Clifden - Monkey Island - Riverton - Invercargill - Nugget Point

Ken and I spontaneously traveled together for two more days. We visited the Clifden Caves, where I could see glowworms up close for the first time (they're really worms!) and also admired the sticky threads they use to catch their prey. At McCracken's Rest, we encountered the coast for the first time, searched in vain for gemstones at Gemstone Beach, and spent the night at a campsite before Monkey Island. During low tide, you can walk dry-footed from the beach to Monkey Island, and since low tide coincided perfectly with sunset, I settled down there on a rock with some other people just before that.

The St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church in Riverton is said to be the prettiest church in the region according to the guidebook. It didn't give me the Wow effect, but perhaps it's still prettier than all the others.

In Invercargill, we took a little walk and visited the water tower, discovered several nicer churches than the one in Riverton, and saw a sundial shaped like a parasol. Demolition World is a 'village' completely made up of parts from demolished buildings and recycled materials. The buildings referred to as 'highlights' in the guidebook include a theater, an old school, a church, and a candy shop. Ten years ago, it probably was cool, but since then, no one seems to have taken care of it, and everything looks quite run down. I really need to stop believing the guidebook with these things.

The goal was to reach a beach in the evening where yellow-eyed penguins live, which meant either Curio Bay or a bit further at Nugget Point. So we still had time to drive to Stirling Point on the Bluff Peninsula near Invercargill, where a signpost stands—its counterpart being at the other end of the country at Cape Reinga—and the sculpture of an anchor chain disappears into the sea. It symbolizes the connection between Stirling Point and Lee Bay on Stewart Island, where there seems to be an almost identical sculpture. According to Māori tradition, the South Island is the canoe of the demigod Maui, and Stewart Island is the anchor stone of Maui's canoe.

Afterward, we went to the Waipapa Lighthouse, where we could observe some sea lions, and to Slope Point, the southernmost point of the South Island, before we reached Curio Bay. Curio Bay is usually a good place to watch dolphins, see fossilized trees, and spot penguins in the evening. Unfortunately, not only was the entire beach closed, but the Penguin Track was also inaccessible. So we drove to the town of Owaka, set up camp there, and had something to eat before heading to Nugget Point in the evening.

At Nugget Point, there is a small hut that serves as a hide to watch yellow-eyed penguins. Unlike, for example, little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins only come ashore when they're among themselves. Therefore, starting from 3 PM, the beach is not supposed to be entered anymore, as the penguins might have chicks to care for, and if they don't dare to come ashore, they digest the food meant for their chicks themselves, which reduces the quality of the food for the chicks.

When we arrived at the shelter around 7 PM, there was already a volunteer from DOC who was on his first shift today, and a couple who were cooking dinner. Over time, the shelter filled up more and more, and from the DOC staff, we learned that this year there is only one pair of yellow-eyed penguins living at Nugget Point, which unfortunately has no chicks. Ten years ago, there were still 25 pairs of yellow-eyed penguins, meaning 50 individual penguins. So the likelihood of seeing a penguin this year is quite low. Nevertheless, around 8 PM, a yellow-eyed penguin waddled out of the water and dried off for a while in the setting sun before disappearing into the bushes. That was truly magical!