Eight Meters Underground and Soaking Wet

Yesterday's big event was caving in Clifden. The cave is accessible to the public and well marked by the Department of Conservation, but is not guided in any way. We were the only visitors there and it was awesome! I kept thinking that we may have found ourselves a new hobby. The cave was "live" with lots of water and soft, soft rock. Our impact on the cave's future was evident, so we moved very carefully. The cave wasn't as spacious as the others we visited and there were several areas where we had to shimmy on our stomachs to get through tight spaces. It was less claustrophobic than I anticipated. The only trouble came when I got lost in thought and tried to crack my head open on an overhang. (Don't worry, Mom, there was no blood or concussion.) The best part was that we came out of the cave dirty and wet and feeling adventurous.

Thus far, Hart and I have moved much more quickly than either of us anticipated we would. Neither of us feel like we've been rushed, though, so we'll just keep cruising along, stopping where we want to go.

We started off on the Southern Scenic Route, one of New Zealand's official scenic drives, yesterday. We're headed to the Catlins Coast in the southeast corner of the south island. It is described as a beautiful and relatively undiscovered area with a diverse collection of rare wildlife. There are lots of nooks and crannies on the drive, but we've only stopped a few times so far. Once was to look for Hector's dolphins, the smallest variety of dolphin, to no avail. The weather is still wild, with lots of rain (and hail) and stormy seas. We plan to do a lot on and near the water, but the weather may restrict us. No worries though, as we'll find plenty of other activities to keep us busy. And if we don't see the animals we're looking for, we'll have to come back to New Zealand. :)