Touring
New Zealand by Car
December 2000, February, March 2001
Otago Peninsula
Drove out of Dunedin onto the Otago Peninsula to see the Royal Albatrosse
Colony.
Royal Albatrosses are very protected at Otago. Groups of 15 persons at a time
are allowed to go to the observation hut to view the nesting birds. We saw two nests with
a chick in each. There were also several juveniles flynig overhead. One juvenile kept
landing close to and bothering one of the chicks.
The albatross site is also the historical site of a disapearing gun. Otago
peninsula was fortified in the 19th century to prevent the Russian fleet from expanding
into the Pacific. Otago Peninsula was one of the four sites in New Zealand fortified to
protect a major harbour. The restored site, under the nexting birds, includes an
observation post and the disappearing gun.
The gun is massive and is still functional. This site was manned during the
Great War and the World War (World War I and II respectively). Paula and I turned two
great wheels and the gun swiveled left and right on well greased bearings.
S/V
TETHYS
