Dolphins dolphins dolphins!!

This is my fourth and last day in Kaikura. Typically, as I have checked out of the motel and have to wait 5 hours for the train, it's now raining. Yesterday and the day before however, the weather was glorious and just how I imagined it would be in New Zealand.

On Saturday, I went whale watching. We actually saw two sperm whales! We weren't very close, as the boats keep their distance. They killed the engines and we watched the whales as they breathed out spumes of water and then dived, with that splash of the tail. So fantastic.

After a quick change, I then set off on a small boat to go sea fishing. This was a complete contrast to the whale watching, where we had had to sit through a 20 minute safety briefing and were not allowed to stand up when the boat was moving. Once in the fishing boat, we were so close to the sea and there were no seats. Standing only! It was scorching out on the ocean and bright blue everywhere! Within 2 minutes of dropping my line, I'd caught two fish! Two sea perch. I then caught a further two and then they stopped biting. We also went cray fishing; had an albatross land next to us, saw seals and had dolphins swim alongside the boat.

Once back on dry land, we cooked the crayfish and ate them with a glass of the skipper's (Jerry) homemade wine. The whole trip cost $85. To buy a crayfish from the local restaurant, you would pay anywhere between $65 and $80. Amazing value for the afternoon and evening (as I stayed for tea and more wine!).

Yesterday, I went on the Dolphin encounter. This was simply incredible. Once geared up in wet suits, fins, snorkles, mask and hood, the boat took us out and found a pod of dolphins. Once in the water (which was so cold at first, it literally took my breath away), the dolphins were everywhere. These were truly, 100% wild Dusky dolphins. It was such an amazing experience. We were encouraged to make noises under the water to appeal to the dolphins. Two came right up to me and swam round and round me. Eye contact with a dolphin, in the ocean, is something else. I'm still smiling thinking about it!

We went in 4 times, before coming back on board to warm blankets, hot chocolate and ginger biscuits. Lovely. I was exhausted by the end of the day. I haven't swam that much in years. The mask may have been a bit tight as I now have a slight bruise on my cheek bone. It looks as though I fought the dolphins, not swam with them! (Woo hoo. Still smiling)