Dunedin

 Dunedin 

The South Islands second largest city, a university city where more than a fifth of people living there are students and it is a fun city.

Our first stop for those that had signed up to a wild life tour was at the docks to board a converted trawler. We were soon making our way up from the inner harbour to the open sea. The Otago Peninsula that makes up one side of the harbour was created by 18 volcanoes. This is just one of many.

This is Quarantine Island where new hopeful settlers would have to quarantine to prove the they had no dangerous illnesses. This island was only for married couples, single women and children

Some of the facilities on Quarantine Island.

The much bleaker and smaller Goat Island with no preserved buildings was used as a quarantine camp for single men.

A view of the chilled and cold storage facilities attached to Port Chalmers, the major industrial port of Dunedin. 

The local university research ship sailed past us. 

One of the major cargoes of the port, rounds of logs for export to China who convert it into furniture or paper and sell it back to the rest of the world.

A time signal. The black ball would be hoisted to the top at 3 minutes to 1pm. At exactly 1pm, it would drop back to its previous position. It was a time signal to allow captain's to synchronise their time pieces and allow them to accurately navigate the oceans by te=he stars and the time. 

One of the cargo ships in port.

Another container ship being unloaded.

The local fishing fleet harbour next door to Port chalmers.

And in the next bay was the local pleasure marina. 

Part of the whole point of the trip was to see some wildlife, here is a Blue Penguin, but it is brown because it is moulting. 

A bunker...

...and several more bunkers built in 1880s when it was feared the Russia might launch an invasion in retaliation for the Crimean War where tensions continue today with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

A cluster of chimney pot nests used by albatrosses.

A fluffy white ball of feathers, a young albatross waiting for a returning parent to fed it...

...and a couple more youngsters waiting to be fed. 

A busy colony of sea birds.

A NZ Fur Seal, bottom left hand corner sitting on the grey rocks with the red rocs behind it. 

The local Morae or Moari meeting house near Wellers Rock where many of the local Moari chieftains made their mark to sign the peace treaty between them and the European settlers. 

The arch at the entrance.

Mount Charles and beneath it, Saunders Bay, named by Captain Cook after one of his fellow captain and friend, Charles Saunders.

Just around the corner is Boulder Bay where three rare and endangered Yellow Eyed Penguins had built burrows and that was enough to shut the beach to the public for the season in this very consciensious and eco-friendly country,