Tiki Touring in Dunedin
15 March 2014 | Carey's Bay, Port Otago
David and Andrea
After the bouncy ride back to “The Bosom” we rode the flood tide out of Foveaux strait, doubling Chaslands Mistake in the early evening and drawing abreast of Nugget Point and its Nuggets later on. Bitter cold on watch overnight and a grey watery dawn, but by 9 the channel past Taiaroa head into Port Otago and Dunedin was in our sights. Diomedea was able to berth at the fisherman’s wharf in Carey’s Bay, Port Chalmers for the cost of a slab of beer. The Otago Yacht Club, further up the estuary can provide a berth but is really not available for yachts drawing more than 2 m (like us). The tides flow fiercely in the channel of this port and even at neaps we got 1.5-2 kt flows. We observed the effects of wind against tide in the harbour a day later and it was not pretty. What was pretty and very convenient was the nicely restored bluestone and quoin hotel, now restaurant and bar one minute’s walk from the wharf. Built as an upmarket hotel in the late 1800’s it was variously raped and abandoned by sundry owners before the renovation by the irrepressible Cushla Martini. The shellfish platter is outstanding. Diesel is available at the dock and Port Chalmers has an excellent New World supermarket. Water was rather more problematic. David had an unplanned and unpleasant encounter with a local shipwright who clearly was not employed by the Port Chalmers Tourist Welcome Board. With a few days up our sleeve we set off for some good old-fashioned tiki touring. First up was the amazing Larnach castle high on the Otago peninsula. An incredible story which could be a TV mini-series, a herculean restoration effort, and a magnificent garden. Highly recommended. In the garden we spotted Stillbocarpa Polaris, a megaherb unique to the sub-Antarctic islands, particularly Auckland Island. Known by 18th century sealers as an anti-scorbutic, it was a lifesaver for the sailors of the wreck of the Grafton in the 19th century, who survived 18 months on this island before building a seaworthy craft and self-rescuing. (Read Islands of the Lost, by Joan Druett) Well, OK, they also munched on quite a few sea lions.
A visit to the Royal Albatross colony at Taiaroa head seemed an unlikely way for us to spend money (we see them all the time offshore) but the tour of this remarkable breeding ground was excellent and we came away very satisfied. Then off down the southern scenic route for a good look at “The Nuggets” and nearby “Roaring Beach” with its fur seals doing radical re-entries in the clean 2m surf. Over to the Catlins for a 3 hour walk up the River Trail before returning home. The final tick on the Dunedin bucket list was a walk through the old town and a visit to the wonderful Otago Settlers Museum. This is very new and well done. It commences with Maori settlement but concentrates on European peoples thereafter and is a must for all you Celts and wannabe Scots. What is depressing for me is that objects from my childhood are now being displayed in such museums. I instantly recognized the attractive blue and white box and beaming young chap on the lid of the “Phillips Electronic Engineer” kit.