Cape Foulwind Seal Colony

About

Originally known as the Rocky Cape, the Cape Foulwind Seal Colony got its current name after Captain Cook’s ship the Endeavour was blown out to sea here in 1770. While it can be windy and grey, in fair weather, this is an amazing place to view New Zealand’s coastal wildlife. From the clifftop, you can see the fur seal colony going about its business. The seals chose the cape as their breeding ground because of the rocky shore, “haul out” spots, and abundant sea life - conditions that also attracted the sooty shearwater, which has been reduced almost to extinction on the mainland. Along with the wildlife, there’s also an early 20th century lighthouse - a picturesque testament to the cape’s more unpleasant side.