Seal Coast Safari Tour

Yesterday we took a day off work and went on a tour with Seal Coast Safari. Wellington was having one of it's good days, very little wind, brilliant skies and just perfect for the trip. We met our guide Kent at the Information Centre in Wellington and were also joined by a group of Aussie's who had come over for the AFL. Having been out in a 4x4 before I wisely chose the front seat knowing it would be better for going over the bumps.

We traveled out through the Brooklyn hills and over into a private farm. The views were amazing and we had an opportunity to take photos along the way. Our guide kept us entertained along the way and was a fountain of knowledge about the area.  We passed the airport radar station, a castle on a hill, ostriches and our next stop was at a paddock to feed the deer.

From there it was all down hill as we headed to the seals. The seals are out there all year round but the numbers vary throughout the year. We were lucky enough to see plenty of them slumbering about in the sun. One or two gave us a yawn or two and the odd one decided we weren't worth staying around for and slipped into the ocean and left us.

We spent a bit of time with the seals, had refreshments including some very yummy muffins and then we headed back to Wellington city via Red Rocks.  This part of the trip was where we really got to see our guide's skill as a driver. I was reassured when he told us he had been driving out there for seven years, experience is everything when driving in those type of conditions.

All in all it was a great experience and worth every penny we paid for it. I got to photograph the seals without having to do three hours walking to get there!  I am sure we will be doing this tour again and would recommend it to anyone else who is keen to see the seals in their natural environment.

The view of Wellington Harbour from the top of Brooklyn