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We traveled up the coast from Christchurch and stopped at Motuanau Beach and Cathederal Cliffs. Both were lovely. Especially the rock formations at Cathederal Cliffs! We were trying to find a place to stay for the night on the way to Kaikoura but everywhere was full or too expensive. We got a text message from our friend Marion that we met in Nelson saying that she was in Kaikoura and that another couple that we also met in Nelson at Christmas were camping at a freesite close by! So we texted Yves and Lea and shot up the coast to meet them! Well maybe not shot up . . . GEN the van can only go 80km per hour! We did have a hairy moment where james overtook a huge lorry on an uphill and then we were stuck between two of them on the downhills and straights . . . they can go pretty fast if they want to!! We found the freesite quite easily, just north of Kaikoura on Kiwa Road. The spot id probably one of our faverouites so far. We had all of the best aspects of New Zeland in our sight; snow topped mountains, bush, golden grass, beach and of course sea!
We spent the evening/night chilling out round a fire (made from driftwood on the beach, there was alot!) catching up and eating yummy corn on the cobs (cooke n the fire of course!).
The next morning we woke up to blazing hot sunshine. We realised that there were alot of Paua (a type of Analone) shells on the beach. We had heard from lots of people in New Zealand that they are the best shellfish arround and well worth a try. We saw a couple of locals diving for them just infront of where our campers were parked up, it was obvious that when they were done that they had caught quite alot so James decided that it was his turn. Yves and Lea had caught a couple before in Wellington by picking them off the rocks when the tide was out and it is quite rare to find the legal size in that depth of water. So James wetsuited up and put on Yves snorkel and finns and went into the water with his knife. We marked the legal size for the paua (125mm) on the knife so that James had a guide of what to get. He had to dive down (not too deep so we had great fun watching his flippers and bum flailing in the air in the process!!) feel under the sides of the rocks until he found one and then very quickly (as they suck hard onto the rock when touched and then it is nion impossible to get them off!) slide his knife under the shell to leaver them off. He was really sucessfull and came back with 9 Paua!! The legal limit is 10 so that was great! Yves then wanted a go so he went out again with James and cauht another 7 more. They were extreemly good hunters and gatherers. Lea and I watched for a while but also enjoyed going for a swim, playing in the waves (watching the seals!) . . . then of course the very stressful job of sunbathing to dry off!
Catching the Paua was just the the first task of the process. you do not cook them like most other shellfish. First James and Yves cut the big black muscley Paua from their beautiful shells to reveal the amazing mother of pearl underneath. Lea and I then scrubbed the black ink off of them to reveal their white bodies. The next stage was to tenderise them by hitting the bodies. Then to slice them into really thin pieces. Yves slow fried them most of the day with garlic and onions.
Whilst the boys were tenderising and slicing Lea and I drove into Kaikours to pick up Marion from the backpackers. It was awesome to see Marion again as we had some great times with her in Nelson. We went for a big supermarkest shop to buy a feast for dinner and of course some local ale and not so local rum to wash it down!
The rest of the day was great fun. Hanging out in this beautifuly amazing place, preparing a feast and generally having a great time. The dinner was amazing. The Paua was certainly the best shellfish that i have ever tried! James liked it but i think that he prefered catching them to eating them!! We baked some potatoes on the fire with cream cheese in the middles and to finish the fire-pudding faverouite Banana with chocolate all guily melted inside . . . nom nom nom. The rest of the night was so much fun, sitting round the fire chatting, taking photos of the stars and awesome portraits of ourselves and shapes in the dark made with torches. It was so good and went so quickly that we were suprised to see the sun come up at 5am! We watched the amazing sunrise and then zonked to sleep.
It was obviously a slow start in the morning although we did have to open all doors and boot so that we didn't roat alive. I found poor Marion when I did finally wake up on a rug under the shade of Yves and Lea's Van as she was sleeping in a tent and didn't quite have the same ventilation system as us!
We had a lovely chilled day in the sun. James taught me how to Paua fish which was great and i got a couple! It did terrify me diving underwater with a sharp knife though as the waves swish you arround quite a bit! Luckily no one was hurt and i was nice enough to pop the Pauas back on their rocks as i don't think anyone had the energy that day to go through the whole process all over again!
That evening we had another lovely fire cooked dinner and I cooked everyone pancakes ont he fire (I had to be specific they wern't Crepes!!) for pudding and thety went down very well especially with Marions Chocolate sauce!!
The next day Yves, Lea and Marion needed to head off early as they were going to a festival in Akaroa where we had just been. It was perfect for us as we were keen to see the rest of the Kaikoura area and head further up coast. It was sad saying good bye as we had such an amazing time. Yet exciting that we were all moving on to the next stages of our journeys!
We drove into Kaikoura and did the walk arrounf the peninsula, It was a beautiful view and cool seeing all the seals below. We dropped off our surf boards at a shop so that the manager could estimate a price for us. Whilst we were waiting we found a lovely spot by the coast with cold showers and water so we washed ourselves and our clothes!! Just next to where we parked was the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ van which is renound for its crayfish! So of course we had to try! We shared a crayfish . . . it was delicious!! After that we went abck to the shop and after alot of manly chatting and haggling we managed to sell one of the boards for a good price!
After that we travelled out of Kaikoura and up the coast. Stopping along the way to see baby seals on the coast!
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