New Zealand - Kaikoura

March 01, 2018

From Christchurch we headed north to Kaikoura on a coast road that was only reopened last December after suffering extensive damage in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in November 2016. This is a spectacular stretch of coastline and we loved exploring it and getting up close and personal with the numerous seals that laze in the sun there. The earthquake actually uplifted the shore (up to 5.5 meters in one location), which is good for accessible beach walking, not so good for the reef ecosystem.

Kaikoura’s main claim to fame is whale watching. Just offshore a deep undersea canyon creates just the right conditions for abundant marine life including sperm whales, who are year round residents. Others whales migrate through as well. We splurged on a whale watching airplane flight, which is more time efficient than the boat tours and gives you the chance to see the full length of the whale from above. It should also reduce the chance of sea sickness, but the combination of turbulence and a hot, stuffy cockpit still had me a bit woozy. The sperm whales are supposed to be fairly predictable in their locations and diving patterns, but we somehow didn’t see any. We did however spot a blue whale, the largest of whales and one not commonly seen. Still, I’d have to say it was a bit disappointing. You never get as close to them as the glossy brochures imply.