The Catlins May 2

I awoke at the tender hour of 4 and set off in the moonlight for Nugget Point in the Catlins, the stretch of mostly uninhabited coast south of Dunedin, where I hoped to catch the sunrise. Leaving for a trip early in the morning is something I sorely miss from my childhood and something that I rarely get to do because so few of the trips are by myself (or with willing participants) these days. Apparently only duck hunters are awake this early on a Sunday as I confused and disappointed the officer who pulled me over. Sunrise could have been more spectacular if certain clouds were in certain other places, but it was still worth getting up for. I then stopped at Barr Falls (lame) and Purakaunui Falls, one of New Zealand's more famous waterfalls, before heading onto Cathedral Caves just past low tide. My time was limited by the tides so I rushed to survey the cave in a little more than an hour. Its length turned out to be quite respectable and it is one of the 20 longest sea caves in the world. I still need to fix up the sketch and maybe do some cross sections next time I am down that way. I then went on to McLean Falls where I was delighted to find not just one, but several, picturesque falls. The creek was flowing high from the recent rains which gave the falls a slight tinge of sediment and plant tannins. Although probably already too cold this season, the creek could make a worthwhile canyoning trip in the summer.


Nugget Point


Purakaunui Falls


Cathedral Caves




McLean Falls