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Another early start - need to be at Whale watch station for 06.45. Fortunately we were very close and only had to go through a hole in a fence and across a railway track and we were there. After usual safety briefings etc we were transported (about 50 of us) to South Bay where we boarded Aoraki a specialist whale watching boat. The weather was amazing - bright blue sky and little wind and the captain that this was as good as it gets and they were lucky if they had 5 such good days in a year. We sailed to about 6 miles offshore and then started a search routine to try a locate a whale. We kept stopping and sonar gear was dropped over the side to listen for any whale - this continued for 30 minutes or so before a whale was spotted firstly by water being out of its blow hole. We were able to get within 20 metres and the whale (female sperm whale) swam near the surface and was totally unconcerned of us. We followed her for about 10 minutes before the ships captain announced that she looked like she was about to dive and that she did. Amazing!! Next we headed inshore and located a pod of dusky Dolphins - there must have been well over a hundred. Incredible sight to see these jumping and leaping in the water all around us. Finally heading back to South Bay the captain located a basking fur seal which floating with his flipper raised to get warmth from the sun.
Once back to shore we went back to the site for showers and were packed up by 10.30 and headed to the Akaroa Penisula where we had a late breakfast overlooking a seal colony although unfortunately most were out at sea getting there breakfasts at the time.
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