The 309 and the pigs! 02/11/16

Need to cut down on the narrative now as limited battery supply on the phone!

Today we first spent more time with the ducks and ducklings. We learnt that the mother duck with a hobble was the mother of six ducklings and was there every year. We spent a while guiding her back to three of her ducklings that she seemed to have forgotten about and then headed to Fletcher Bay for a walk.

Fletcher Bay was another DOC camp and looked into a lovely little Bay. Our plan was to walk for a few hours along to a viewpoint but clouds that hugged the mountains around us brought wind and rain so we gave it a miss as we could see more and more creeping towards us.

We journeyed back along the gravel and to the 309 highway to get to the other side of the peninsula and see the pigs on the way!

The wild but now pet pigs were adorable! We were told to stop and get out if we wanted so we did and there were about 100 pigs and tiny piglets roaming free. Apparently poachers had been the night before, the Welsh man who lives in the caravan here with the pigs scared them away his gun though. He was also keen to share his vegan views and we found out the pigs aren't actually his but he looks after them for now. They are very wiry but really friendly and just fall to the floor when you rub their belly. Only downside....I got bitten to death by some stupid flies and days later they still itch like mad!

After this we stopped at another gorgeous waterfall in the forest and then continued to Hot Water Beach with the hopes we would be there in time to dig a hole to get some hot water before the tide came in.... we didn't.
We chilled by the sea for a bit and watched the awesome and very neat barrels that were forming and then headed to our camp for the night, Riverglen.

Lovely spot, cheaper than most and friendlier too. Had a plan to form more plans for the following week but got talking instead to fellow campers who shared with us some good spots and camps from their travels. We chatted for ages and eventually headed to bed.

We had also planned on getting up early to dig a hole at hot water beach, just after low tide at 4am, and to watch the sunrise. This was looking less likely now!Read more