More seals than you can shake a stick at
Trip Start
Apr 16, 2008
1
55
Trip End
Apr 15, 2009
Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand
Friday, October 24, 2008
First though was the small matter of visiting the famous hot springs at Hamner Springs. We were all looking forward to getting a good soaking but by the time we arrived at Hamner Springs we got a soaking of a different kind. New Zealand was in Spring afterall and we got a bit of a downpour during our half day in Hamner. No worries though...after a quick change and a tip-toeing run across to the first pool we were warmed again. That is until we got used to the temperature and needed more. Time for the next pool - a few degrees higher. This continued for an hour or so - several minutes relaxing before a mad dash to the next hottest pool. Eventually we found a happy medium and we spent some quality time chilling. We did try the 42 degree pool before leaving but after being warned that we shouldnīt be in that one without a drink to rehydrate we called it a day and ran back to the changing rooms.
After a beautiful drive up the coast we arrived quite late into Kaikora. It was our first night with the van and we were a little unsure of what we should be looking for in terms of somewhere to pull in for the night. We drove around the town like some night watchmen looking for a suitable spot and after sometime we found a carpark with a few other vans.
With a succesful nights sleep in our new home we went the next day to visit the seal colony on Kaikora penninsula. The carpark used to be their breeding ground (a bit unfair) but now that it is tarmac it doesnīt stop them using it. You can get extremely close to the seals (some get too close and get what they deserve) and it is a great experience to see all the young īuns. The whole penninsula is beautiful and we walked out to the headland and back before hitting the road again.
Next we headed north again but just outside of Kaikora we had one more stop at Ohau stream. A local had told us to take the ten minute walk up the stream to the waterfall but didnīt tell us why. When we got there we saw why - there were two juvenile seals playing with each other in the waterfall and the pool below. They we mesmorising! I donīt know how they get there (it is about 50m or so above sea level - maybe they use the path) but it was a magical sight to see them there so unexpectedly.
