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What a fab day! The weather has finally listened to our prayers and we have made up for the last few days. Today we have spent it in Kaikoura, possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth where the mountains literally meet the water. It was pretty yesterday but with the sun shining it is gorgeous! The sea is a million different shades of blue and green!
Early morning for us as we had booked a dolphin and whale tour. Our first tour was out at sea swimming with dolphins. We sailed around for a bit looking for a pod of dolphins and trying to get them interested then we geared up in a tonne of stuff to snorkel and dive in the antartic waters! Full wetsuit, hood, mask, booties everything but OMG was it worth it!
We spent about 45 minutes in the water playing and swimming with a pod of around 25-30 wild Dusky Dolphins. There were 10 of us in the water and the dolphins were all around. They were so fast and so pretty as they have black and white markings, look them up online or wait for the postcard! Anyway we had to sing through our snorkels and they would come and investigate! We also dived under the water and they would try and make you follow them. One of the best things I have ever done in my life and Carl & I definately want to do that again but maybe in warmer water next time! Honestly they came so close and looked you right in the eye and swam all around you. At one point I was swimming with 3 on one side and 3 on the other, it was like being a dolphin myself!
After that we had hot choc and went to the front of the boat as they bow swam with us nearly all the way into the harbour. They are the super acrobatic dolphins so they were doing lots of leaps and spins!
The whale watching was next and luckily the weather held as we had booked an aerial tour to satisfy carls cravings. We went up in a little 8 seater plane but Carl sat in the front so he could wiggle the steering stick and look (not touch!) all of the buttons! I sat in the back and we were lucky as we booked at lunchtime and were the only people on the tour. Anyway we flew out over Kaikoura harbour and within a few minutes spotted our first 2 sperm whales. They are IMMENSE! The pilot took us down to about 500m for a better view and we circled them until they took a huge breathe, waved their tails and went back down diving for squid. We were really lucky as after those 2 we spotted three more seperate whales and watched them all till they dove. Amazing stuff to see. We have taken a few pics but they may just look like sea!
The pilot flew us above the town for a bit and I think Carl liked that more than the whales! Flying in a little plane, not a jet, is so much more like a flying experience and the scenery was just as beautiful as the whales! Carl now wants a plane but I am still after a catamaran!
Ambled round some second hand bookshops this afternoon which is my favourite hobby. About to get supplies in then we are heading up to Abel Tasman, a marine national park to take in the sights up there. Only a few more days left on the South Island, we head up to the North Island on Tuesday evening and are excited about the ferry crossing which we hear is beautiful.
Happy Hallowe'en everyone!
Love Kat & Carl
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