We're talking about the rare New Zealand Hooker sea lions. Obviously.
We'd read that they were visible from the lovely Nugget Point out here on the "wild Catlins coast" as it is called. We hiked up to the lighthouse lookout point where the "nuggets" were visible and, although we could hear many calls from the fur seals down below, we were too high to actually see anything (even through the binoculars!). Perhaps there were sea lions there as well?
The Hookers live mostly down around the sub-antarctic Auckland islands (about 460km further south of the bottom of the South Island). That said, a few started breeding along the Catlins Coast and there is a small population here now. The trick is to find them!
A tip from a gal we met while waiting for the Little Blues last night led us to drive further down the coast to Surat Bay where we could supposedly walk out along the beach a few kilometers for some up close viewing.
The rain subsided long enough for us to make the walk out pleasantly and we weren't disappointed. Rounding the first corner we were met with our first Hooker... sound asleep.
As sea lions can get quite large (males up to about 500kg) and can move with surprising speed, we kept a wide berth. All along the beach were sleeping lions, popping their heads up only when they got a whiff of us (maybe because we haven't showered for a few days?!?!).
At the farthest end of the beach was an active group of about six Hookers. The enormous male was giving lessons on how to assert your territory and how to guard your harem to the young males he was schooling. All lessons Keir paid close attention to! Hee hee.
A short drive further down the road landed us at the DOC campsite at Purakaunui Beach where the jagged cliffs surround us and seals play in the surf out front. Not bad at all!
Did you know my Grandmother was a hooker? She had all the hookers over every Thursday. She loved to talk about her hookers and her hooking. In fact, one of her rug hookings in hanging in Black Creek Pioneer Village.
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