Kaikoura 28th November, 2020

Two nights here and the third tonight. Really nice having the three nights it has given us a good break especially PT from the driving except around Kaikoura. Today we got up at a slow pace and about 9.00am walked about a kilometre down the road to the New World  and back to camp for a coffee. We then drove over to the south of the peninsular where the Whale Watching boats leave from at Gooch Bay. Then over to the North Side of the Peninsular for lunch. Then back to camp to relax for the rest of the afternoon. Off to Christchurch tomorrow for our last night. We are just going straight to a camp near the airport to tidy up and return the van Monday morning before we catch our morning flight home. We are not going into Christchurch this trip. Maybe next time..

Woke up this morning to this fresh dump of snow, what a sight. Another beautiful clear morning but very cool wind coming up from the south hence the fresh snow.

A closer look.

Compare this photo taken yesterday. Quite a difference.

This morning we walked a kilometre along the road to New World. We walked down an access track to the beach.  Looking south back a kilometre from our camp..  the  pebbles are a lot smaller along here than behind the town where they are larger.

After shopping walked  back to camp for a coffee then drove over to Gooch Bay on the south side of the peninsular. The eastern end of the bay is very rocky. To launch your boat here you would have to know the channel is out between all the rocks.

Above and below. All around this end of the bay

Around further we are at the commercial harbour end where the Whale Watching boats are moored and leave from.

PT chatting to a very amateur fisherman. This Asian had no idea. Instead of winding the fish up he threw the rod and line back into the air and sent the fish flying through the air behind him.😂  Some of the Whale Watching boats behind. There at five of them in their fleet. Very sad to see them just sitting there as they are not getting the customers due to COVID. They are lucky to get one boat out a day. Don’t think that they are going today  due to the high winds.  

This shows the entrance out of their little harbour.

Boats sitting idle. 😢

One would have to know these waters navigating out of this harbour. Rocks everywhere. They go out just to the left.

Just to the right are the navigating markers.

Looking back over the harbour to the Whale Whatching boats. One of their crewmen told us that all their boats have jet units to minimise any damage to the whales and also due to the entrance to their docks which  is quite shallow after the earthquake damage. 

Leaving the harbour area continuing around Gooch Bay. Now getting away from the rocky area.

Now to beach part of the Gooch bay.

Cute..

Now time for our big outing out to lunch.  We checked this pub out  yesterday towards the end of the peninsular.

When we came back today all these bikies were just arriving. Oldies biking club so was fine. See our van lined up with them all. If you can’t beat them join them as they say.

Time for a seafood chowder. This is what you do in Kaikoura... all the bikies were outside eating.

Look at the size of this bowl. We didn’t get through it all. But it was delicious full of whole muscles.

This is the inside of the old pub really well maintained. We sat in the table to the right by the window. Very pleasant.

When we got back to lunch took the mountains again and the change from earlier this morning. Mountains are always interesting to watch as they always change. 

We have had a good three night break in Kaikoura after our two week fast moving trip. Last night in Christchurch tomorrow. Home Monday afternoon.

Tonight is rugby night First Auckland’s final and then later the All Blacks 🤞busy night and we are lucky that this camp has Sky TV  in a big lounge. Sure hope everyone is in favour of watching the rugby. We haven’t seen any TV all trip and haven’t missed it at all as I always have my blog to write to keep myself busy.  The wind is blowing hard now , later afternoon and it is a very cool southerly but lucky the sun has been out all day. And still plenty of snow on the mountains. Will be wearing our trackies along to watch the rugby tonight. ❄️ ⛄️