A visit to one of the most amazing coastal villages on the South Island of New Zealand.
A New Zealand town we recently visited has made international news, not because we were there. Instead, it was for less happy reasons that this small, quiet seaside hamlet had gained notoriety. This nature-focused community made the world headlines on a calm and tranquil day when five people in a pleasure boat died in an accident just offshore. Based on our recent experience, we immediately suspect why this happened.
We visited Kaikōura for the same reason most people come here, to see the whales and seals. Due to the sea currents and a precipitous underwater drop-off, this is a rich and fertile area for undersea life. The same undersea currents that nourish the fish in this area also attract some of the largest underwater predators. That makes the ocean off the Kaikōura’s shore a prime location for spotting sperm whales.
We picked up the kids after school on Friday, drove over the mountains separating the west and east coast of the South Island, and did not arrive at our rental house until after dark. So the following day, when the sun rose, we were treated to an amazing view. To the west, snow-covered mountains reflected the warm colors of the sunrise, while to the east, we looked out over the blue ocean to see the rising sun. It is a breathtaking location between alpine mountains and a pristine sea. A true gem, and Heidi and I just sipped our coffee as we watched the fire move across the sky.
Then we were all off to catch our boat. We boarded a twin-hulled tour boat and set off to hunt for creatures that breathe air but spend most of their time underwater. We were pursuing the leviathans of the deep, and we hoped to see them up close in their natural environment. We learned that these toothed whales could spend as much as 90 minutes underwater and dive more than 3,000 feet. That is an impressive feat, but it can make spotting them difficult during the brief interlude when they are on the surface.
The crew used an underwater hydrophone to listen for the sonar the whales use to hunt. They then attempt to track a whale once they hear it. They want to hear the sonar stop; that is the sign that a whale is surfacing. Once the crew had located a cetacean and that animal stopped singing, an airplane appeared overhead, and the boat crew and pilot helped each other spot the giant mammal.
Sperm whales don’t jump from the water like their more playful cousins, the humped-back whales. Instead, the sperm whale rest with just the top of its head above the surface. He (yes, all the whales in this area are male) will rest here for several minutes, taking multiple breaths before he makes his signature move. We crowded the boat rails as jets of ocean spray shot skyward with each massive breath. He floated like this for quite some time, taking rare but gigantic inhalations. Then, when he felt rested and re-oxygenated, the whale dove deep again, giving a great view of his tail as it rose out of the water, hung in the air, and slowly sank back into the dark depths. As the tail stood out of the water, it was almost like he was waving goodbye.
The tails of sperm whales are all unique like a giant fingerprint. Because of this, all the whales living in this area are well known and named. The whale we visited was named Anorak, owing to a ridge on the trailing end of his tale that resembles the tallest mountain in New Zealand. We were sad to see him go but ready to get back to shore for lunch because Kaikōura is known for more sea life than just whales.
The waters in this area are also famous for producing crayfish. These aren’t the oversized shrimp I remember hunting in creeks as a child. What the Kiwis call crayfish is what I would refer to as reef lobster. What we found most interesting about dining on lobster in Kaikōura is that you find them sold from takeaway shops (carryout) rather than in the finer sit-down restaurants. Perhaps it is our midwest upbringing, but we have always seen lobster as a fancy food you get in expensive restaurants and not something you pick up at a roadside stand.
After lunch, we hiked out to visit the local seal colony. Unlike the whales, who spend their entire life in the ocean, the seals spend most of their time on land. They can be found all over this rocky shore sunning themselves and sleeping the day away like they don’t have a care in the world. And they probably don’t when they are onshore, as no land-based predators threaten them. In the water, they are vulnerable to one of the terrifying predators in the world, the great white shark.
As we walked the trail through the seal colony, we saw them drying off, catching some sun, and sleeping. Everywhere we looked, there were sleeping seals. And not just adult seals, but seal pups. These little guys with their big, dark eyes are so cute that you want to sneak one into your backpack and make a break for it. And that would not be hard to do as they seemed to have no fear of us as we passed within feet of them. Not because we were trying to get close but because they were lying across the trail. Nonetheless, we tried to skirt around them and give them as much space as possible.
The next day dawned with the sun rising out of the ocean. We had no particular plans and no need to meet a boat, so we lounged in our home away from home. With rich coffee, a good book, and a fantastic view, it was an ideal morning for just being.
That afternoon, we hiked the high trail along the same peninsula where we had previously visited the seals, but this time we walked along the top. The upper path offered beautiful panoramic views of the ocean and bay as we looked back on New Zealand. I never fail to be amazed at how I can compose photos that contain the deep blue ocean and white caped mountains in a single frame, and I never tire of doing it, as my overstuffed hard drive can attest.
It was nice to have a lower-key day to wander around the town and pick up on the ambiance. Of course, Heidi and Delaney also used this as an opportunity to buy a bag full of “gifts,” from the local artisan shops. Tourism is still slow here on the far side of the world, and locals in towns like this are eager to see the foreign travelers return. But first, they need the foreign seasonal workers to come back. Businesses here depend on young people who finance travel by working local jobs and supporting the tourism industry. New Zealand doesn’t have enough local workers to meet the need. Now that the country reopened from the COVID pandemic, employers want to hire foreign workers to fill their unmet needs.
So if you are considering some extended world travel, this could be an ideal place and time. Wages are good, as are working conditions with lots of vacation and holiday time to get out and see more of these beautiful islands. And I’m not just talking to the college-age crowd; there are plenty of jobs available for more seasoned workers as well, with a significant need for people trained in trades of all kinds, from construction to cooking, nursing to surgeons, and everything in between. If you have ever considered living and working overseas, this is the ideal time to get in and secure the best job.
Well, the answer to the mystery that started this little reflection is that the boat hit a whale. Those sperm whales are enormous, measuring up to 80 feet long, weighing as much as 55 tons, and yet surprisingly hard to spot. They lay with all but the tip of their head sticking up about the surface and are nearly invisible from even a short distance. Their only clue to their location is the periodic spout as they breathe. If you miss seeing that brief plume, you could easily be unaware of this leviathan’s presence. As you can imagine, hitting one of these giants with a boat at speed could be catastrophic for the vessel and its passengers and probably not great for the whale either. It’s a sad story and an essential reminder that we must respect nature.
PS: If you are looking for a job as a general surgeon, the West Coast is hiring. My salary is a little higher than the position I left in the States, but given the higher cost of living and exchange rates, probably less buying power than I had. Still, we have plenty of cash to live and travel on and a lot more free time to make that travel possible. If you are interested in learning more or applying, you can do so here, or you can contact me directly with questions.
