Rambling Chronicles: Day 44 – Wellington, New Zealand

We sailed into Wellington this morning on an overcast and chilly morning. I wasn’t complaining, however. I’ll take chilly over hot any day!

Coastline of the Cook Strait As We Sailed into Wellington

After listening to the port talk on Wellington two days ago, Tim and I decided to switch our excursion from the included one to an optional tour, “Seal Watching at Tongue Point.” We thought it might be fun to try something different. This is the description of what we expected to see:

Journey along New Zealand’s rugged coast in a 4x4 to Tongue Point, and observe fur seals and other wildlife. Depart the pier and venture across the wide-open spaces of a large coastal ranch. Your guide will tell tales of the area’s early farmers as you keep an eye out for wild goats and horses, as well as deer, ostriches and cattle. While the famous Leaning Lighthouse and spectacular vistas will certainly capture your attention, the main attraction here is the seals. Make your way onto the beach of Tongue Point, and watch the adorable New Zealand fur seals basking in the sun and slipping into the water for a swim. A short walk lets you observe these fascinating creatures up close and take in the beauty of the landscape. Afterward, enjoy a refreshment before returning to your awaiting ship.

New Zealand has very strict biosecurity precautions to prevent the introduction or transfer of organic materials. For that reason, visitors may not bring any food or similar items into the country. In Wellington, we were subject to a mandatory biosecurity inspection, which was conducted by an inspector and detector dog. I was even pulled over for a random bag check.

Our Inspectors

We boarded our 4x4 Sprinter van, which was the same size as the one in which Tim and I full-timed for five years, and headed out through New Zealand’s capital city. We began to climb one of the many hills that seem to characterize New Zealand and entered Stellin Memorial Park, which provided a sweeping view of the city and surrounding area.

Expansive Views of Wellington, Sarah and Tim, and the Guides for Our Two Vans

This Sprinter Van Took Us Everywhere

We continued climbing and descending ever more hills, but those were nothing compared to what we would traverse on the way to Tongue Point. Andrew, our guide, turned off the highway and unlocked the gate to Terawhiti Station, one of New Zealand's oldest sheep stations, or farms. Terawhiti Station is a private farm of 13,000 acres and has remained in the same family since its founding in the 1840s. Today, it is a cattle and sheep farm that has evolved into a wind farm.

I Loved the Cheeky Caution Sign Upon Entering Terawhiti Station

Meridian Energy had hoped to purchase Terawhiti Station to harness a valuable but much maligned Wellington resource – the area’s strong winds. Wellington, in fact, is the world’s windiest city, surpassing Chicago. The owners of the station refused to sell, agreeing instead to lease the land. The West Wind project that was established here and on an adjacent farm is New Zealand’s largest wind farm and can power up to 70,000 average homes.

The roads that were created by Meridian Energy for the project enabled us to drive through the station and past the many wind turbines to reach Tongue Point. It was quite a rollercoaster ride, with lots of ups and downs, and we bounced along on the very narrow road with many steep drop-offs. I loved it! The views of the hills and the Cook Strait beyond were spectacular.

An Incredible Drive through Amazing Scenery

Wind Turbines and Views Toward Tongue Point and Cook Strait

After a very long and winding gravel section, we finally arrived at sea level and saw our first seals. Andrew parked the van, and we walked across the gravel rocks to catch sight of the seals. The ones lounging on the rocks here were all males, while the females congregated quite some distance away. We were not allowed to get too close to the seals, but my camera zoom was good enough to capture many of these amazing creatures.

We Saw Lots of Male Seals

This Big Guy Was My Favorite

The Rocky Shores of Tongue Point and the Leaning Lighthouse

To return to the ship, we had to traverse the same road that we had just traveled, and the views were still spectacular. Although I loved seeing the seals, my favorite part of the excursion was the drive through the station. I’d do it all over again!

Original Farm Buildings at Terawhiti Station

Tim and I returned to the ship for lunch, and I then decided to stand by for the included excursion, “Te Papa and Highlights of Wellington.” I wanted to see a bit of New Zealand’s capital city, and I thought that would be the best way for me to do so. Tim stayed behind, but I was able to get on one of the buses. This was the description:

Take in the sights of New Zealand’s capital during a panoramic drive and visit the Te Papa Museum. Meet your guide and set off by motor coach, passing the 19th-century Parliament buildings. During your ride, your guide will explain the history of the buildings and the city’s culture. Arrive at the waterfront Te Papa Museum and step inside to explore a celebration of New Zealand’s diverse landscape, cultures and nature. After an introduction, you will enjoy time to explore the museum at your leisure. Impressive exhibits highlight the natural world and geology of New Zealand’s islands, as well as the Māori culture and traditions. View interactive displays that educate, inspire and showcase the unique aspects of New Zealand and its history through storytelling and the latest technology. After your visit, return to your awaiting ship.

Our tour took us by New Zealand’s government buildings, including the new Parliament building known as The Beehive, the Parliamentary Library, and the Old Government Buildings.

The Beehive, Old Government Buildings, and Parliamentary Library

Our guide pointed out other landmarks and interesting buildings as we made our way to the Te Papa Museum.

I Was Not Impressed with the Fence Around the American Embassy

A Few of Wellington's Downtown Buildings

Te Papa is New Zealand’s national museum with exhibits that highlight the country’s unique natural environment, its Māori heritage, and stories of immigrants and refugees, among others. For me, the most moving and thought-provoking exhibit was “Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War.” This exhibit tells the story of the Gallipoli campaign during World War I through the eyes and words of eight ordinary New Zealanders. The use of huge figures more than two times the size of a human helped bring the reality of this devasting campaign to life.

Before today, I knew very little about this World War I campaign, which helped foster a sense of national identity and self-worth at home and made New Zealand a proud and independent country.

This museum was quite different from the one Tim and I visited in Auckland, and I’m glad I was able to spend time here. Sadly, I have no photos of the museum exhibits since the battery in my camera had died.

Te Papa Museum

Back at the ship, Tim and I enjoyed China Town, tonight’s special culinary event.

China Town

After dinner, I moved to the Explorers’ Lounge to watch our sail away. I was curious to see if we might sail near Terawhiti Station and Tongue Point, which we had visited earlier today. In fact, we did sail that way, and I was able to catch a glimpse of the leaning lighthouse and the wind turbines on the hill.

Sailing Past Terawhiti Station and Tongue Point

While I was working on the blog at the desk in our room, I caught a glimpse of a beautiful sunset, with the silhouette of a cruise ship passing by. Curious about its identity, I asked the folks at Guest Services if they could call the Bridge to ask for the name. Everyone was so accommodating, and I learned that the ship was the Seabourn Quest.