NZ - Otago Peninsula

Our friends in Dunedin recommended that we drive out to the Otago Peninsula which lies on the southern side of the Dunedin harbour.

It was a gloomy overcast day as we found our way through the city and out to the peninsula. It's a narrow road that winds it way out beside the water.

The Otago Harbour is the remains of an old volcano and it is quite large. I suspect you could fir several Sydney Harbours in here.

Little fishing sheds line the harbour shore.

For such a magnificent shore line there are surprisingly few houses. 

We stopped at the little village of Portobello for lunch.

Where I buy my fashionable clothes.

A cruise ship. because of high winds it had difficulty berthing at its usual wharf.

Unusual fence.

We got back into the car and headed east. Fortunately there was not much traffic so despite all the bends it was easy driving.

The cruise ship.

The road climbs a steep hill on the way out to Tairora Head.

Supposedly you are able to albatrosses here but we did not see any.

This is the end of a tiny peninsula that sticks out into the harbour. The cruise ship would have passed on this side of the peninsula.

Fearsome looking thistle.

Lighthouse at the tip.

Kelp swirling around in the waves.

Some sort of bird nesting on the cliffs.

Marianne was intrigued by these garages. As she took the photos she noticed that the owner was watching her and so they both waved.

Most of the houses are relatively modest. It reminded us of the sea side resorts of years ago.

It's really quite deserted out here despite the wonderful views. I suspect that if you drove out here in forty years this will be wall to wall mansions. Buy now. We subsequently decided that if we had to move to NZ, this area is where we would live.

I loved the green.

We had been advised by our friends to take a road over the hills to return to Dunedin. It was quite a climb up a very narrow road but it was worth it. I would not want to drive that road every day however. 

Eventually we could look south to more views of the ocean.

If you had a house on top of the hills you could have both harbour and ocean views.

Dunedin in the distance.

Dunedin's surf beach.

We really enjoyed this drive particularly as the sun reappeared later in the day.