A Sunny Day Excursion

In terms of its average weather, Dunedin can be roughly described to citizens of the United States as the Seattle of New Zealand. The weather is often very unpredictable, but usually a bit overcast, and often rainy. The locals have lovingly given it the nickname "Sunny Dunedin" for that reason.

So when a sunny day comes rolling around, we all get rolling outside, and Thursday the 23rd of March, just before the dessert party, was the perfect day to roll over to the beach! I had not yet visited any of Dunedin's beaches and rode my bike over to Saint Clair Beach, which I found to be breathtaking.

On the suburb of Saint Clair, to quote Wikipedia: "Five kilometres southwest of the city centre, Saint Clair lies on the lower slopes and at the foot of Forbury Hill. One of the city's wealthier suburbs, many fine houses are situated in the tree-clad slopes...At the foot of the hill is St. Clair Beach and an open-air heated salt-water swimming pool; the beach's sea wall and esplanade were rebuilt and renovated in 2004. The beach is one of the South Island's more popular surfing venues. The small promontory of White Island lies three kilometres off the beach."

The beach is a very popular place to surf, and many wet-suit-clad individuals were trying their luck and/or skill at the constant waves. Without their wetsuits they would only last minutes - the chilly waters come straight up from Antarctica and are not accommodating for too long. Wondering if anyone is surfing now? Check out the surfcam mounted on top of the saltwater pool!

I shared the beach with the surfers, lots of people walking their dogs, parents standing or sitting still while their children ran around them in circles, and many red-beaked seagulls. Then, as if to prove a point, about 30 minutes after my arrival at the beach, a dark and foreboding cold front encroached on the beach from the Southwest (in the distance on the image above). Thank you, Sunny Dunedin! I hopped back on my bike and was able to beat the cloud and rains home. The beach is gorgeous - there will definitely be a return trip in the near future...

Cheers! Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of Spring, as I am doing the same for Fall here! Apple picking is just around the corner...