We pass briefly through Christchurch, a city devastated by a 6.3 earthquake in February of 2011 that killed 185 people. (It was preceded by a 7.1 earthquake six months prior in a nearby region that caused structural damage — but no fatalities — and left Christchurch buildings primed for a collapse in the second quake.) Unfortunately there’s still lots of work to be done in returning the city to its former glory, and lots of buildings still lay in rubble. Some of my fellow passengers have stopped to explore for a few days and confirm that the Stray bus made the right decision to skip this city for now.
So onwards to Kaikoura! Wikipedia tells me this area gets it name from the Maori words for eat (“kai”) and crayfish (“koura”). I like the sound of that.
Kaikoura is a unique area for marine biologists because its continental shelf gradually slopes to 100 meters, then plunges to 1000 meters. The result is a convergence of warm and cold currents which stir up nutrients from the sea floor and feed all sorts of marine life. Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world to see fur seals, sperm whales, and dolphins — they all feed much closer to shore because of the continental shelf conditions.
Our group visits a nearby seal colony and then hikes up into the peninsula to check out its sweeping views.
This image shows the scope of the peninsula. It reminds me of a mini Palos Verdes.
One more topographical statistic: the mountains literally march right up to the ocean in Kaikoura, providing very cool photo opportunities. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen mountains tower directly over the ocean.
You’re pretty special, New Zealand.
The rocks below are dotted with seals.
So. Many. Seals.
This little dude is just hanging out by the boardwalk, catching a snooze.
This seafood shack is excellent — very cheap and fresh. They’ve almost sold out by the time I get there around 4pm.
The next morning I hop off the Stray bus to go swimming with the dolphins (more on that tomorrow). I check into a very highly rated hostel overlooking the downtown area.
Views from the back deck of the Dolphin Lodge:
And a shot of the night sky as I walk into town for dinner that evening:
I cannot WAIT to show you photos and video from my dolphin swim the next morning. Check back tomorrow!
