Up Ship Creek

Hauling out of Haast, we made sure to call in at Ship Creek.  This was at the suggestion of Noeline, in the local dairy who said that you can sometime spot Hectors Dolphins out there.
We didn't spot any dolphins this time, but did enjoy having a play on the beach and I enjoyed saying we'd been up Ship Creek with out a paddle a few too many times.
We drove on to Franz Josef and made camp at the association campsite before taking the kayak a further 24kms to Okarito lagoon for a paddle around.
Apparently the lagoon is renown for its bird life,  about 76 different species. Er, we saw a shag and two herons. 
However!  The herons were white ones, kotuku, which are rare and which only breeding place is Okarito.
The town of Okarito used to be a gold mining town in about 1866, and about 1500 people lived there.  Now, there are about 30 residents,  including NZ author Keri Hulme  (if the internet is to be believed).
They had a really neat old shed out on the water and inside there was the history of the town displayed.  It was quite cool.  The tide surged around there, so you'd be reading the info then suddenly hear the rush of water under the floorboards as the tide surge came through.
Home to grab groceries, dinner and bed.