There were plenty of sights to see in and around Hokitika. The drive out to the Gorge and Lake Kaniere was just a quick sample. We read about the swinging bridge at the Gorge, but were really astounded at the turquoise hue of the water. The walk down to the bridge was intruiging as we saw where some trees had been uprooted by high winds. The path was a little steep, but Anna was able to handle it both going down and coming back up. After taking a photo to prove that Kent made it on the swinging bridge (he's getting much better about heights!), we marvelled at the views with the gorgeous water and trees. We would have stayed longer, but the bugs were out and we quickly received a full ration of bites.
We continued on gravel roads to drive around Lake Kaniere, stopping at Dorothy Falls on the eastern side of the lake. We were a bit disappointed as the Falls were supposed to be the "the largest on the West Coast," but turned out to be a series of shorter falls rather than one long fall. But they still made a pretty sight. There were holiday homes on the northern side of the lake and we had to slow down ... not for vehicle traffic, but for a mother duck and her brood crossing the road to get to the lake. The little ducklings were so cute, as they ran/waddled across the grass.
