Vacations-Away
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Kaikoura Whale Watching
Kairoura was named by the Maori: Kai (food), Koura (crayfish). We drove 180 km north from Christchurch and back in the same day.
We observed 3 male sperm whales over a 1 1/2 hour time span. Our boat sailed alongside at an approximate distance of 150' from the whales.
They come up for air about every hour and stay on the surface for about 10-15 minutes.
The dive begins with a lowering, a hunching of the back, then a summersault action followed by a tail lift and then submersion. Top
Dolphins
We also observed small dolphins in an enormous pack that were leaping out of the water beside the boat. Enormously pleased with our choice to take the trip, we headed back south to Christchurch and our last night in New Zealand before flying to Auckland and back to San Francisco. Top MAIN TOPICS
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The operation is
run by the Maori's. Our guide was very knowledgeable and acquainted us
with the spiritual aspects and Maori vision of the whale. The boat was
also equipped with tracking and sound capability allowing us to hear their
calls.
