New Zealand: Heading Home

Our last morning in New Zealand was one we had wanted to explore as much possible before heading to the airport.  The night before we had been recommended to visit Glenorchy, which is located on the northern end of the lake. It was a 45 minute drive (or sleeping in Ashley's case), so we were up before dawn in hopes of catching the sunrise.  Unfortunately, it amounted to little as it was raining when we arrived in Glenorchy.  So after 30 minutes of waiting for a break in the rain that wasn't coming we decided to head back to Queenstown.

New Zealand: On to Queenstown

We know what you're thinking with seeing Queenstown as our destination. The adrenaline capital of the world: Bungee jumping (first commercial site), sky diving, jetboating, and more. Well, we didn't do any this trip. This was more of a quick 'check-it-out' visit to relax, enjoy the scenery, and be near our airport for the next day's flight. Maybe next time...

It rained through most of the night and was still falling when we woke up. We dashed to the main lodge for a quick breakfast and to get an update on the weather. It looked like we would have to load the car in a progressively stronger rain shower.

On our way out we stopped at the Milford Sound parking area for one last view, but the rain and clouds prevented us from seeing too much (or far). With that done, we had our drive up through the valley to the Homer Tunnel.

New Zealand: Milford Sound

The weather forecast held up and we had a beautifully clear morning for kayaking in Milford Sound. Nate woke got up early enough to catch the first light coming into Milford Sound, but Ashley chose to 'sleep' in for our 7:15 kayak meet-up.

The name Milford Sound is actually a misnomer, as it is in fact a fjord carved out by glaciers. Mitre Peak dominates the left side of the view at 1600 meters tall, nearly a vertical mountain face. It is the second fastest rising mountain from the sea floor in the world (behind Mauna Kea in Hawaii). To help further provide a sense of scale, our pictures of Milford Sound include what appears to be a small waterfall on the far side of the view. This is Stirling Falls, one of the two year round waterfalls in Milford. It is 450 feet tall and is nearly 10 kilometers from the visitor parking lot in Milford Sound.

New Zealand: Driving from Fox Glacier to Milford Sound

Today was our longest driving day of our trip, with approximately 600 km of road to cover that would take 8 - 9 hours in a car. Due to the recent heavy rain and rock slide danger, the Milford road would be closing at the Homer Tunnel at 7 pm. It would be a tight deadline, but we had to make it to the tunnel in time if we were to stay at our accommodation in Milford Sound.

We woke early to eat breakfast in the Fox Glacier township at the Hobnail cafe again. Our goal was to check out shortly after eating in order to get an early start on driving south. The mountains were cloudy as we left our motel, and the forecast called for rain in the immediate area. The good news was that the Haast pass, the only way south, was open.

Ashley was quickly in her routine of sleeping and humming, so it was on Nate to eat up miles in the car. As with the rest of the West Coast, the drive was beautiful. However, the clouds continued to roll in, bringing a light rain as we drove through Haast pass. We had planned a stop at the Blue Pools, which was roughly halfway through today's drive. It was a good chance to stretch our legs on the 30 minute round trip hike, but the recent rains meant the water was flowing too swiftly to match the pictures we had seen online.

New Zealand: Tramping on Fox Glacier

We woke up before dawn in hopes of catching the sunrise at Lake Matheson. Early morning is supposed to be the best time for photographing the lake because the reflection is typically the best due to less wind and the mountains are less likely to have cloud cover. We moved quickly along the path and set up at Reflection Island once again. The lake was smooth, and clouds had not yet come in.

However, the best part this morning was that we were alone for the whole hour that we stayed. Ashley was also excited that we left Lake Matheson early enough to get a quick nap before heading down to the Fox Glacier Guiding company for our tour.

We arrived early to check-in and get a bite to eat. Hobnail Cafe is attached to their building, which gave us a chance to have coffee and a hot breakfast before the tour started.

