A whale of a time in Kaikoura

Ok so both of us are whale watching tragics.  The chance of getting up close and personal with the largest animals on earth is a thrill that we can't resist.

Kaikoura is on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island and is the jumping off point for whale watching.  They guarantee that you will see Giant Sperm Whales which is a change from the Humpbacks we normally see in Australia.


We stayed overnight and were up early to catch the catamaran out to the deep ocean trench which is the nursery ground for adolescent Sperm Whales.  We weren't disappointed sighting many whales within an hour of leaving.


The hosts on board the boats were all Maori and did a great job explaining the life cycle of the whales.  The bonus for the day was that on the return we saw pods of Dusky Dolphins and Fur Seals sunning themselves on the rocks.  All in all a great day out and worth the money.