Kaikoura: Where Mountains Meet the Sea

Story and photographs by Roderick Eime
Additional images as credited

Only slightly larger than Java, the vast South Island of New Zealand hosts a population of barely one million mainly British-descended inhabitants who, in less than two centuries, have transformed the land into a vast luxuriant pasture, delivering some of the world’s best dairy products.

On the rugged eastern shore, nestled snugly in a sheltered cove on its namesake peninsula is the tiny fishing village of Kaikoura (pronounced KIE-koo-da). The vast South Island of New Zealand is dotted with these little treasures – otherwise inconspicuous spots on a sparse map characterised by varicose mountain ranges and dizzying, snow-dusted fjords.

For countless thousands of years, Kaikoura kept a deep secret – a very deep secret. But now the word is out. Only a few hundred metres off shore, the seabed rapidly plunges into a massive submarine canyon well over a kilometre deep. When warm tropical currents flowing southward crash head-on into the cold Antarctic stream heading north, a swirling mass of nutrient-rich water is sucked up from the depths. This marine smorgasbord attracts an array of aquatic mammals, fish, birds and now, tourists.

For years Trevor Ruawai was a local fisherman, plying the rich waters off Kaikoura, dodging great sperm whales and leaping dolphins with his little boat. Now, with wife Polly, they run Miharotia; a plush B&B atop a bluff that commands breathtaking views of the peninsula and the massive peaks beyond.

“It was all a bit rough ‘n’ ready in the early days,” reminisces Trevor with a wry grin, “the boys with the whale watch boat would scare the pants off tourists in their little 70 knot dingy!”

So much has changed in the last decade; the Whale Watch operation now runs a fleet of four, 50-passenger, state-of-the-art jet cruisers, complete with radar, depth sounders and interactive video screens.

“Sure, it was tough in the beginning,” says Thomas Kahu of Whale Watch and a member of the local Ngati Kuri Maori tribe,” the banks all turned us down when we needed capital, so we (the indigenous community) hocked our houses to start up.”

The rest is history. Whale Watch now runs a thriving enterprise located in the old railway station, immaculately restored to include a café, gift shop and auditorium. Cruises run all day, everyday, nine months of the year and are often booked out weeks in advance. As a result, the previously stressed relations within the local Maori community are greatly relieved and the Ngati Kuri people are now widely regarded as valuable and constructive citizens.

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On terra firma, Thomas’ first cousin Maurice Manawatu runs Maori Tours, where visitors are introduced to some local customs and rituals while visiting places of significance to the local Ngati Kuri people. Maurice, an ominously big fellow with a tooth or two missing, does not immediately appear as the ideal tour host, but his soft-spoken manner and tolerant tone soon puts you at ease as he patiently explains the cultural heritage and teaches guests a quaint local folk song, It’s a comical sight to see a minibus full of chirpy foreigners beetling along singing, “Manu Wa-Tu Te Ra!”

Maurice’s whirlwind bus ride takes in an ancient ‘pa’ (earth fort), a local meeting house, a preserved native forest with HUGE trees and morning tea at his daughter’s house where you’ll be served scones the size of saucers!

Other nature-based activities include bushwalking (or ‘tramping’, to use the local vernacular), dolphin swimming, bird-watching, surfing, diving, fishing, horse-riding, golf, caving and even local winery tours.

Underpinning Kaikoura’s claims as a nature-lover’s paradise is their remarkable status as one of only a couple of communities across the world to achieve Green Globe 21 benchmarking for sustainable tourism. This rigorous accreditation is based on Agenda 21 and principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit and include such initiatives as waste and pollution management and benefit to local communities and cultures.

While the Ngati Kuri people have excelled in delivering natural and cultural experiences, the more recently arrived European community have seized the advantage with top quality accommodation and restaurants. While numerous comfortable backpacker hostels cater to the young nomadic types, there also exists a range of quality B&Bs scattered throughout town. Down along the beachfront is a further array of lodging options ranging from motel-style, bungalows and cabins to swank boutique lodges and apartments.

Dining options are likewise numerous with New Zealand’s world-famous cuisine on show at even the most humble café. Whether it is a simple bowl of hearty clam chowder at the Craypot Cafe and Bar or a more genteel repast at the White Morph, the hardest part will be choosing.

For a community of just 3,000 residents, Kaikoura can stand tall as an example of responsible, enriching tourism that treads lightly on the land it so relies upon. And as you gaze in awe at the spectacular scenery and all its surrounding riches, you can feel the earth smile back.

Kaikoura is located 184 km north of Christchurch and about the same distance south of the northern ferry port of Picton. Driving is easy on the well-maintained roads, or else use one of the daily coach connections from either Christchurch or Picton. Charter flights can also be arranged. The annual Seafest is held on the first Saturday in October and for ALL activities, early booking is essential.

Dusky Dolphins:
(photo © Dennis Buurman)

Everyone loves the playful and intelligent dolphins and Kaikoura plays host to a very special species of this remarkable marine mammal – the Dusky Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). It is smaller than the better-known Common and Bottlenose species seen in marine parks around the world and is easily recognised by its distinctive black and white coloration and sleek, streamlined body.

This inquisitive and highly social animal prefers coastal waters, feeding on small fish and squid. Pods of 'Duskies' can range from a half-dozen to many hundreds and they can congregate and disperse rapidly. Often when large numbers get together, they play and cavort energetically, sometimes leaping metres out of the water in exuberant displays. Depending on their mood, they may approach swimmers and appear to enjoy occasional interaction with humans. [more info]

Sperm Whales:

This huge mammal [Physeter catodon] is the largest of all the toothed whales and is known to roam all the world’s oceans, with the males even venturing into the polar extremes.

Thanks to the abundant food supply in the submarine canyon, a small population of mainly male animals lives year round in the water off Kaikoura.

Growing as large as 20 metres, these beasts can weigh up to 60 tonnes and were mercilessly hunted throughout most of the 20th century. They feed by diving to considerable depths, preferring large squid, sharks and rays. [more info]

Wandering Albatross:

The world’s largest flying bird is a regular visitor to Kaikoura although it does not nest locally, choosing instead the remote sub-Antarctic islands way south.

The Albatross is threatened globally by long-line fishing and some experts predict their complete extinction within a few decades unless measures are taken immediately to halt the decline in numbers.

The Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) has a wingspan of over three metres, mates for life and can live for as long as eighty years. [more info]

More Information: