THURSDAY--MARCH 17, 2011

 SEALS ON WARM ROCKS

SEALS ON WARM ROCKS

SEALS IN WATER AND ON ROCKS

DOLPHINS AT PLAY NEAR COASTLINE

DOLPHINS AT PLAY NEAR THE COASTLINE

DOLPHIN COMPLETELY AIR BORNE

STATUE OF COLLIE DOG USED IN SHEEP HERDING

LAKE TEPAKO

JOHN ON SHORE OF LAKE TEPAKO

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

CROSS ON ALTAR WITH LAKE TEPAKO OUT THE WINDOW

RAM'S HEAD STATUE IN HOTEL GARDEN

Leaving Blenheim, we continue our trip south on the south island.  The sky and clouds were very pretty as the sun began to show itself to us.  The highway parallels the Pacific Ocean to our left.  From our coach we can see the beach and the ocean.  We stopped along the highway at a lookout point to see seals on the rocks below.  The Kaikoura Mountains to our right still have a little ice and snow on the top.  Along the side of the road in the ocean were hundreds, maybe thousands, of dolphins swimming, playing, and completely coming straight up out of the water, as high out of the water as the length of their bodies.  Although we watched for whales from the coach while traveling, we were not privileged to see any.  When we stopped for a morning tea or coffee break, I continue to observe the price of almost any cup of tea or coffee to be about four or five dollars a cup (no refill).  We traveled across the Canterbury Plains to Lake Tepako where we saw a statue to commemorate the sheep dog.  We also visited the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of Lake Tepako.  Although we continued to travel within sight of Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, we could not see the peak due to the low clouds.  Large canals have been built to utilize the water from three large lakes—Tepako, Pukaki, and Ohau--to generate hydroelectric power using the same water over again as it descends from the mountains.  Tonight, we stay in Omarama at Heritage Gateway Hotel.