Our tour gathered in a locker room style area where the two guides debriefed us on the gear at our disposal today: thick socks, boots, crampons, jackets (optional), and backpacks (optional). Ashley was disappointed that the ice picks were for the guides only, though Nate didn't believe she would carry it very far anyway. With gear on or packed, we jumped on the bus and rode 15 minutes to the parking area. On the ride the two guides provided background information on Fox Glacier, including how far the glacier had expanded and receded over the past decades and centuries. Once in the parking lot, we were split into two groups to make moving about on the glacier easier. We worked our way into Dean's group to avoid a large, loud backpacker group and were happy it worked out that way.

Because of the huge storm a few weeks back, the stream coming from the glacier had flooded and destroyed much of the preferred path up to the glacier's terminal face. That meant our initial path would pass under an active rock slide area called Gunbarrel. Large boulders were strewn around this path both above and below us, so we moved quickly through this section without stopping.

Safely past Gunbarrel, we had our first good look back up at the rock slide area. Dean would periodically stop the group to provide mini-lectures on glaciation, rock slides, and the surrounding vegetation zones that indicated when and where the glacier had expanded or receded. The hike out to the glacier was over an hour long and mostly uphill (like the whole country), so these were welcome and interesting breaks.

The path our tour group took today was up and over a ridge, allowing what was promised as a great view of the glacier. First, we would have to pass over streams and up many wet steps.

Near the top, was a series of chains anchored into the mountain side. After asking if anyone had a debilitating fear of heights, Dean informed us to always use two hands as we navigated this narrow section with steep drop offs. Past the chains, our group was treated the view looking down and up the glacier. Far below, we could see other groups that looked like ants moving on top of the glacier. Many of the other rock slides and their debris (grey areas on ice) were visible from our high vantage point.

Following another talk from Dean, the group began the trek down the ridge to the staging area for getting onto the glacier. It was easier on this side, though we did have to pass through another chain area. We enjoyed the views as we approached the glacier's terminal face. Small icebergs were visible in the stream indicating recent calving of the glacier.

We reached the staging area where we would put on our crampons, which would aid us while moving around on the ice. The area we were standing on was grey and dark, so it wasn't immediately obvious that we were standing on ice until the crampons were on our boots. The temperature had dropped here, so most members of our group decided to put on jackets or fleeces before heading onto the ice. Meanwhile, Dean provided tips for walking on the ice. For example, walk like a ballerina uphill and like cowboy downhill. We can demonstrate techniques if you're interested.

Of course, Ashley wanted to model her shoes and crampons once we reached some of the cleaner ice.

Dean led us up onto the ice, occasionally using the pick ax to cut a new path or to clean up an older path. We wound our way up the glacier in a single file line across ice and rock. Dean was always searching for unique features on the glacier, with his favorite the moulins (French for mill - you've also probably heard of Moulin Rouge). These were the holes (or caves if large enough) where water cut through the ice to the bottom, with the water lubricating the glacier underneath as it marched ever downward. The stream below running out from the terminal face was primarily from this glacial melt that seeped through the moulins higher up the glacier. For an added benefit, they were typically a bright, beautiful blue hue.

Dean stopped the group at a moulin he had seen a few days earlier. Using his pick ax, he chopped some steps and anchored some rope into the sides for gripping. One by one, he helped members of the group step down into this moulin to see and hear the water running through the crevasse and crashing down further below. It was a neat, but wet experience to climb down into the moulin.

While waiting for the whole group to have some time observing the moulin, it began to rain. Rain jackets were brought out, and it was decided to eat lunch here in hopes of better weather later. Standing on the glacier, we ate quickly since the rain was making our sandwich bread soggy... definitely a picnic to remember! It was cold and unpleasant for 30 minutes, but the rain finally cleared. However, the clouds stayed, threatening rain for the rest of the afternoon.

This area of the Southern Alps has some of the most drastic elevation changes from sea level to mountains in the world, and only 10 km away was the ocean. As the air moves inland, it hits these tall mountains. The only way for the air to move over the mountains is to become lighter, releasing the moisture as rain or snow. The region surrounding the glacier typically receives 5 - 9 meters (15 - 27 feet) of rain a year, and the upper mountain area that feeds the glacier can receive up to 50 meters of snow in a single year.

