Slept in yesterday - intended to wake at 7, go for a run, make lunch... woke at 8.50, shuttle bus due at 9.00. Argh! Didn't forget anything in the rush, out to Antarctic centre for pick-up. Also there are 3 Germans - Lena, Leia and Laura, Dutch Femke, and we are soon joined by Swiss Joel and Irish-American Michelle.
Bus is 30mins late, found out earlier today that everyone, including Dippy the driver, had a big night out the night before, so he slept in. Get on and head for Kaikoura. Atmosphere on the bus is quieter than expected, seemed to be more transport than social, but in hindsight, they were all hungover. Talked with Joel all the way - he's a Basel native, loves his football, and is a programmer too!
Myself, himself and Femke go for a walk around the Kaikoura peninsula - pass a seal colony, up onto the grassy headland. The views of the mountains are great, and the rocky coastline follows us around. We make it back to the hostel in time for free soup and beer, and then Joel proposes joint pasta carbonara. He's the chef, and we make a tonne of delicious and filling dinner.
Across the road to the Whaler for a pub quiz then, our team 'Flipper the Priest' wins first prize! A $50 bar tab! Only won by a single point, awarded in a recount. Also one stolen point, but we got no bonus for the drink-off. Home around midnight.
Up this morning at 4.30am, too soon after the pub to contemplate breakfast. Walk down to the dolphin centre, fitted for wetsuits, bussed to boats and away we go. A Kiwi and a Scot are our guides. We drive out to sea for about 30mins, then slip off the back board. Instantly underneath me are two, three, five dolphins. Looking through my snorkel, I watch as they stream past, or pause to investigate me, the intruder.
After ten minutes the signal to get out is sounded. As I began to swim back, a single dolphin circles me. I spin around and around, we are eye to eye, watching each other - he is playing, I am amazed. Eventually I have to break off to get back on the boat, but it the most intimate moment of the session. We have four more swims, the final one at a spot where the ocean is literally churning with dolphins. Acrobatics are frequent, and I don't know where to point the camera. A baby, maybe three foot long, swims by. Three dolphins somersault simultaneously. It is a sad moment when the boat turns to leave.
I chat to the Scot with Michelle. He came to NZ for a month in 2008, and fell in love with the dolphins. I think I know how he feels. KOR (who tipped me to do this) probably knows the feeling too.
Bus to Picton, where about two-thirds of the bus are getting the ferry to Wellington. The rest of us are staying in the Villa, a cosy commune not unlike the Old Country House. Group dinner of spaghetti bolognese tonight. Yum!
Bus is 30mins late, found out earlier today that everyone, including Dippy the driver, had a big night out the night before, so he slept in. Get on and head for Kaikoura. Atmosphere on the bus is quieter than expected, seemed to be more transport than social, but in hindsight, they were all hungover. Talked with Joel all the way - he's a Basel native, loves his football, and is a programmer too!
Myself, himself and Femke go for a walk around the Kaikoura peninsula - pass a seal colony, up onto the grassy headland. The views of the mountains are great, and the rocky coastline follows us around. We make it back to the hostel in time for free soup and beer, and then Joel proposes joint pasta carbonara. He's the chef, and we make a tonne of delicious and filling dinner.
Across the road to the Whaler for a pub quiz then, our team 'Flipper the Priest' wins first prize! A $50 bar tab! Only won by a single point, awarded in a recount. Also one stolen point, but we got no bonus for the drink-off. Home around midnight.
***
Up this morning at 4.30am, too soon after the pub to contemplate breakfast. Walk down to the dolphin centre, fitted for wetsuits, bussed to boats and away we go. A Kiwi and a Scot are our guides. We drive out to sea for about 30mins, then slip off the back board. Instantly underneath me are two, three, five dolphins. Looking through my snorkel, I watch as they stream past, or pause to investigate me, the intruder.
After ten minutes the signal to get out is sounded. As I began to swim back, a single dolphin circles me. I spin around and around, we are eye to eye, watching each other - he is playing, I am amazed. Eventually I have to break off to get back on the boat, but it the most intimate moment of the session. We have four more swims, the final one at a spot where the ocean is literally churning with dolphins. Acrobatics are frequent, and I don't know where to point the camera. A baby, maybe three foot long, swims by. Three dolphins somersault simultaneously. It is a sad moment when the boat turns to leave.
I chat to the Scot with Michelle. He came to NZ for a month in 2008, and fell in love with the dolphins. I think I know how he feels. KOR (who tipped me to do this) probably knows the feeling too.
***
Bus to Picton, where about two-thirds of the bus are getting the ferry to Wellington. The rest of us are staying in the Villa, a cosy commune not unlike the Old Country House. Group dinner of spaghetti bolognese tonight. Yum!
No comments:
Post a Comment