NEWS # 041
Hi everyone!
the view from Dolphin Lodge
Saturday morning I awake to beautiful sunshine and not a breath of wind. The
surf seems smaller but I feel that there is still a chance of a good surf
and head straight to the point after breakfast. Dav is off to Christchurch
today and we part company. I arrive at the break, only to find that I have
left my boots at the hostel. Brave but not mad, I head back to the hostel
and retrieve them.
I'm in the water before eleven and there are a few more
people in today. I wouldn't call it crowded as there are about twenty guys
and a few girls in the water. I move further outside than everyone else and
get a couple of screamers right down the point.
Having a 7'6" board
definitely has its advantages.
This was the smaller of two days recently and was busy with 20 guys in
the water. The day before was much bigger with three of us out!
Water cold
at 9C, especially in a three / two!
it peels forever
I stay in for about the same time as
yesterday but get more waves and there are fewer clean-up sets. I'm well
chilled none-the-less, by the time I get out.
Have fish and chips for dinner
and explore Kaikoura and the seal colony in the afternoon.
Kaihutura - small and perfect
eight foot shore break, just down the road
Kaikoura sunset
That evening, two Norwegian girls arrive at the hostel and in the interest
of good foreign relations I go to the pub with one of them, called Sylvie, a
student in South NZ, to watch the rugby! We have a crazy night and meet the
locals whilst the Irish unfortunately get stuffed by the All Blacks. I crash
out not too late.
Sunday and I am up early to pack my gear away as I'm off to Christchurch
tonight. The Norwegians have gone whale watching and I'm off to swim with
dolphins. I will be going out to see the dolphins with the people my friend
Olivia worked for last year. They are called Dolphin Encounter.
First, I drive back to the point to see if I can get an early surf in,
before my dolphin swim. Unfortunately, the ocean has other ideas and it's
almost flat with the odd set. I meet an American couple, Whitney and Brian,
who had missed the day before and decide to go out for a paddle anyway. Not
being so desperate, I leave them to it.
I take some photos and head back to
Kaikoura.
Maungamanu - small perfection
I go to the Shell Gallery and chat with the owner, a surfer and he tells me
that the point is rarely flat so I hope to get a surf there again on my way
up the country.
I then head over to Dolphin Encounter and get fitted up with a 5mm suit, a
polypropylene full inner suit, boots gloves and a hat! Bonus, I can't be
cold in this lot. We also get masks, snorkels and fins. we then head over to
a briefing and it's on the bus, suited up, to the harbour. There are about
fifteen of us and a few crew. We pile into a motor launch and we're off.
The boat trip takes about 40 minutes and we head out over the Kaikoura
Canyon, a deep channel, towards the last position of the dolphins. We pass a
sperm whale filling up with air and several albatrosses. We arrive at the
last known position of the dolphins and they are nowhere to be seen.
Thankfully, the tour company has a spotter plane and the pod is found about
three miles away. We head towards them and suddenly we are amongst them.
They estimate that there are at least 150 of them and as soon as we are there
we all get into the water and they swim around us. It's amazing and they
move so fast. Each time the pod moves away, we leap onto the boat and follow
them, only to get back into the water, once we are amongst them.
They seem
completely un-fazed by us or the boat.
these guys can certainly swim
Eventually, we get out and change. We then follow the dolphins for half an
hour and get the chance to get some good photos, before leaving them and
heading for home. On the way back we see another sperm whale and are able to
see it dive and its tail sticking fifteen feet out of the water just before
it disappears.
We have a great time and all too soon are back on dry land.
these guys can certainly swim
the boat home
I get back to the hostel around four and load up the car ready for the trip
to Christchurch. Maria, one of the girls from the hostel, is going the same
way and I am giving her a lift.
We leave at 4.30pm and the journey takes two hours. I will stay in the same
hostel as Maria for a couple of nights and then try to find my friends,
Daniel and Ceishi, from Fiji. We check into the Riollaston Street YHA which
is warm and clean.
Seeya,
Halesy