Tuesday 18th April
Well today started out a lovely day. The weather has turned. Lucky us as apparently it has been raining on the west coast for 2 months. Phew!!

We went for a lovely walk this morning on the Cape Foulwinds track. Abel Tasman made his first anchorage at Cape Foulwinds in 1642. DB dropped us at the start, then drove to the finish and ran from there to meet us and walked the rest of the way back to us. There were a few steep bits but very enjoyable. The greenery has grown considerably since we were here last time, impeding the view but it was a pleasant 3km walk. There was a large seal colony along the way with many seal pups there frolicky in the pools and on the rocks.

We then headed to Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. An interesting rock formation that got its name because the rocks look like a stack of pancakes.

Then off to Hokitika Gorge. A short stroll, only 650m each way to the gorge over a swing bridge which was quite rickety with extra people on it. Then home to our accommodation. A quaint little farm cottage. On the way up the drive DB spotted an animal in the grass. He is amazing the way he always spots an animal movement. It was a European Hedgehog that looked up at us then went into camouflage mode. It had a very angelic little face.