Fifth Stop - The Catlins

Today we head even further south to the explore the Catlins, the southeastern section of the South Island that features rugged coastlines and forests. 

First stop is Nugget Point. The last two miles to this location was the scariest drive we have done so far. Single vehicle lanes wound around blind curves that hugged a cliff-side. Coming back, we could see where the vehicles were supposed to “give way” to cars coming up, but we didn’t know this on the way up, so it was a bit stressful. We reached the small parking lot and began the 1 hour, there and back, walk to a lighthouse. 

This. Was. Spectacular!

So rugged and so beautiful in a very dangerous way. Huge waves crashed on the rocks way down in the deep below us. There were blue and dark swirling waters, frothed with foam onto green and rocky outcrops dotted with white birds. The sudden gusts of wind that made me clutch my kids’ hands and tell them to ignore trail courtesy and hover near the mountainside and not the cliff side. 

The drive was definitely worth it. 

Then we drove to Purakaunai Falls. This was completely different than Nugget Point. 

It was like we had stepped into Fern Gully, though it was too cold to be a tropical forest. It was a short 10 minute walk through moss covered trees and rocks to the triple decked Purakaunai Falls. Totally worth the short stop. 

Lastly, we headed to our next Department of Conservation unpowered campsite, Purakaunai Bay. This is another Narnia filming site, the location of the Cair Paravel at the end of the first movie and also where Aslan walks along the shore.

To get there, we drove the last several miles on a narrow gravel path that ended at the bay where you just found a place to park and camp. After driving back and forth a few times, we decided against off-roading it through the sand and grass like the trucks and Subaru surfers and just pulled off on a sensible gravel area. 

The view was still magnificent. And if you looked closely, you could just see Aslan walking along the shore heading to the utter east.

No cell coverage, no Wi-Fi. We would be here two nights.