We continued up the glacier in search of crevasses and more moulins. After another hour or two of hiking we reached the highest point of the day near the lower falls. This section essentially separated the glacier in two, requiring any daring adventurers to move off the glacier and around the 50+ foot tall walls of ice. This route would also take you through the most active rock slide area that was over 100 yards long, nicknamed suicide alley. We had actually seen a rockslide in this section earlier in the hike, though Ashley was unimpressed because none of the rock made it to the glacier that time.

Standing from our high vantage point we could truly appreciate just how large this glacier was. Far below, we could just make out some groups moving near the front end of the glacier. Looking up, the ice towered above, blocking the upper portion of the glacier where the heli-hike tours were flying to. For those familiar with the "Game of Thrones" series, Ashley thought that this portion of the hike was like being "north of the wall." So she felt the need to proclaim that "winter is coming" a few times during the remainder of the hike.

We traversed a large crevasse, and got to quickly look in another section that was deemed too dangerous to walk through because of the ice breaking away above our heads (which one guide calmly referred to as "death flakes"...comforting). The walk down was much easier and provided a new and beautiful perspective of the glacier. Dean kept the group at a solid pace, slowing only to wield his pick ax to clear our path or to check out a potential moulin stop. It periodically rained lightly on the way down, but not nearly as long or as bad as at lunch.

After being on the glacier for 5+ hours, it was a relief to step off the ice and remove crampons. Our legs were sore and tired, but we still had a hike back to the bus and then to base camp. Fortunately Sarah, a German mechanical engineer around our age, chatted to us on the way back about our trip and where we were going next, which really helped pass the time and take our minds off our sore feet. Before we knew it we were on the bus home.

Back at base camp, we turned in all of our gear and happily put on our own shoes. Before leaving, Dean filled out a certificate as evidence of successfully hiking Fox Glacier. These certificates were beginning to feel like a custom in New Zealand. After Nate pointed out that the certificate depicted clear,blue skies over the glacier, Dean personalized ours by drawing in some rain clouds.

It wasn't hard to convince Ashley to do an early dinner (at Matheson Cafe again). The forecast had rain all evening, so a bottle of wine and a soak in the hot tub had us quickly in bed for the night. Tomorrow would be the longest day of driving this trip - approximately 600 kilometers (8 - 9 hours driving). We also had to reach the Homer Tunnel by 7 pm because of road closures, otherwise we would not be staying in Milford Sound for the night. Hopefully Ashley can stay awake long enough to help pass the time while driving.

New Zealand: Driving the West Coast to Fox Glacier

The rain continued through the night, creating a continuous tapping noise on the wooden roof above us. The forecast called for rain until midday, meaning we would be driving through it down the West Coast for several hours on our way to Fox Glacier. There was only one main road that ran the length of the West Coast, SH 6, and very heavy rain only a few weeks before had caused flooding and closed sections of it. The roads were open today, but we saw signs of road repairs several times an hour.
It was about 6-7 total hours of driving from Abel Tasman to Fox Glacier. Most of our drives up until this point, except Tongariro to Marlborough, were limited to only a few hours. Get Ashley in a car with her knowing it would be a few hours and she soon would enter a cycle of humming, sleeping, humming, and then awake. Every hour, this cycle would start over and repeat.

To help break up the drive we decided to make a stop at Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. It was raining lightly and windy, but quite a few people had pulled over to check out this popular spot too. It's only a small section of the Paparoa National Park that is a well maintained trail passing by the pancake rocks and blowholes along the coast.

The Pancake Rocks look, well, like pancakes stacked on top of each other. The water was slowly eroding the rocks with each wave slamming into the coast. At full high tide the water erupts out of the blowholes within the rocks. Unfortunately, we still had a few hours before we would have a chance to see that. However, the water was still rolling in with a lot of force allowing us to see 'steam' rising through the vents as the air was forced up through the blowhole.

It was a nice stop, though the weather caused us to hurry along the path. It was only another 45 - 60 minute drive south until Greymouth for lunch. To give you an idea of how sparsely populated the West Coast is, Greymouth was the largest town with 10,000 residents. After lunch (with several business people), it was time to wash the food down at the local microbrewery Monteith's.

