Kaikoura... The Changing View...

I have been in Kaikoura staying with a friend for three weeks now. This is the view from her house

looking out to the Inland Kaikoura range of mountains. It's like the sea, always changing...

From clear and sunny... To the snow that melts and falls again... To being totally obliterated by clouds... And hiding, to emerge again with the next surprise...

Kaikoura... The Esplanade... Today's Walk

 The weather dictates where we choose to go walking each day.

Today it's cold but no wind so Robin and I and two little dogs

walked round the esplanade... If you click on this photo to
enlarge it, you will look round the bay to the University
 of Canterbury Marine Field Station (blue roof)  established in
1962 and is considered one of the best sites anywhere
in the world for a marine laboratory and for investigating
the great diversity of habitats, fauna and flora about the
Kaikoura Peninsula.
A bit further along the road is the historic Pier Hotel. Built and 1st
opened in 1885, situated in the next bay close to Fyffe House,
it was shifted to its present site about 1914,
a major feat in those days.

The wharf itself has had an interesting history. First built for

the whaling and fishing ships, then it had two big fish processing

factories, one employed 140 staff. The introduction of quota's and the 

change from hooks and long lines to setting nets changed

all that. In the late 70s, early 80s, there were 60 to 80 traditional fishing 

 families in Kaikoura and South Bay. These days that number 

could be down around 10. The wharf is just a landing depot now. 

The fish are shipped off to Christchurch.

This is looking north. There have been big seas which washed up

a lot of seaweed and debris. In places the roads were covered

and closed and had to be cleared there was so much of it.

Here you can see the row of historic Norfolk Pines.

I found the information below.

This is looking north to the Hapuka River mouth. 

Apart from the lovely beach we passed several historical

 and newer interesting things...

A real Art Deco movie theatre. It's always been a theatre

but today with being able to download movies at home

it has been continuing community fund raising which

enables this icon to stay in existence.
Last night I went to the movies to see Boy Choir.
I highly recommend the movie but it was also an opportunity
to see inside the building - not as exciting as the
outside but a great small town movie theatre.

This is 'Kaikoura Boutique Hotel'... Built in the 1880's, possibly

 as a guest house, then it was a back packers called The 

White House, with a dubious reputation! Done up and transformed 

by more locals it has been successively leased to various enterprises.

It's now sitting empty should anyone have a vision for it!

 It's interest today, apart from the architecture,  is it still has an 

original hitching post outside.

Further along the foreshore...
This seat -was built in memory of another Kaikoura free spirit...

This is me - looking very scruffy and tired as I recover from

pneumonia - but enjoying being out and about with this

mischief of a dog called Jessie.

This unique sun dial built from local stone in memory of 

Thomas Brent Smith, tragically killed while saving

a humpback whale 16.6.2003 aged 38 years.

I'm told he was trying to free a whale that was tangled in 

ropes from set fishing nets when the whale suddenly dived

 and took Thomas with it. His body was never found.

Here's some more creative Kaikoura talent. This is the

remains of a huge old Macracapa tree. It had been

growing on the foreshore forever but had become

dangerous and amidst much protest was cut down.

Gabrielle Young who has lived in Kaikoura forever

and is well known for her art, took to the tree trunk

with her chainsaw and this is the end result - The Family.

Now... The public toilets.  The murals on these toilets...

And on the end of the public swimming pool fence...

Were painted by two elderly Kaikoura ladies, who bring

their pots of various coloured paints, their own seats, lots

of talent and imagination...And brighten up the town.

Kaikoura... Kowhai River Walk

It was a cold wind today so we looked for somewhere sheltered

to go for a walk and ended up here... The Kowhai River bed.

The Kowhai River is a river of the northeast of New Zealand's 
 South Island. It flows south from the slopes of Manakau
 in the Seaward Kaikoura Range, turning southeast 
as it reaches its narrow coastal plain.

It's a dry desolate sort of place but it was sheltered and

the little dog that my friend Robin owns, that we were 

walking was in 7th heaven with all the smells and 

bushes to sniff and explore.

\

The lovely river willows in their autumn dresses.

Not a drop of water to be seen anywhere. There has been a 

drought all summer and although the average precipitation

for this area in the winter months is 100mm a month

there has continued to be no rain for a long time.

This walking track is also a bike track but we didn't meet 

anybody walking or biking or any dogs...

In the distance of this photo which is looking to the east

is SH 1 and the bridge that goes over this river...

I found this picture online when the river has got some water 

in it. The walking track goes this far, then under the

bridge to the golf course on the other side of the

road and out to the coast... But we didn't go that far.

We turned round and went back to the car... Other things

to do... I'm not sure what but it was a rather boring walk.

Kaikoura - Seal Pups at Ohau Point...

 One of the things that Kaikoura is well know for is the

various colonies of New Zealand Fur Seals.

This is where I have been today... Can you spot the seals?

 While the parent seals are either sleeping in the sun or out at

sea fishing to feed themselves and their young, the young pups

make their way from the beach up the Ohau Stream to

a waterfall and pool. It's like Seal play school where

the babies practice their swimming and learn to socalise...

I wondered whether this sign applies to people or seals!

 The stream meanders downhill from the waterfall and

it was full of seals playing...

 And hiding... There are about six seals under this rock shelf.

 It's only about a 10 minute walk to this pool. About 20 seals

are playing and jumping and splashing...

 They move so fast it was really hard to get any photos.

 Here are some babies I saw on my walk back... It must be feeding

time and they are making their way back to the beach to find Mum...

The six seals are all in a tangle here as they slip at such speed

between the rocks. They seem to know exactly where they 

are going... Fascinating.