New Zealand’s Sea of Wonders

“I’m bobbing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by small peaks of sea swell, and a guide is screaming my name from the boat. I turn in the direction she is gesticulating to and see a dark, slim shape cut through the cloudy water ahead, skimming an odd, curved dorsal fin on the surface. This marks my first face-to-face experience with the world’s rarest and smallest dolphin,” writes Eliza Sum for the Geelong Advertiser.

“Nestled in the quiet, charming Banks Peninsula, 81km southeast of Christchurch, Akaroa is home to a pod of endangered Hector’s dolphins”, which only grow up to 1.6m in length.

Akaroa is not the only place in New Zealand which is home to unique wildlife experiences. Another popular spot for getting closer to marine life is “the stunning Kaikoura peninsula” – one of the few places whales can be spotted year-round.

“Offshore, the underwater Kaikoura Canyon carves a deep trench through the Pacific Ocean and is thought to be up to 3km deep,” as reported in the article.

On the whale watching tour Sum sees a massive sperm whale and a small pod of dusky dolphins. But Kaikoura has one more magical sight in store.

“We’ve come to visit a special waterfall that bursts to life with cheeky New Zealand fur seal pups in the winter months, acting as a creche for the doe-eyed youngsters as their mothers hunt in the ocean,” writes Sum.

“While the shy kiwi eluded us during our South Island sojourn, it was New Zealand’s watery residents that made this trip truly memorable.”

Article Source: Geelong Advertiser, Eliza Sum, June 21, 2016

Image Source: Facebook – Whale Watch Kaikoura