so accessible. And my goodness was it nice to put my shoes and socks back on. They've never felt so warm.

The walk (trudge) back up the hill was less fun, and I truly reached a new low when at the halfway mark I collapsed onto a seat to catch my breath, only to see a man, clearly in his late sixties at a generous best, JOG PAST ME UP THE MOUNTAIN. I was proud of the fact that I had closed my exercise ring 2.5 times by the end of the day, but nothing will make up for that humiliation.

Having made it to the top and back to the carpark (where another senior citizen gave me a thumbs up and a 'you made it!'), I looped around the coastline and started my northward descent to Nugget Point.

I had wanted to go to Nugget Point for a few reasons:

1. I thought Alex would like the name.
2. There's a lighthouse and I like lighthouses.
3. It's a nature reserve and I had read accounts of people seeing some seals up close.

Walking the kilometre or so from the car park I looked over the edge of the walkway (which are always too narrow in my opinion) and way off in the distance I saw a seal swimming away in the ocean! It swam along with the point so I was able to follow it as I went, and I thought that was pretty cool.

Nugget Point Lighthouse was everything I wanted in a lighthouse. It had the great path leading up, a wonderful view, and looked great against the ocean backdrop.

All around the back of the lighthouse was a viewing platform with great views of the coastline and rock formations. All around on the closest outcroppings were more seals! And what they lacked in proximity they made up for in antics, with two of them running (flopping?) about on the shore.

On the way from the point to my campsite I saw what I believe to be a New Zealand sea lion on the beach, mere metres from the road. It was just sitting there tall and proud on the water's edge, massive and a wonderful silver compared the smaller fur seals I'd been seeing. I pulled the van over and lept out, hoping to get a photo, but by the time I got the camera ready he had jumped in and swam off, giving a sassy flip of the fin as he did so. Rude.

Animal Sightings:

• cows
• sheep
• horse
• fur seals
• sea lion
• what I'm convinced was an albatross... that or an inordinately large seagull
• a stoat! I know they're a plight, but I didn't realise they were so cute and little!

Today's Playlist:

• Do Go On #28: Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
• Do Go On #29: Former Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov and His Crazy Antics
• Do Go On #30: Marvel Universe
• Do Go On #31: Marie Curie
• Reply All #19: Underdog
• Unprompted and Unwanted #15

Daily Stats:

Kilometres Travelled: 298km (3842 in total)

Times I nearly wet myself trying to find a bathroom: 2

Times I went OOOOH SEAL: 4

Number of sandfly bites on my feet: 16

Size of bruises on my thigh from the luge: 5cm on the right side, 11 on the left*

*this is an approximation, I didn't find a ruler. Though I did spend an insane amount of time trying to, essentially, photography my own butt to see if there was actually a bruise.