Up early again today and off to the communal ablutions for a shower & shave, then it was Maureen’s turn, not for a shave, that is.  Not being caravaners or campers, we’re unsure of the etiquette of communal ablutions.  There must have been a German in the block this morning as when I opened the shower there was a towel hanging up and a wet bag on the seat.  Not being aware if someone had had a senior moment and left their kit in the shower or whether you were allowed to reserve showers like sun beds, I was left pondering whether to chuck his kit out or what to do.  As there was a spare one next door I opted for leaving the towel in place and letting someone else have the decision whether to chuck it out or not.  Just as I was entering the empty shower out pops a chap from trap 2 and goes straight into the waiting shower.  Not really sure what would have happened if I had taken his shower and he was left banging on the door wanting his rubber duck back.  Oh the joys of camper vans!

The weather today has not improved since last night, still heavy drizzle and generally quite miserable.  However, since when did we Brits let a drop of rain spoil our enjoyment on our holidays?  We had booked to go whale watching at 3.30 this afternoon but as the weather was somewhat inclement, we decided to walk to the whale watching centre and check if they were still operating.  By the time we got there, the rain had stopped, but it was still grey and miserable.  Good news, they were still operating, but the sea conditions were such that they had issued a severe sea sickness warning.  We were offered the chance of going on the 10.30 sailing, but as the weather was due to improve in the afternoon we refused the offer and stuck to our original booking.

We took a walk along the esplanade at Kaikoura and returned to the campervan for lunch, by which time it had warmed up a little, stopped raining and you could actually see the horizon now.  By the time we had lunch and walked back to the whale watching centre, the sea conditions had also improved to just a  straight sea sickness warning.  During the time it took to check in, watch the safety briefing – what to do if swallowed by a whale – and general hanging around, the weather had closed in and it had started to rain again.  When we reached the boat, there was further quizzing about sea sickness.  By this stage we knew we were in for a rough ride.  The boat was a high speed catamaran which held about 30 people and the lady captain warned us that we may ‘fly’ from one wave to another as we would be travelling at high speed.  The young lady making the safety announcement gave various hints and tips, as well as a number of old wives tales, on how to cure the feeling of sea sickness.  At the end of the day it’s just mind over matter.  They don’t mind and we don’t matter!!  Off we went, ploughing into the waves, flying from peak to peak, slamming into the next wave, rolling from side to side.  It was just like hitting turbulence in a plane.  After the initial sharp intake of breath, there is always an eerie silence.  After about 20 mins, we started to slow down and right on cue, a dolphin leapt out of the water and passed right outside our window.  Then it was like a firework display – all ooo’s and arrr’s.  Once the captain had slowed to a respectable pace, we were allowed on the decks to search for the elusive sperm whale that was allegedly loitering around waiting for the tourists.

As we went on deck the dolphins were leaping all around us, such as we have never seen before, there were lots of them in almost every direction.  Apparently they were Dusky Dolphins.  Then, just a few minutes later the sperm whale was spotted, just lazing on the surface.  It had been around for quite a while and earlier sailings had reported its position.  It would appear that they dive very deep to feed, then surface to re-oxygenate their body, before diving again.  We were no more than about 50 metres from this huge mammal.  The crew reckoned it was a male about 17metres long.  It was surrounded by dolphins and again the crew said that it did not like the high pitch sonar noises of the dolphins, so it would probably dive again quite soon.  With that, this enormous creature seemed to take a last deep breath and it arched its back and dived into the seas, raising its tail out of the water in one of those classic wildlife film moments.  It was truly awesome to see that incredible site as it just slipped into the sea.

Whilst there were no more whales to see, the dolphins continued to frolic in the water and display their acrobatic activities.  To match the dolphin’s aerobatics, were the mighty albatrosses.  There were several different types including the mighty Royal Albatross.  This bird has an almighty wingspan and just swoops across the waves, then soars into the sky without so much as a flap of its massive wings.  Then it was off to some rocky outcrops just off the coast to see New Zealand Fur seals wallowing in the rain, which was in stark contrast to the ones basking in the sunshine earlier in the week.  As we headed back to port, this was without doubt, one of the most fantastic experiences of our lives.  Normally, what we saw is reserved for David Attenborough, wild life films on the tv.  A truly unforgettable experience and worth the boat ride.  In case you’re wondering – No - neither of us felt the slightest bit sea sick – unlike some poor lady at the front – 2 bag fulls!!