We’re in an Ocean State of Mind.

A diabolical, dark blood-red, slimy maw with jagged, black-stained dirty yellow teeth came into sharp view as we pointed the binoculars at the sea lion’s head—just as he suddenly yawned. Flies swarming in and out that maw completed this revolting spectacle. A beast straight out of a horror movie. This massive bull was one of the fourteen (14!!!) New Zealand sea lions we found snoozing on the 3‑km‑long Surat Bay. There are only 200 of them in this area and only 12 000 left in all of New Zealand. As they slept, they could easily be mistaken for kelp, so we carefully watched our step. They looked fine as long as they kept their mouths shut. The day before, we had still enjoyed a marvelous Indian summer at Nugget Point. The next morning the sky was heavy with clouds, and easterly winds flattened the dune grasses and chased the weeds across the wide expanse of the beach.

After one last drive along the Southern Scenic Route, one last gasp of awe at the sight of another magnificent South Pacific beach, and a few last strolls through fairy-tale forests, we were ready to point North again. But before hopping on the plane back to Auckland and O2, we bid the marvellous South Island farewell in style by attending the New Zealand Symphony‘s performance of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in the equally marvellous Christchurch Town Hall.

To set the mood, the orchestra played a delightful piece by Gareth Farr, a 20th-century New Zealand composer, aptly titled From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs: Part 1 – Invocation of the Sea. The percussion was exhilarating and seemingly influenced by Pacific and Asian musical traditions. To us, the drumming sounded like Brazilian batucada, and saudade filled our souls.

But there could be no grander finale to our South Island nature expedition than Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. As the full orchestra—violins, cellos, trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba, double basses, clarinets, and more—soared, snapshots of the fern forests, rolling valleys, ocean and rivers, streams and waterfalls, glaciers, and mountain peaks flashed before our mind’s eye in rapid, joyful succession. As apotheosis, Mount Aoraki pierced through the clouds as the orchestra surged into a feverish crescendo with cymbals crashing loud and proud. That evening, sleep didn’t come until late past midnight.