Tag: Hector's Dolphin

Travel Highlights of 2022

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Uncategorized4 Comments

Just looking at this title, I feel very lucky to be able to write this post. The fact that I have done enough travelling this year to have a post on highlights is a privilege. Even more so that I get to do it here in beautiful Aotearoa.

As I reflect on this year, a lot of my highlights as usual, have been moments – where time seems to stand still, where I am completely absorbed in what’s happening, right there and then and nothing else is important. Like watching brilliant red poppies dance in the breeze at Albert Park, having early morning snuggles in bed with my niece & nephew. Laughing so hard I’m crying with my mum and aunt. The gentle hum of honey bees on a warm Summer’s day at a lavender farm. These kinds of moments are precious and what I believe makes life so sweet.

But I have also done some amazing activities this year that I would like to recap with you. So here are my top 5 travel highlights of 2022.

Dolphin Cruise – Akaroa

There were lots of great things about this cruise. A family owned business in Akaroa, they took us out into Akaroa Harbour (with their dolphin spotting dog) for an afternoon of nature and history. There’s a lot of interesting local history in the area and the guides were very informative. That alone made a fascinating tour. But the highlight of course were the dolphins. The little endangered Hector’s Dolphins with their ‘Mickey Mouse’ fin and silver bodies. They were magnificent. So playful. We saw so many on this tour. Several small pods that came right up to the boat, following along at the bow. It was a very special and memorable afternoon.

Swimming at Anchorage Bay – Abel Tasman

The weather wasn’t particularly kind to us on this trip. I had been dreaming of glorious sunny days, sunbathing on golden sand and swimming in warm crystal clear waters. We got to see Abel Tasman National Park while a tropical cyclone was hitting the country. The trip was still amazing (in a different way to what I had expected) and although challenging at times, there were some beautiful experiences. Swimming at Anchorage, while having the whole bay to myself, after a day of walking, was bliss. The cool water eased the aches and pains in my muscles and I felt completely weightless. It also rained a little. Small drops of water creating ringed ripples on the flat sea surface all around me was so beautiful.

Dining at Ghost Street – Auckland

I think partly why I liked this place so much was because it wasn’t planned, we stumbled across it. An unexpected delight. We were out looking for a place to have dinner, tried a few places that were fully booked and then told to try next door. We wouldn’t have even known there was a restaurant there. Walking down the dark steps into an underground room, we still weren’t even sure what type of cuisine they served. What a treat. This place surprised and delighted, from the decor to the food preparation, the meals and even how you order. It was such an exciting dining experience.

Cycling Lake Dunstan Trail – Clyde/Cromwell

Ok, so this wasn’t technically 2022, I did this right at the end of 2021 so it didn’t get included last year. My brother and I hired e-bikes and cycled the 55km trail from Clyde to Cromwell. I love this part of the country, the lakes are simply stunning. They are so vibrantly coloured. We had perfect weather and enjoyed a day cycling past lakes, cliffs, fields and vineyards. The e-bike made it so easy and we got to enjoy the landscape of one of my favourite parts of the country. It was also really special being able to spend the day with my brother. Memories are made for sharing.

The People

There are lots of things I love about travel, one of them is the people you get to meet. Hands down the most memorable were the group of 8 senior women who did some of their Abel Tasman Kayaking trip with us. Although we were at quite different stages in life, I was drawn to them. They all had their own stories, life adventures to tell. But what stood out to me most, was their sense of adventure, their care for one another and that they had all been strangers, brought together by a love for travel. I really do hope that I am as outgoing and well connected when I am their age. They were quite inspiring.

So there you have it. What have been some memorable moments or activities you have done this year?

A Weekend in Akaroa

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Canterbury, South Island1 Comment

It started with a birthday wish. Daniel’s grandma was celebrating her 80th birthday and wanted to do a nature cruise in Akaroa. In the weeks leading up to it, we weren’t sure it would go ahead. Omicron had raised its ugly head and case numbers were skyrocketing. But we made it there, and I have to say, it was a pretty amazing trip.

We arrive in Christchurch and while Daniel’s parents are sorting out the rental car, Daniel, his sister and I take a seat nearby. We are chatting but then Daniel hears the word ‘upgrade’ come from the rental car guy and he is off, planting himself right between his parents ready to start negotiating the upgrade and get a ‘fancier car’. A few $$$ later and a hilarious incident of window wipers going flat out instead of the indicator (a European car where the levers are opposite to what we are used to) we are on the road making our way to what I hope will be sunny Akaroa.

I didn’t know a lot about Akaroa other than this; it is located in the South Island of Aotearoa, and a bit over an hour’s drive from Christchurch. Oh, and it was settled by the French and the street names are all in le français. Fortunately, this is an English speaking area (like the rest of New Zealand) as the extent of my French is Bonjour.

I have been there once before, about 9 years ago when Daniel and I spent 3 weeks exploring the South Island on our motorbike. But we only spent about an hour there so I was really looking forward to getting to know this place better.

It’s a rather winding road that goes up and over a hill to get there, but we finally get our first glimpse of Akaroa and it is beautiful. Made even better by the fact that it is basking in sunshine.

We arrive and head straight out to lunch, making our way to The Brasserie Kitchen & Wine Bar which has a lovely outdoor setting. I order the most French thing I can find on the menu, a crepe filled with cheese and roasted vegetables then followed by a macaron. They were both outstanding, one of the nicest macaron’s I have ever had and an excellent start to the trip. I am now wondering why I never went back to buy more macarons. A tip for next time.