Walking in, it's hard not to feel impressed with just how nice, welcoming, and relaxing the inside looked and felt. Our initial intent was to do the brewery tour, but it cost $18 / person and came with three beers. We didn't have that much time to spend, so Nate went with the sampler and Ashley tried the Apricot Wheat.

The sampler was 6 of their classic beers and started with a cider and worked up to a black beer (stout). The original ale and black beer were the clear winners for Nate. Ashley was especially impressed with her Apricot Wheat, calling it her favorite fruity beer ever. The challenge now will be to see if she can get it in the US. While relaxing at Monteith's, the rain stopped and the clouds started to disappear, leaving behind the first hint of blue in three days.

The brewery was a great spot to drink, relax, and wait out the rain. However, we weren't done driving for the day. It was another two hours south, but the sky was clearing and the mountain peaks were poking through. The drive was enjoyable, passing by the snow covered mountains and over the many streams with one lane bridges.

Heading south took us past the Franz Josef township, the 'other' glacier in the area that tourists could explore. Up and over a windy mountain pass took us into the Fox Glacier township where we would be staying for two nights at Lake Matheson Motel. After a quick check-in in the late afternoon, we drove down to Lake Matheson for dinner and to take pictures.

One outside seat was still left for us that provided panoramic views of the mountains. The seats, however, actually directly faced a cow pasture (with the mountains on the side). This surprisingly created very good people watching because the cows were up along the fence where the trail to the lake passed. New Zealand may not have that much wildlife to view other than birds, but there had to have been over 50 people who took pictures of the cows during our dinner.

Lake Matheson is a one hour round trip hike and is one of the most photographed locations in New Zealand because of the mirror-life reflections of the mountains on the water. Fortunately, the clouds were still away from Mt. Cook (New Zealand's tallest mountain) and Mt. Tasman. We hurried along the trail looking for best vantage point for sunset pictures on the lake, finally settling on Reflection Island.

It was fairly crowded at this spot, but we waited out a few others and Nate found a spot for his tripod. The lake was periodically smooth and flat, allowing for a beautiful view as we watched the sun slowly cast light onto the mountains as it set in the distance. The view of the lake reflecting the mountains definitely lived up to the many pictures we had seen before coming to New Zealand.

Tomorrow was to be a full day hike up onto and then around the glacier. Other visitors who had already done this tour had told us they were exhausted at the end of the day. We'll see how we do after a full night's rest, though Nate wanted to try for sunrise pictures at Lake Matheson.

New Zealand: Abel Tasman - Kayak/Hike

Today was a full day of kayaking and hiking with the Sea Kayak Company in Abel Tasman National Park. We spent three hours in the morning kayaking, including around the seal colony, followed by an afternoon hike along the Abel Tasman coastal track. It was a fun experience paddling amongst the wildlife and beaches, and we also enjoyed the opportunity to hike the forest section with the famous Falls River swing bridge.

Because we were staying in Marahau, we only had to walk to the water taxi a few hundred yards from our hotel. Others drove in or were bused in from Motueka early in the morning. We were picked up in a shuttle from the water taxi and taken down to the beach where a boat (already hitched to a tractor) and kayaks were waiting. After the group took our seats in the boat, the kayaks were loaded and the tractor began taking us out to the water. It was past nine, and the tide was rising. Once the tractor reached the water, it backed the boat in until it was floating.

With a full boat and kayaks strapped on back, the water taxi shot off up the coast. It was initially calm with several islands blocking the incoming waves, but we were soon slowed down by swells 8 feet high. With the slow down, we were able to better pay attention to wildlife and as a result spotted several blue penguins floating at the surface. Regardless of how the rest of the day would go, Ashley would now be happy.

After 30 minutes, the boat found the cove where we would be launching the kayaks. Lucas, our guide for the day, began briefing the group on safety, the equipment, and how to effectively paddle and operate the kayak once on the water. These kayaks had pedals to steer, so it was decided that Nate would sit in the back to keep us going in the right direction.

