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Published: April 29th 2006
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Trees and Mountains
The Kaikoura Mountain Range rises from sea level. 'Waitangi Day' is a day set aside by the New Zealand Government as a 'public holiday' to be observed throughout the country as a 'national day of thanksgiving in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi’ in 1840 between Mäori and the British Crown. We silently thanked the four Labour-Ratana Maori representatives that initially proposed the holiday in 1957, and made plans for our three-day bonanza.
We decided to head 150 kilometres north up the rumpled east coast to Kaikoura. Meaning “feast of crayfish”, Kaikoura is on a peninsula perched between the towering 2600 metre high seaward Kaikoura Range Mountains and the depths of the Kaikoura Canyon abyss. The Kaikoura Canyon plunges as deep as 6,705 metres beneath the sea, nurturing a prolific marine environment. It is the home of the Giant Squid (Architeutis dux), the largest of all invertebrates. Scientists believe that this elusive creature can be as long as 18 metres, but the verdict is still out because only about 250 sightings have ever been recorded. The hoki fish are the favourite dish of the beast, but sperm whales and Captain Nemo put the Giant Squid in its place.
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Mountains into the Ocean
The clouds were collecting as we drove into Kaikoura. *
We enjoyed the sun and scenery as we drove along Route 1, but the sun succumbed to clouds as we neared Kaikoura. Though the sounds of curling waves were pleasant, the rain and winds were tiring as we walked through the town. We dodged rain drops as we darted in and out of shops, but the rain didn’t stop us from combing the beach for interesting stones. After eating some local fish for dinner, we headed back out of town to a partially sheltered clearing situated just 5 metres from the high tide line. We had noticed the spot earlier in the day when we stopped to help a couple save their van from sinking further into the clenches of a stony beach. We had gathered dried seaweed, driftwood, muscle power, and our knowledge of driving in the snow (thank you, 274 Skinner Lane) and bid the van freedom. Our reward for being good Samaritans was discovering our tent site for the night.
Bryan set up the tent by himself as Mindy tried to dry off and warm up by the fan of the car. All we wanted was a warm cup of tea, but we
Seaweed Covered Log
Driftwood along the Kaikoura Coast, near to where we slept for the night. neglected to pack matches to start our stove. Bedraggled, we shuffled off to bed and a deep sleep. We awoke early the next day, however, to the sound of sirens. As we drove away from our tent site, we saw what the commotion was about: a car decorated with balloons was sitting across the railroad tracks. Anxious for some hot coffee and to board the tour vessel of Dolphin Encounter, we headed back into Kaikoura ... and into the sun!
We boarded the Dolphin Encounter boat, and were soon on the hunt for a pod of duskies (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). Before long we floated up to a pod of over a hundred synchronized swimmers! Duskies are considered the clowns of the sea, and we marvelled at their graceful and acrobatic display of jumps and flips. Although tempted by the chance to swim with the friendly dusky dolphins, we decided to stay as spectators on the boat. Tour guides emphasized the importance for each swimmer to perform flips, funny faces, and yelping through their snorkels as a means of enticing the sea-faring mammals, as the dolphins swim in the bay of their own free will and are not enticed in
Break Down
The van didn't have the 4-wheeling power that its owner wished for... any other way. There were a couple of “show-off” duskies that jumped in every which way, and there were others who just loved to ride in the thrust wave beneath the hull of the boat.
We bid farewell to the frolicking duskies, and headed ashore and down the coast to the cliffs at Seal Point. Just off of the path leading to the cliffs, we noticed a lazy pointy-nosed seal soaking in the sun. The furry creature flashed us his long whiskers and scratched an itch. An overzealous tourist scurried right up to the seal snapping photos, and it retreated into the water. Fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) look caramel coloured when dry, but appear almost black when wet. Females weigh an average of 40kg over a 1.2m length. Males tend to run a bit chubbier at 160kg, or four times the female weight, while being just a mere 0.4m longer. These New Zealand cuties can dive deeper and longer than any other fur seals.
We climbed up the track to the cliffs, pulled out our camp stove, and cooked up a fine lunch. We peered out our binoculars at the seals swimming in the ocean pools
Rock Hunter
Some of the rocks along this beach were of soft pearly limestone. and lounging on the rocks below. Some kayakers played in the waves nearby. Knowing that we were running short on time, we took a fast track that looped down along the shore … and back to the car. While driving through Cheviot on the way home, a flea market begged for us to stop. We tried on various wool caps as the craftswomen explained the different techniques used to knit them. Mindy walked away with a soft fine-spun scull cap, and Bryan continues to hat hunt to this day.
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Brian Gonci
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Kaikoura
Those are nice shots! I wish my Dolphin Encounter wasn't canceled! Maybe another time