SEAL COLONY

So I haven't finished writing about our trip to New Zealand. Mostly I have been busy, but I haven't written about our trip to the seal colony because I am still having nightmares about it. Literally - nightmares!!! I don't usually even remember my dreams, but I have woken up terrified a few times that something went wrong when we went to see the seals. Now you are really interested aren't you.

Well it all started out innocent enough. We went to a little seaside town in New Zealand called Kaikoura. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! The view of the ocean was right outside our door to the hotel we stayed in. This town boasts in being eco-friendly and has tried hard to let tourists see the animal life, yet protect it. I loved this little town.

We decided to take a walk to see the seal colony. I imagined that we would drive up and there they would be all over the beach - not exactly. We had to hike there - over rocks and right along the edge of the ocean. With a cliff face on one side and the ocean crashing on the rocks on the other side. I decided to think we were crazy for taking our kids on this trek. Then, we got to a point that the kids wouldn't be able to cross themselves. Kev and I went ahead with Rylee to climb over the point and told Madi and Cooper to stay put and not move. This is where my nightmares come in - I have dreams of Cooper falling into the ocean because we left him there. Granted it was only a few minutes - but we couldn't see them for that whole time. Once Kevin and I got around this area I stayed with Rylee as Kev carried Madi and Cooper to me. I was terrified the whole time. I have never been so scared for my little family. I do realize that it wasn't that big of a deal. It was mostly just like walking on the rocks at the beach looking at the tide pools - we do that all of the time. It was just that one point where we had to leave the kids behind that terrifies me still. My heart is racing as I am typing this. Kev told me that maybe writing it all down would make me feel better - not so sure that is happening...LOL!!

Once we got past that cliff wall on one side and the crashing waves on the other it was actually a beautiful night. It was cold and we were all bundled up, but we did see at least a dozen seals and the sights and sounds of the ocean around us were amazing. We had to be really quiet and had to stay 10 meters away from the seals (I have no idea how far that really is). It was amazing to see the beauty of nature all around us.

However, I wouldn't go back the way we had come. The kids were not happy with me - they actually thought walking on the rocks was really fun. There was a cliff top walk that we could take and Kev supported me and said that was the way we were going - thanks Kev. He said he could tell how scared I was for the kids safety. However, the cliff walk was scary in some points as well. There was just a drop off to the sea. Cooper, who doesn't pay attention, was making me really nervous. So I made him walk on the other side. I have nightmares about someone falling off the cliff as well. I am so glad that we went that way the views from the top of the cliff were amazing - especially with the sun setting. We even walked through a cow pasture and had to watch out for the cow pies. Then we came across this wimpy yellow lighthouse - not really sure that lighthouse would help the boats to see, but what do I know.

I am not sure that Kev's therapy treatment worked - my heart is racing and I am sure to have a nightmare tonight about Cooper falling into the ocean or Madi falling off of the cliff top. I didn't even take as many pictures there as I would have liked, because my nerves were rattled so much. I really want to forget that scary point, because it was a beautiful place to go visit. The kids got to see the beauty of nature all around us. I want my kids to love the world around them, what a better way to teach them that then to let them experience it.