For Nate, sitting in the back was a good thing. As soon as we were pushed into the water a wave hit the front of the boat and rolled over Ashley, some of which snuck through the sea skirt. Nate stayed dry thanks to Ashley's kindness.

The initial plan was to paddle out to the seal colony located on an island a couple hundred meters offshore. The Sea Kayak Company was one of the few operators with permission to paddle around the colony, allowing us to get much closer than some of the boats passing through the area. It was initially easy going, but as we approached the island the waves kept getting larger on the left side. Swells were relatively rare in Abel Tasman, and we were 'lucky' to be seeing them. They were large enough that Lucas informed the group that no one was to have their camera out until we passed around to the calm side of the island. It was another 15 minutes of hard paddling, rising up and over swells, before we got there.

Ashley was finally able to pull out the camera on the calm side, meaning Nate was the only paddler (and steerer). The current slowly glided us along as we searched for seals and penguins on the island's shore.

It didn't take long before seeing some small groups of seals. Lucas encouraged us to move closer to shore, but his kayak had to stay between us and island so as to not interfere with the wildlife. Ashley was really excited once some seal pups were spotted on the rocks.

Quietly floating near shore, we watched as a seal slid into the water. It then swam playfully only a few feet from our kayaks for several minutes until the current had pushed us too far down the shore. We spent a few more minutes casually floating along until we had completely circumnavigated the seal colony.

With cameras away once again, we spent the next 45 minutes paddling back to the coast and then moving south back towards Marahau. It was another paddle through the swells with minimal breaks, but we kept our rhythm together and kept up with Lucas. Along the way, several blue penguins were spotted floating on the surface. If any of the kayaks got within 10 - 15 feet, they would disappear into the water and pop up 50 feet away. With shoulders burning, it was nice to make the final bend toward Bark Bay where we would stop for lunch. We landed on the beach, but before we could get out Nate got hit by a wave and soaked. It felt like an even trade for Ashley.

Bark Bay had an active camp site that was used by many of the backpackers hiking the full Abel Tasman coastal track. Facilities were minimal, but did include a small outside kitchen, picnic tables, and restrooms. We enjoyed a quick lunch chatting with the other kayakers. After this short break we were soon on our way again. It was high tide, so we would have to take the longer route 12 km route and had 3.5 hours to catch the last water taxi back from Anchorage Bay at 4:30. As you can see from the sign, the suggested time for the hike was 4 hours.

We picked up the track from the end of Bark Bay. We were trying for a quick pace, but the other kayakers were moving even faster in hopes of catching the earlier boat at 4. The track initially hugged the coast, but soon was heading upward into the forest. After 30 minutes of what felt like mostly uphill hiking, Ashley stated that "This whole country is uphill." It quickly became the quote of the day any time we were headed uphill for a few minutes.

The Falls River swing bridge was one of the areas that we knew we wanted to hike while in Abel Tasman. Fortunately, the hike today took us through the section that included the swing bridge. It was quite a bit longer than expected and didn't 'swing' or rock as much as we thought it would once we walked out onto it. However, it was around when we reached the bridge that it began raining lightly. It wouldn't stop for the rest of the hike.

We kept up our pace on the trail as it continued upward through the forest. Occasionally, views of the bays and coast could be seen through the few breaks in the trees.

With a fairly tight deadline, we didn't have as much time for pictures as we would have liked. But, it was raining and probably would not have resulted in those postcard quality shots.

One of the unique aspects of this section of the coastal track is that there was a shortcut, low tide route that followed along a sand bar and was over an hour quicker. Unfortunately, it was still a few hours until the tide would be low enough. So uphill, through the forest was the only option. It took another hour before we spotted Anchorage Bay, the end of our hike and where the water taxi would hopefully still be waiting for us. If we were to miss the last boat, then we would have to hike an additional 14 km into Marahau.

From the the view of Anchorage Bay it was still a 15 minute walk (downhill) to the beach, and then another five minute walk to the last boat floating near the shore. It began to rain heavily as we walked along the beach. We noticed one boat turn around towards us along the shore, and someone shouted Ashley's name. It was the other kayakers checking to make sure it was us and that we would make the last boat.

