A day out with Suzanne and Mark

On Tuesday Suzanne and Mark took us for a drive around some of the coastal areas.    The day was gloriously fine.    Perfect Southland weather.

After a necessary cup of coffee in a cafe in Riverton, we continued to Colac Bay.     I can remember it took simply ages crawling up over the hill, in Dad's small car, but now it takes only10 minutes to drive the same distance.

I spent many carefree holidays as a child at Colac Bay.    We had a holiday house in the camping ground.   I think there is now more gravel on the beach at the Eastern end, but otherwise it is still a lovely beach.    I can also remember being put on the deep end of the floundering net, as I was tall and I could swim.    I am glad I did not think about sharks in those days, because even down here in the freezing water there are still very large sharks around, with very large teeth.   Although the little sharks, called Gummy Sharks, obviously have no teeth.  I like them.

The very appropriately painted bus shelter at Colac Bay.

 The calm waters in the bay.    Last year it was blowing a gale when we were here, and the waves were high enough to suit the most skilled surf boarder.  There are a few holiday houses still at Colac Bay, and some land awaiting development, with no shelter from the winds and nearly on the same level as the sea, just waiting to be swept away in a tsunami.    I am also glad we were ignorant about tsunamis when we holidayed there.  

A very happy house awaiting renovation, at Colac Bay.    

 Monkey Island.   At low tide you can walk across and climb up to the lookout.    The island has nothing to do with monkeys, but was used as a lookout by the Maori in search of whales.

 Walter, Mark and Suzanne.    A lovely warm day, no coats or jumpers needed.

We then continued on around the south coast to Gemstone Beach.     There is black sand here, and gold flakes to be found, if you are patient enough.    There are also plenty of stones, that can be polished and used for jewellery.    

Looking for gold flakes and gemstones.  No sudden wealth found.

 This man, who by his appearance has not found much gold, or maybe he dressed roughly to give people the impression that gold mining was not lucrative.    Just in case they came in their thousands, as they used to in the gold rushes.   A stream provided ready running water for his sluice, and he gave us an interesting talk about how it was all done.  Much patience is needed I think.

 Someone gave up hunting for gemstones or sluicing for gold, and made a very interesting sculpture out of pieces of driftwood.    Probably more money is to be made from sculpting.

 The sea here had serious undertow issues.    Not a place to even paddle.   You could find yourself down at the South Pole before you had time to blink.

Back to lunch at Riverton Rocks.    Delicious fresh blue cod.    Southland has the most delicious fresh fish.   It is worth coming to the south, just for the fish.  

 The southern coastal roads are also a well hidden treasure, which tourists by pass for the well advertised mountain regions.  

We certainly had a lovely day out.