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Published: March 26th 2012
Today was our last glorious day in NZ. The sky was cloud-free with a slight breeze that kept us at the perfect temperature all day.
Our guide, Sally with Canterbury Trails, picked us up about 8am. We made our way from Christchurch south to the Banks Peninsula. We were headed to the town of Akaroa and the Akaroa Harbour to swim with the Hector Dolphins - the worlds smallest dolphin and found only in the waters of New Zealand.
The drive was spectacular - up and over the mountains. As we reach the top we look over a beautiful little village nestled tightly in a cove of the harbour and hidden from the rest of the world. We just can not get down to the town quick enough. This village is settled by British, French and Germans. Some of the original buildings still stand and are used as summer vacation homes by locals.
Our guide drops us off at the marina. We check in for the cruise and I'm given instructions on how to put on a wetsuit. The guy eyes me and gets the size right the first time and I'm glad because these suits are hard
to put on and take off. As I stretch this 5 mm thick neoprene suit over my body I'm struck by how it would feel to have a "Spanks" bodysuit! I'm feeling thin and strapped in, but pictures show something all-together different! Whatever, I'm going to swim with dolphins.
We motor out into the sound and head toward the mouth of the sound and the South Pacific. We all watch for dolphins - we see a couple and get in the water. The way to get dolphins to come over to you is to get them interested. How do you get them interested in you? You make noise with all different types of sounds - clicks, singing, tapping any noise you can make. They come around and then leave. As soon as we all get out of the water, they come back. They were playing with us, each time we get out of the water they come back around. We get out into the swells of the Pacific and out of the boat again. This time I work really hard making noise to get the dolphins interest. I make high pitched squeaks into my snorkel and even sing "
You are My Sunshine". They finally start coming around. I get 3 to 4 playing around me for a several seconds. I'm satisfied but stay out for more. Bill and Allison are observers and photographers on the boat.
We return to the marina, stretch and pull out of shoes and suits, take a hot shower and go have lunch.
Next we stop at the Little River Gallery to peruse and purchase cool local art and have an ice cream. Bill loves Hokey Pokey and has had it several times during our journey. I try the boysenberry and fall in love - the boysenberries were harvested down the road. Our guide also offers her homemade brownies. They are by far the best brownies I have ever had. I ask for the recipe - she will email me!
We go as close as we can to the Epicenter of the quake in Christchurch. Several buildings are being deconstructed; some will be rebuilt and some will not. The damage is random. The city will be redesigned based on residents suggestions - more open space and shorter buildings. The residents have pulled together to help each other and it's hard to tell a quake ever hit except for about a 10 square block area.
Allison meets another friend on this excursion. A young girl from England is on our tour too. They meet and play like long lost friends.
We will all miss this magical place, New zealand, and hope to come back again!
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Michelle
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Bon Voyage!
Great pics and stories! Can't wait to see and hear about more when you return! Safe travels! Hugs and love to all!