With the raining coming down harder, we hustled to the last boat. As soon as we were on a few kayaks were loaded and the boat was off into the waves. It was a bumpy and somewhat wet ride back to the Marahau beach. A tractor greeted us in the waves and towed us along the road back to the water taxi base.

With the rain not letting up, we quickly got back to our room to get some dinner. Having tried the sit down place last night, we decided to go to the food 'truck' stand Fat Tui. The food was good, hot, and greasy - perfect for a rainy and quickly cooling night. We particularly liked the fried pineapple rings.
It would end up raining heavily for the next 24 hours. It was still a very fun day, but we would have loved a sunny day to see the true colors of the water during our kayak. In the end, it's hard to complain too much when this was one of the few days so far that had poor weather.

New Zealand: Driving to Nelson and Abel Tasman

Another breakfast at Olde Mill House allowed us to finish sampling all of the homemade jams Diane had made.  As an added bonus, they told us that Blenheim was having a farmer's market today.  That meant an opportunity to get some local cherries before heading northwest towards Nelson.

It was a relatively small but busy market.  Nuts, eggs, cherries, apricots, and many other in-season local produce were being sold.  Ashley found some long sought after cherries, which put a smile on her face. 

We had an hour and a half drive towards Nelson, most of which was in the rain.  Nelson is a city of 45,000 and is known for its sunny climate, art and fashion.  And beer.  Most of the hops grown in New Zealand are from this region, which has led to a high concentration of quality microbrewers.
We had heard of a quirky bar in Nelson called Free House that was a converted church.  It only served domestic beer, with a list of 20 or so on tap constantly changing.  We arrived shortly after noon and the only other patron was a local.  This allowed Nate some time to ask questions and sample multiple varieties before settling on Dead Good IPA.  Free House also had pump beer, served English style at near room temperature and without the additional carbonation from a typical bar tap.  It was a new experience, one that would likely take some getting used to.

Free House wasn't serving any burgers today, so we left in search of lunch in downtown Nelson.  Lambrettas was a popular spot here for both locals and tourists.  With the rain gone, we enjoyed a bite to eat at one of their outdoor tables and watched fellow visitors walk by.

During our walk around downtown Ashley had noticed signs for an art show in the Queen's Gardens nearby.  She tries to collect at least one piece from the locations we visit, so this was the perfect chance to find something (which had proved to be very difficult thus far).  The gardens were buzzing with people browsing the work of the many local artists.  We found a reasonably priced painting of Milford Sound, a future stop on this trip.  Ashley was initially hesitant because we had not yet been (and the road was currently closed), but we both felt this may be our only chance to find something we liked.  With art in hand, we got back in the car and continued westward to Abel Tasman National Park.  Nelson will be added to our list of places to see more of when we make it back to New Zealand.
It was another hour drive out to Abel Tasman, the most visited National Park in New Zealand.  Its a coastal park with golden beaches, blue green water, a marine reserve, and lush forests.  Running along/near the coast is the Abel Tasman track, one of the "Great walks" in New Zealand that takes 4 days.  Water taxis provide transport around the park and allow visitors to see their preferred sections.
The rain had stopped before we arrived in Marahau, the small town just outside the park.  Our lodging was at Ocean View Chalets on a small hillside outside Marahau.  Our room had views of the ocean (just like the name), encouraging us to go walk on the beach.

The tidal changes were drastic here, sometimes as much as 4.8 meters (15 feet).  It was low tide, meaning the beach was several hundred yards deep before touching water.  As we started walking out we noticed tractors with boat trailers driving on the road.  These looked like farm tractors, the kind with huge rear wheels and then smaller, car sized wheels in the front.  Because of the tidal changes, the water taxis were being towed in from the surf for the day.  It was an interesting site to see.

As we neared the water line, it became obvious that it was going to rain again.  We hurried back to the main road, where fortunately one of the two restaurants in town was located.  We enjoyed a nice dinner at Hooked on Marahau as we rode out the rain.  The clouds hung around, so a bottle of wine in our Chalet seemed like a nice way to end the day.

Tomorrow we would do a full day kayak and hike tour.  Hopefully the weather would improve.

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.