Another day, another day out in the lovel, sunny city of Auckland - rapidly becoming our favourite in New Zealand. This time to the Antarctic Centre founded by NZ polar explorer and ecologist Kelly Tarlton. We walk down to Quay Street and board the "subtle" shuttle bus which will transport us the 10 minute drive around the bay to the centre. Two highlights here - the stingray feed complete with a keeper in the tank feeding the 3 truly massive female fish and the snowcat ride (so good we went round twice!) which took us into the penguin enclosure.
The tank holds 200,000 litres of salt water, is 3 metres deep and filled with 3 tonnes of snow every day. Computer controlled, simulating sunrise and sunset and seasonal climate conditions mimicking that of the natural environment in Antarctica - all essential to maintain breeding moulting cycles. Home to Gentoo and King penguins and complete with chicks, huge, fluffy, brown and flightless - but quite sweet!
We get another amazing vista of the city of sails - boats of some description at every turn - as we leave the Antarctic Centre - the skyline dominated as always by the ever present SkyTower.
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