Monday 26th November

Today's photo was Lucinda in front of a sperm whale. We drove about 2 hours south to Kaikoura. Half way we stopped at the seal pup colony. All the pups had grown up and disappeared apart from one alone at the waterfall and a sad, bedraggled seal half way up the rocky inlet. Whale watching was a highly professional business. The custom made boats were superb and we sped out secure in our aircraft type seats. This is the best place in the world to see Sperm Whales as the continental shelf drops off into enormous depths a short distance from the shore. These whales typically dive for 45 to 60 minutes and then come to the surface to re-oxygenate and to digest their food. After searching for about an hour a whale was spotted and we closed in on it. After ten minutes it dived but I had my photo. We spotted a second whale on the way back although as far as I was concerned it could have been the first one that had popped back up for another look. I think everyone really enjoyed it apart from one young woman who had turned pale and then green as the boat headed out. She spent her time looking despairingly out at the horizon or had her head in a sick bag. The scenery was stunning with low clouds hanging between the sea and the snow capped mountains. Accommodation was a high class B&B once again complete with stunning view vowed the bay. Another meal out and off to bed.