Lunch is followed by a stroll along the promenade, stopping to browse in shops and take in the lovely sea views. The ocean is such a gorgeous colour. We head further round the bay to check out the lighthouse and then up a few steps to the Akaroa Lookout Point. It is probably the lowest lookout I have ever been to. Honestly, it was only about 10 steps up, but still a nice view point. The walk through the forest is noticeably cool, so nice in the midday heat. The cicadas are singing their happy tunes.

After checking in at our accommodation, we head over to the Beer Garden at the Madeira Hotel to enjoy the last of the afternoon sun, share stories over drinks and snacks and wait for the birthday girl and rest of the family to arrive. It’s a very relaxed afternoon and evening with lots of laughs.

One of my goals for the year is to watch some sunrises. I decide that Akaroa is the first place I am going to try this. It is on the east coast, but surrounded by hills. I know I won’t get to see the sun come up over the horizon, but I still think it will be worth watching.

Daniel enjoyed a lot of beverages the night before, so, being the good wife that I am, I leave him sleeping and head out about 6:30am. There is a wharf nearby so I walk along that and take a seat at the end to enjoy the show. It is so still and no one is around. It is quiet and peaceful. No car engines, no boat engines, just stillness. It’s a sleepy town and I get to watch it wake up. The sky is blushed with pink and gold tones. This moment is beautiful. It feels like a secret gift, just for me.

After about an hour of watching Akaroa come to life, I am called to breakfast by my rather loud rumbling tummy. It leads me to Rona’s cafe, where I find an almond croissant to eat at the waterfront. Gosh, I love having pastries for breakfast. It’s certainly not an everyday breakfast food (unless you are in Europe, then the rule doesn’t apply!) but it’s a lovely holiday treat.

The rest of the morning is slow and leisurely and at lunchtime we head down to the wharf for the main event of the weekend. A nature cruise with Akaroa Dolphins. I was delighted to discover that this is the company that has a 4 legged crew member. Albie the Spaniel was on board greeting all the guests as they arrived. Already kitted out in his life jacket, Albie is ready to spot some dolphins. Apparently dogs can hear dolphins talking to each other so Albie will be able to let guests know when they are near.

We head out into the harbour and our skipper shares some of the history of the area. It was here I learn that Akaroa was actually settled by the French and the English and that half the street names are French and half are English. We also learnt that Akaroa used to be a volcano that erupted millions of years ago. The eruption was so big that it created the harbour and a channel out to the Pacific Ocean. If you look at a terrain or satellite image of Akaroa, you can quite clearly see the mountain range forming a ring where the volcano would have been. We also learn about some of the Maori history of the area. It is super interesting. The captain is knowledgeable for sure, but also delivered it in an interesting and entertaining way.

It doesn’t take long before we spot our first dolphin. Their round, black ‘mickey mouse’ fin is very distinctive and their silver bodies flash in the water when near the surface. Hector’s dolphins are the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world. They grow to only 1.5 meters in length and are normally found in pods of 2-5. Our first sighting is a single dolphin that comes right up to the boat. It swims all around the boat giving spectators from all sides a great view. It hangs around for a while so the captain starts moving the boat going forward to see if it wants to play. It does! It zooms through the water at the bow at incredible speed, it has no issues keeping up with the boat. We watch it, darting along, popping up through the water and back under.

One of the crew then comes around offering complimentary drinks, including wine and beer. Ah, yes please, I will have a wine!

We carry on further, wine in hand, checking out the coastline and looking for more dolphins. It doesn’t take long before we find our next pod, and another, and another. There were so many dolphins, flashes of black and silver in every direction, putting on a spectacular show. I almost didn’t know where to look.

Some were in the distance jumping out of the water, some swimming at the boat in groups from different directions and others swimming alongside the boat. It was incredible. We stay with the dolphins for quite some time, totally in awe at the experience. It is such a privilege to not only see them, but to encounter so many.

After we have all had our dolphin fix, we head out further to see more dramatic coastline, a seal colony and head out to the Pacific Ocean. It gets pretty wild, the boat going up, up and then crashing down in the swells, it’s like an amusement ride at a theme park and I am loving it. If you are not great out at sea, this bit didn’t last very long at all. Some members of our group struggle with sea/motion sickness but said they were OK because it was over quickly and there was plenty of fresh air.

We then head back to the wharf buzzing. This has been an outstanding tour. I have loved every minute of it and cannot recommend it enough. Hector’s dolphins are beautiful creatures, fun and playful. This is an experience not to be missed.

The afternoon is spent with more drinks in the sun, enjoying the company of family. We then have pre dinner drinks followed by dinner at Ma Maison. It has beautiful views out across the harbour and the perfect setting for a birthday celebration dinner. Unfortunately our meals do take an incredibly long time to come out. They were quite understaffed, as were most of the places we visited on this trip. I believe this is an area that would normally rely on filling vacancies with backpackers and visitors who are working and exploring their way around our great country. Covid has certainly had an impact there.

But, despite the long wait, the food was really good, and the staff really friendly. It was certainly a place I would be happy to visit again.

Our last day in Akaroa starts with another treat from Rona’s cafe, eaten down on the waterfront. On the drive back to Christchurch, we stop at The Hilltop Tavern which has spectacular views out over Akaroa and the surrounding bays. It’s a perfect way to end the trip, looking out across the place we have spent the weekend exploring.