Wharariki Beach

The next day we picked up an Austrian hitchhiker named Christian and headed to a beach. It certainly wasn't swimming weather but we had some fantastic baby seal encounters and spotted a pilot whale.

That night we downed some wild pork pie and home-brewed beer and feijoa crumbles at the Mussel Inn. For a bar in the middle of nowhere, there was quite an alternative crowd for Jacky Tar, an Irish band that was quite fun. There was a baby at the bar, not the first time we've seen it here; they even have play areas in the bars. We danced the night away with the old, the young, and the dreadlocked. New Zealand brews some really excellent beer, which easily rivals the best breweries I've known in the US.

The following day we finished off our weekend with some memorable sea kayaking in the Golden Bay area. We had a pleasant lunch on a beach, looking at the shells and feeling like we were the only people for miles. After we finished, Nissa lingered in the water for a while and suddenly began waving her arms frantically. Turns out a giant sting ray was passing by, a little too close for comfort, and I caught its shadowy figure as it swam away.