Day Twelve: Picton and the Queen Charlotte Sound: Sea lions and shags and showers

This morning, after filling up on cake, (not really... but there was a lot of this kind of stuff about), we boarded a smallish boat to cruise round the Queen Charlotte Sound.

As you can see, it was quite a gloomy day.

And it kind of got gloomier and gloomier...

And darker and darker...

However, the sun came out when we docked at a small island, which had some nice Maori tikis.

However, right after I took the above photos, the heavens opened and I had to run to a shelter for several minutes. When it let up a bit I noticed this Paradise Duck family.

The chick is on the far left, looking a little like a rock.

 

  

 Back on the boat, when I was not getting drenched on deck I managed to get close to some Spotted Shags.

And dozing New Zealand seals:

And here are some King Shags:

We had lunch in Picton, before heading further south down the coast.

 

There were seals and sea lions along the rocky coast toward Kaikoura:

 

And we hiked up to a waterfall pool where baby sea lions would spend the day while their mothers were out at sea. It was late in the season so there was only one young one in the pool, which was way upstream and very rocky on the way - I can't imagine making it up there with only flippers!

Ohau waterfall:

He swam so close to me I could not even focus properly with my long lens, but I like the painted light effect.

And.. scene!

 That night and the next we stayed in Kaikoura, and both nights ate at a very fab restaurant, or gastro pub, The Pier Hotel. Here is my dessert the first night:

And yes, it tasted as good as it looks!