| Shag Point (picture by Peter Watts) |  |
Shag Point
Photographer Description of Shag Point
A panorama taken from Shag Point, a little north of Dunedin in New Zealand. This panorama was taken late in the afternoon and shows some of the seals basking on the dramatic coastline. One of them is looking at the camera. Shag Point is so called after the shags - a type of sea bird - that are commonly found here.Shag Point - Further Information
Shag Point is a natural reserve and refuge in Otago, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand some 60km north of Dunedin.Shag Point is a haven for wildlife and popular with people wanting to see it. This is a natural reserve populated with shags, seals and yellow penguins. Seals can often be seen basking on the rocks from the designated vantage points. The yellow penguins come ashore at dusk and leave again at dawn. They are easily disturbed and should not be approached. The shags, after which Shag Point is named, bask in the sun drying off after fishing sessions. Shags do not have oil on their skin, and so are often seen on shore holding their wings out to dry the feathers.
On the north side of Shag Point are some spherical boulder formations called the Katiki Boulders, very similar to the world famous Moeraki Boulders on Koekohe Beach some 15km further north. Some of the Katiki Boulders contain bone fossils of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, which the Moeraki Boulders do not.
Travel Directions and Getting There:
Shag Point is about 60km north of Dunedin Take the SH1 north and then turn onto Shag Point Road which leads to the end of Shag Point and the nature reserve. The trip there takes about an hour by car.
