Kaikoura 1-3 June

It's the Queen's Birthday w/e and she's kindly given us the Monday off so we decide to go to Kaikoura for the w/e. We had driven through on the way down to Christchurch at Easter but only stopped for lunch and didn't explore the area so we decide to return. It’s about a 3 hour drive north and much of the latter part of the journey is beside the coast so wonderful views along the way.

The beach at Kaikoura with snow-topped mountain range across the bay

We arrive for a fish & chip lunch, then after dumping car and bags at our b&b, decide to do a wander around the Kaikoura Peninsular Walkway, going past the seal colony. Last time we’d seen only one or two seals but at this time of year there are hundreds lolling around on the rocks and dipping in and out of the water. The peninsular is surrounded on three sides by rocky limestone tables and small sandy coves and at the seal colony you climb from the shore up to the tops of the cliffs, so great views along the coast in both directions.

View from the top of the Peninsular Walkway. Whale Bay is to the right. There are many seals dotted around this coast
but too distant to see

At Whale Bay we descend steps, planning to return along the limestone slabs at sea level. It’s a beautiful calm place in the pearly afternoon light. We notice a couple down on the beach and approach them to see what they’re collecting. They have handfuls of what they call ‘Les Yeux des Lucie’ (they're French). We couldn’t work out exactly what they were: my best guess being fossils, so we begin searching for them too, ending up with 20 or 30 in my pockets.

Looking for fossils in the cliffs on the way down to Whale Bay

Eventually we tear ourselves away, pockets full, and continue walking back around the coast over the rocks. Rounding a rock at the foot of the cliff we virtually bump into a large aggressive bull seal who barks and charges at us. Mike rushes through along the path but I hang back effectively cutting myself off. Luckily another couple are also walking past and a kind kiwi woman takes my hand and we walk briskly past the barking beast.

Further along we turn a corner and the evening sun breaks out below the cloud bathing everything in a glorious soft orange glow.

Sun breaking through

Soft light at sunset on the walk back to Kaikoura

Next morning we booked into a whale watching trip but rough seas are forecast so we decide to cancel. Instead we drive up the coast a little to see the seal cub nursery. Mike’s been here before and I’ve seen some film of the spectacle, really something not to be missed. We park the car and it’s about a 10 minute walk up alongside a stream to the pool which is below a waterfall.

Seething with seals

On the way up there are baby seals clambering up or down the stream. They are born where the stream meets the sea and while being weaned they use the stream and pool as a nursery gaining skills and developing their strength for life out at sea. How many years this has been happening isn’t clear but it’s a famous natural phenomenon around here and one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever seen. The pool below  is fairly big and is literally seething with sleek little bodies ducking and diving, flipping over and doing somersaults in the air. The most spectacular show, and they’re doing it all just for fun. They obviously become used to visitors watching them and are not the least afraid, some coming out of the water to sniff the feet of the onlookers. Amazing!!

This afternoon the sun’s coming out and we take our picnic lunch to the far side of the Kaikoura peninsular then follow the walkway in the opposite direction, avoiding encounters with seals.

Walkway from southside

On our last morning we walk along the coast north of Kaikoura, beside an old railway track, hoping to get to the bluffs in the distance but we come to a dead end at a tunnel and have to retrace our steps. Early settlers must have lived on this patch of ground between cliffs and the coast as we come upon a grave dated 1846 with George Allbright carved on the headstone. There’s no sign of a house but the undergrowth is pretty dense and anything could be buried under the tangled mass of Banana Passionflower that covers the area with its beautiful dark pink flowers and pendulous fruit.

Proof that the coastline is eroding: a whole train with tracks lie on the beach below the footpath with a new tracks the other side

The beautiful flowers of the Banana Passionflower, native of South America which is unfortunately becoming a weed in
New Zealand, threatening native species. We tried the fruit but it was very sharp, maybe unripe

 

Weekends in May

Saturday 12 May

We plan to do the Mount Cass Walkway but find it’s closed for some reason so we end up driving quite a long way north towards Port Robinson. It’s not easy to find and once there, even more difficult to find a way down to it, but we can see a couple of surfers in the water below so we know it must be possible. There have been a lot of land slippages around here and the usual route no longer exists, but we soon find the right track and descend steeply to the stony beach with bellbirds singing and fantails fluttering around us.

