Craig follows Captain Cook's footsteps into Dusky Sound; discovers the secrets of Great White sharks; and stops in on the Catlins coastline to visit the rare yellow-eyed Penguins.
Craig travels from White Island in the Bay of Plenty to Parengarenga in the Far North, exploring the stretch of beautiful East Coast beaches in between.
Craig watches whales, cradles kiwi and swims with stingrays during a journey down New Zealand's East Coast. In this episode, Craig travels from East Cape, through Hawke's Bay, the Wairarapa, and on to Kaikoura, ending at Banks Peninsula, a journey that he describes as spectacular.
Craig explores the power of Cook Strait; visits a wonder of nature in Nelson; tackles the turbulent waters of French Pass; and listens to a glorious dawn bird chorus on Motuara Island. The Cook Strait is our great divide. The unpredictable strip of water that separates North from South, is one of the most treacherous straits in the world. It was the scene of one of our worst maritime disasters - the 1968 sinking of the Inter Island ferry, Wahine. A combination of violent currents and a massive storm demonstrated the power of nature on this part of our coastline. But the floor of the strait also contributes to its complex behaviour. Craig talks to NIWA Scientist Craig Stevens, part of a team who discovered a vast canyon beneath the water, and to Rose Keating, who experienced the power of the Strait firsthand.
Craig visits the most ancient forest on earth; explains Punakaiki's sculpted limestone formations; checks out dinosaur footprints at the Whanganui Inlet; and explores the huge rolling sand dunes at Farewell Spit. The West Coast of the South Island stretches 600km along some of the most untamed and sparsely populated coast in the New Zealand. Craig begins at Arnott Point on the South Westland coast, where ancient basalt boulders rise dramatically from the sea. He then heads around the coast to Ship Creek with old friend, botanist Gerry McSweeney.
