Friday, August 21st, the weather in Dunedin was beautiful and spring-like. People were walking around in shorts and sandals. We were wearing jackets of course but not our heaviest, wool ones. Lexie had just gotten back from Illinois, & we had been telling her about the great penguin reserve at Moeraki. So we decided to drive up there and see them again -- who knows, it may be our last time! We had lunch at Fleurs (of course) and I tried the monkfish which is now my new favorite thing to eat there.
Then we headed to the lighthouse to see the penguins. And they were so loud! I wish we had done some video so you could hear how loud they were. These two were right near the fence separating the penguin reserve area from the sheep pasture.
They didn't run away when we were walking by. They just froze and glared at us -- annoyed that we had interrupted their conversation.
Here's Lexie and me in the sheep pasture -- can you spot the penguins? Oh, and notice the hats and coats? As soon as we got out of the car at the lighthouse, the weather seemed to change instantly. It got windy and pretty cold, but we have learned to always pack hats and gloves now.
This fat little guy stood at this exact spot for about 30 minutes. As if we couldn't figure out where he was headed? Tricky penguins.
Penguins are pretty considerate though, freezing so that we can get better photos.
Look how tan Lexie is? You can tell she hasn't spent all winter in Dunedin. And I love the penguin watching her as we watch him.
Going in for a hug?
Or penguin kisses!
Once you walk out almost to the end of the peninsula at Moeraki, there are a lot of NZ fur seals resting on the grass. Or sea sheep as we have been calling them. They look like they're sleeping but always have one eye open to make sure you're behaving.
And spring time means baby fur seals! Look how cute this little guy is!
And he kept posing for us. I just wanted to hug him....but even though I couldn't see the mama seal, I knew she was probably watching. So no seal hugs for me. And the thing probably smelled pretty fishy.
It is nice living next to the Pacific.
Dan approaching the fur seals...just asking for trouble.
More baby fur seals. These guys were just sleeping though & weren't as cute as the first one.
Dan trying to sleep with the seals. And not get bitten.
The penguins travel such a distance to get from the sea to their nests every day. You can see the sheep pasture that we were at in this picture. Some penguins walk beyond that to get to their nests. You can almost make out the penguins in the distance is this photo -- they're the white spots a little way below the fence.
This was so funny. The penguin kept moving sticks in his beak to, I don't know, improve his nest? And the rabbits were everywhere. Neither rabbits nor penguins really seemed to notice each other. Then I twisted my ankle on one of the rabbit holes that were everywhere. The rabbits are still cute, but I can see why farmers don't like them - the whole place was torn up.
Dan took this picture -- penguin in the tussocks.
The penguin didn't appreciate the efforts. But we loved watching the penguins and the seals and will miss coming to this place.
Then we headed to the lighthouse to see the penguins. And they were so loud! I wish we had done some video so you could hear how loud they were. These two were right near the fence separating the penguin reserve area from the sheep pasture.
They didn't run away when we were walking by. They just froze and glared at us -- annoyed that we had interrupted their conversation.
Here's Lexie and me in the sheep pasture -- can you spot the penguins? Oh, and notice the hats and coats? As soon as we got out of the car at the lighthouse, the weather seemed to change instantly. It got windy and pretty cold, but we have learned to always pack hats and gloves now.
This fat little guy stood at this exact spot for about 30 minutes. As if we couldn't figure out where he was headed? Tricky penguins.
Penguins are pretty considerate though, freezing so that we can get better photos. 
Look how tan Lexie is? You can tell she hasn't spent all winter in Dunedin. And I love the penguin watching her as we watch him. 
Going in for a hug?
Or penguin kisses!
Once you walk out almost to the end of the peninsula at Moeraki, there are a lot of NZ fur seals resting on the grass. Or sea sheep as we have been calling them. They look like they're sleeping but always have one eye open to make sure you're behaving.
And spring time means baby fur seals! Look how cute this little guy is!
And he kept posing for us. I just wanted to hug him....but even though I couldn't see the mama seal, I knew she was probably watching. So no seal hugs for me. And the thing probably smelled pretty fishy.
It is nice living next to the Pacific. 
Dan approaching the fur seals...just asking for trouble.
More baby fur seals. These guys were just sleeping though & weren't as cute as the first one.
Dan trying to sleep with the seals. And not get bitten.
The penguins travel such a distance to get from the sea to their nests every day. You can see the sheep pasture that we were at in this picture. Some penguins walk beyond that to get to their nests. You can almost make out the penguins in the distance is this photo -- they're the white spots a little way below the fence.
This was so funny. The penguin kept moving sticks in his beak to, I don't know, improve his nest? And the rabbits were everywhere. Neither rabbits nor penguins really seemed to notice each other. Then I twisted my ankle on one of the rabbit holes that were everywhere. The rabbits are still cute, but I can see why farmers don't like them - the whole place was torn up.
The penguin didn't appreciate the efforts. But we loved watching the penguins and the seals and will miss coming to this place.
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