Jan. 3 -- Colac Bay

!Bonne Anne!, as the frogs were saying down here a couple days ago.

Thanks to those who've been reading. As for the rain, Xander said to butch it up and build a shelter, and I realized I haven't been emphatic about how *severe* the weather has been. It has been wild, unpredictable, and sometimes hostile.

From today's news:

Gales Wreak Havoc as Front Sweeps up Country (http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5242292/gales-wreak-havoc-sweeps-country/)

120 mph gusts, combined with a deluge . I've never seen anything like this except maybe big electrical storms in the tropics. In one day, it can go from 45 degrees and raining sideways, to 85, still and sunny. Every day here the weather is adventure in and of itself. Truly.

Note that this not typical weather for here, and there's a great deal of speculation amongst the kiwis that systems are out of balance.

____

Despite my intent to have a "dry" New Year's Eve, Mother Nature had other plans.

In Invercargill, "the beach is a road" (the sign says this) and everyone drives all-around. It's really cool, actually: the city centre is 8 km inland, so the beach itself is completely undeveloped.

Anyway, I was lounging in the back of the Subaru with the hatchback open, enjoying a fantastic sunset and reading, and I dozed off. I was awakened at 4:30 by the most-uncool sound of water sloshing all around my vehicle -- sneaker wave!

I jumped out into the water and gunned my car to higher ground. I call it a "sneaker wave" because I was considerably higher than the high tide line; I've camped on enough beaches that I'm not *that* stupid.

This wave was one "push" of water -- it came way up the beach, and then receded 100 yards -- and that was it. It may have been a small tsunami of sorts.

In the morning and followed my tracks back to retrieve my camp chair and flip flops. The camp chair had all manner of sea detritus and sand in it...but it was still there. Flip flops, too.

Have been in Colac Bay, just about the last town in SW NZ, for the last couple of days, where there were nice, small waves. I am still holding out for a couple clear days when I can make a run for Milford Sound...but it is not forthcoming.