Port Robinson

There’s the remains of an old wharf here, it was obviously quite a large port at one time but now there’s nothing left but the wharf timbers sticking out of the water’s edge. How those guys got their surf boards down here I can’t imagine as it’s quite a scramble. We wander off down the beach but are forced to stop because there are a lot of seals dozing on the rocks and we don’t want to disturb them. Mike finds the sign for the coastal path and scrambles up there but there have been too many slippages and the path is gone so we decide to move on to Gore Bay.

Seal amongst the seaweed and driftwood

 

Cathedral Rocks above Gore Bay

On the way we stop at Cathedral Rocks, some interesting eroded limestone cliffs and then on down to Gore Bay which is beautiful and still shrouded in mist. After lunch we walk up a gully hoping to reach the foot of Cathedral Cliffs but instead it leads us to a lookout over Gore Bay. A beautiful warm day though the mist never quite clears.

Mist over Gore Bay

Saturday 25 May

A lovely sunny w/e ahead of us and we plan a big walk tomorrow and just a quick jaunt to the Port Hills today. There’s a summit road around the volcanic rim separating Christchurch and Lyttleton and we drive up through the suburbs of Cashmere to get there. At The top we turn right along the crest with terrific views across to the snow topped Southern Alps and occasionally down the other side to Lyttleton Harbour. There are also a number of little Reserves along the road which are new to us so we stop at a couple.

Kennedy's Reserve on the Port Hills looking northwest across the Canterbury plains to the snow capped Southern alps

The first is Kennedys Reserve which takes us down a bit on the Christchurch side of the hills and along to the Sign of the Bellbird. Well named there’s beautiful clear bellbird song along the way. The refuge is an open affair which certainly wouldn’t keep the wind out if you had to shelter overnight.

View from the Summit Road across to Lyttleton Harbour opening onto the Pacific

Back to the car and we drive onto Gibraltar Rock and park the car. We walk up to the rock in the company of a family with three small kids but the trail peters out and we’re left forging a path through the undergrowth to get to the foot of the rock itself.  Having determined to climb it and in the presence of the young family we certainly can’t dip out of the venture, but it takes quite a lot of effort to get me up that rock. Definitely a climb not a scramble but eventually we get there with the family close behind. Dad had the littlest on his back and quite how they managed without losing any of the kids over the edge I’m not sure. It’s certainly not something I’d have attempted with 3 little ones, but then these kiwis are tough and start them young. Getting back down again was easier, I just tended to lie down on the near vertical rock and slide.

Mike and me (looking daft) on the top of Gibraltar Rock, Port Hills

Sunday 26 May

We set off at about 8am and drive south west down to the Banks Peninsular, stopping at Little River for breakfast then drive up and over the hills to Pigeon Bay. We park by an old jetty and set off along the edge of the bay which has steep hills either side rather like a fjord. The walk crosses meadows and woodland initially then takes you onto a farm track leading towards the open end of the bay.

Old jetty on Pigeon Bay

There are a lot of cows to squeeze past as they block the foot path. Kiwis seem to graze their cattle as well as their sheep on very steep hillsides over here , unlike the UK. Eventually we’re guided off the farm track and onto open tussock land towards the cliffs where there are large signs warning you against falling over the edge. It’s obvious the land is eroding pretty swiftly here and the cliff edge path is moving further away from the encroaching edge.

Wakaroa Point

This is Wakaroa Point, the end of our walk. The cliffs are impressively high and there are shag colonies dotted around. We eventually retrace our steps and stop in a more sheltered spot for lunch, then make our way back, picking mushrooms along the way. Back at the jetty we bathe our hot feet in the cold water of Pigeon Bay.