After Curio Bay we turned about and drove back to Invercargill, stopping there to stimulate the local economy (another Kathmandu, Warehouse, E. Hayes, the famous hardware store, Countdown) and then proceeded westward along the coast, stopping at Cozy Nook and then spending the rest of the day and night at Monkey Island Beach. Next day, January 30th, we left the coast near Mackinnon's Rest, and headed north into Fiordland.
 |
Hayes' hardware store; could well be the world's largest, as sometimes claimed;
I easily found the obscure bit of iron-mongery I had been looking for all the way
from Christchurch |
 |
Hayes is equally well-known as the resting place of Burt Munro's souped-up
1920 Indian, on which he set a world land speed record in the 50s, the subject
of an Anthony Hopkins film of note;Munro was an Invercargillian; Hayes' is
as much a museum of motorcycles and race cars and other curiosities as a
hardware store; Invercargill's other very famous resident is dealt with at:
http://roadeveron.blogspot.co.nz/2009/02/henry-tuatara.html |
 |
| Could easily pass as scenery from Acadia National Park in Maine; but better |
 |
| The southern coast is generally a windy place, but this day was relatively calm |
 |
| Interesting house on the road to Monkey Island |
 |
| Monkey Island Beach, as far as the eye can see |
 |
Monkey Island, at low tide; we walked out and climbed to its little
observation deck |
 |
| Incredibly clear water |
 |
The beach; and cliffs; Monkey Island was so-called because of a monkey-winch
installed there to bring ships up onto the beach |
 |
| We were not alone |
 |
Incoming tide, and Monkey Island is again an island; think: Mount St. Michel;
no, don't |
 |
| Sunset on the beach and cliffs |
 |
| Sunset on the beach |
 |
Our encampment; it's a "freedom" camping spot, and became quite crowded
as the evening progressed |
 |
| Next morning, looking across the bay toward Fiordland |
 |
| Pano of Monkey Island Beach (click to enlarge) |
 |
On down the road, at Mackinnon's Rest (ah, memories of '45, the Mackinnons
of Skye...rusty nails...) |
 |
Looking the other way, more miles of deserted beach; note the wind has picked
up, blowing hard toward the sea...Fiordland in the backgound |
 |
One of the more locally-oriented Kiwi signposts (usually they'll tell you the
distance to London, Tokyo, or New York) |
