New Zealand: Whale Watching in Kaikoura

A few weeks prior we had booked a whale watching excursion in Kaikoura in hopes of seeing a sperm whale.  This is a real popular tour and the morning slots were full, so we decided to go with the 4 pm boat.  It was a 2 hour drive south, meaning we had some free time in the morning and through lunch in Marlborough (more wine!).

Olde Mill House (our bed and breakfast) also operates a bike hire so people can ride between wineries (9 or 10 wineries are located within 5 kilometers of the B&B).  As guests at the B&B, bike rentals are complimentary. So we strapped on our helmets and reflective vests and pedaled off to Cloudy Bay.  Although the roads appeared flat, they are deceptively at an incline, so between that and the headwind it took us slightly longer to reach the winery.

Cloudy Bay is one of the wineries from this region that widely distributes to the States. Since we had seen them on wine lists at home, we decided to pay a visit. Plus, we heard they had cool swings. Nate enjoyed the Pinot Noir so we will have to look for it at Total Wine when we get home.

Having his fill of wine, Nate decided it was time for beer. Unfortunately Moa, a local microbrewery, wasn't open when we arrived so we would have to stop by later.  Our chosen lunch spot was at Wairua River winery, a 20-30 minute ride from Moa.  After a lot of pedaling we arrived at a pretty outdoor courtyard seating area.  The water at our table was quickly downed while waiting for our wine and food.

It was another 15 minutes back to our B&B, passing by several wineries we had visited the day before.  If we had to do it again, we would drive to Cloudy Bay and bike to the closer wineries.  That would have been more relaxing and sipping, less huffing and puffing.  It was still a nice experience, but could have been a bigger highlight for us.

By the time we got back it was already 1.  A quick clean up and change had us on our way to Moa before heading south to Kaikoura.  The name Moa comes from a giant (200 kg), extinct flightless bird that stood 8 feet tall.  Fossils had been found in the area, and a large metal Moa stood out front of the brewery.  The founder was the son of a wine maker, and his sense of humor was evident with the slogan "Finally something drinkable in Marlborough."  We only had 15 minutes, so we both tried some small samples before moving on.

The drive south took us around the dry Wither Hills and then along the coast.  Kaikoura and the surrounding coast have dramatic mountains towering above that come nearly to the ocean, leaving only a narrow strip of land for building.  Despite being midsummer, some mountain peaks still had snow.
We arrived at the Whale Watch base, checked in, watched a safety video, and then were bussed to the boat.

The boat seats were all inside and comfortably sat 50ish tourists.  It was a 20 minute trip out, during which one of the tour operators provided information on the area and sperm whales. 

Only a few miles out the continental shelf dropped to nearly two miles deep.  Sperm whales, the largest toothed whale, fed thousands of feet below the surface, so it was a perfect habitat.  It was one of the few areas in the world where you had a chance to see a sperm whale year round.  Sperm whales typically spent anywhere from 40 - 90 minutes under water, and then 5 minutes at the surface getting air.  On the ride out we were told that a siting had been made recently and we would be heading there to start our search.

The boat soon slowed and the cabin emptied out onto the deck.  One of the crew went upstairs for a 360 degree view, while the captain used a sonar listening device to try hear the direction of the whale.  It was going to be a waiting game, with the boat slowly idling in the area.

Fortunately, the view of the coast with the mountains behind was spectacular.  Only a few minutes of floating brought a pod of dusky dolphins near the boat.  We were the first boat of the day to see some, and they entertained everyone as we watched for the whale.

After an hour of slowly coasting, someone finally spotted the sperm whale when it surfaced and a giant spout of air was shot upward.  We raced to the top deck to get a full view.  It appeared to just be floating at the surface, taking and releasing gasps of air every 10-15 seconds.  It was big, but it wasn't until a second boat showed up that we truly appreciated how big.

This sperm whale was as long our boat and floating only 30 feet away.  In the background was the mountains, and soon dusky dolphins started to swim around the whale to make the scene even better. 

One of the crew noticed a change in breathing and gave us a warning that the whale was about to dive.

With cameras ready and one hand on the rail to steady against the rocking, we watched the whale arc and begin its dive and end a tail fluke.

All you could hear was the constant clicks of camera shutters.

Feeling happy with our siting, guests started talking.  One group up top had done an earlier tour in the day and had no luck (80% refund), and were ecstatic to finally see one.  That made us feel even better with our time slot.

We just cruised around for another 20-30 minutes looking for dolphins and albatross.  Just before heading back to the dock someone noticed another spout.  The same whale had made a short dive, so we would get another chance for observation and photos.  We went downstairs for a different perspective.  However, the whale spent only a short time at the surface and dove back down without showing a tail fluke.  It was hard to complain about having a second siting though.  With the whale gone, our boat headed home.

We were both really happy with the tour and actually seeing a sperm whale (Ashley's first whale).  Though they have a high success rate its never guaranteed.  Seeing a sperm whale twice just made the experience all the better.

Kaikoura is also known for a particular seafood delicacy known as crayfish.  In fact, Kaikoura literally means "crayfish eating" in Maori.  We weren't quite sure what they were at first, but it turns out it is New Zealand rock lobster.  It looks fairly similar to ours, but it has no large claws.  They are really expensive, so we split one and some fish and chips for dinner.  The texture and taste was similar to Maine lobster, but a little softer.

On the way back north we decided to stop at the Oahu Point seal colony to see some seal pups.  We knew we were close after passing a seal crossing sign and saw several cars at a pull off.  Ashley was giddy as she jumped out of the car and raced to the viewing platform.

 Down below over a hundred seals, including many pups, were resting on rocks or playing just out of the surf.  We watched the pups play for several minutes before moving on.

One of the locals also provided a tip about seeing seal pups very close on a trail up Oahu Stream.  After walking 5 minutes along the stream we came to a waterfall and pool.

Unfortunately, a sign informed us that the seal pups only come here in the winter.  Disappointed, Ashley swore we would come back that time of year (she would later look this up on YouTube and make that proclamation).  And yes, the seal pups do swim and climb up the stream into the pool at the base of the waterfall.

One last stop took us to a camper pull off for some pictures of the rocky coastline and a distant rain shower.  Kaikoura and the coastline here are beautiful, and we both wanted to come back during the winter when the mountains were snow covered (and seals swam in waterfall pools).

From the seal colony it was another hour and half drive back.  We were both exhausted from another long day, but tomorrow would be more relaxed as we travel to Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park.