Waiting for the perfect photograph of a whale’s tail relies on two things — timing and luck. It might sound simple, but a perfect shot depends on weather, finding whales and, hopefully, a picture-perfect backdrop.
In Kaikoura, that means a crisp mountain outline — capped with snow — against a brilliant blue sky. One crucial aspect overrides all of this, of course — the whim of the whale.
There are countless perfect shots to testify it does happen. Photographers the world over visit Kaikoura to capture the magnificence of these gentle giants.
Sadly, I’m not one of them. It’s not that I didn’t get a shot, just not the perfect shot. We were well out at sea, with only the sky as a backdrop. Patience is required as the Whale Watch crew test for tell-tale sounds from sperm whales. While filling in time waiting for any blowhole announcement — snapping a mollymawk albatross that had dropped in — Willy the Whale decided to breach. Apparently, sperm whales rarely breach.
Aerial gymnastics are commonly associated with humpbacks — also spotted at Kaikoura — in winter, as they migrate north. Orcas, Southern right and pilot whales visit as well. For year-round whale watching however, it’s the resident sperm whales that Whale Watch sees most. While never guaranteed, their track record is up there. It helps explain this company’s phenomenal success: Supreme winner in Maori Television’s Te Tohu Tiketike o Matariki awards; finalist in Qualmark’s 100% Pure New Zealand Experience awards, plus World Travel’s Oceania Responsible Tourism award, to be announced in October. That’s just this year, and all on the back of whales.
They are the pinnacle of Kaikoura’s renown, yet the majesty of the sperm whale is particularly mind-blowing. Averaging around 60 tonnes, up to 20 metres long and the world’s largest toothed predator, sperm whales reside in Kaikoura all year. Only the males mind you. It’s too cold for the females so they stay in the tropics, kicking the young males out.
Marine supermarketThese fellows arrive at Kaikoura, happily living in a boys’ club until maturity when they return to breed with the females.
Romantic, and great news for whale watchers.
The lads stay in Kaikoura thanks to its unique coastal habitat. A mere 800 metres from land, the Kaikoura Canyon plummets three kilometres, opening up to a trench which extends far into the Pacific Ocean. It’s a veritable marine supermarket, rich with nutrients in a chain from plankton to dolphins and whales.
Kaikoura probably has more dolphins than anywhere else in the country. It is home to the rare Hector’s dolphin and more common dusky. They’re seen on a Whale Watch tour, but to hang out with them longer, a dedicated dolphin encounter offers snorkelling among these cheeky rascals. It’s a rare chance to get up close and personal below, as opposed to viewing the mysterious whale from above.
Sadly, Kaikoura was once a bastion for whale hunting — and where New Zealand’s last whale was harpooned in 1964. In South Bay, near where Whale Watch boats are moored, ruins still remain of the old whaling station. The starkness is sobering; more so when visiting Kaikoura’s museum. Among all the must-dos at Kaikoura, the museum is a revelation.
Everything about this place is an eye-opener. For starters, the beach along its esplanade is a pebble garden. No sand tickles the toes, just deep layers of pebbles to plough through. Sunrises are spectacular of course. As grand as Gisborne’s? Anywhere the sun rises from the sea is mesmerising. What Gisborne doesn’t have perhaps, is a craggy mountain outline for a magical sunset.
While 2016’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake changed Kaikoura’s coastline forever — raising it several metres — Mother Nature has a way of restoring life to a new type of normal. Seals have returned to Ohau Point though the walking track to the waterfall, and the seal pup nursery, have closed.
Highway outlets might have closed, but you can still feast on crayfish at the likes of Kaikoura’s famous Seafood BBQ Kiosk near the township. Paua remains under public rahui, but you can still savour this delicacy too, at the likes of the historic The Pier Hotel — up for sale by the way, if you want to relocate.
I came away with a shot of Willy’s tail — not perfect — but certainly enriched by tales of his ancestors, and the connection of two east coast settlements.
Learn more:
www.whalewatch.co.nz
www.encounterkaikoura.co.nz
www.kaikoura.govt.nz
