Here is the first of three posts in which I describe recent adventures. For this one, you have the privilege of seeing fur seals! The first time I went, I hiked with a friend through the hills outside Wellington to Island Bay where the seals call home during the winter months. Despite intense wind, the hike through the hills was not too bad, but then we started walking along the coast and the wind was so strong that we were being hit with sand, salt spray, and even pebbles. It was a quite unpleasant 3km, but definitely worth it. Here are some pics from that first visit:

Thankfully, I had a second chance to head to the coast, but on my mountain bike this time and I brought my good camera and a tripod to hang out with the seals. The wind was better, but the terrain was quite steep for a mountain bike. I accidentally spilled some water on my disc brakes after a long descent and was shocked to hear a hiss and see the water evaporate away. In the end, I made it safely to the coast and there was a gentle wind, allowing me to really appreciate the coast. However, seals smell terrible and, without the wind, I really just had to hold my breath for as long as I could. Lucky for you, I have provided pics of seals without the smell:

That’s it for this post, but head on to part two to see some glaciers.