Whales and other animals

At last, a lie in. We had booked a whale and dolphin cruise for 12.30 and decided to have a rest from the breakneck speed of our road trip for the morning. We just lazed about drinking coffee and checking our washing situation. I wandered over the road to the 24hr countdown supermarket for some breakfast things then we lazed around some more. At 11.30 we rushed down (we were late!) to meet Vicky in the lobby. We walked along to the explore New Zealand kiosk on the harbour which is where our cruise began. It turned out to be us and about twenty Chinese people, and the boat was a catamaran. It set off out of the harbour, a fantastic sight even before any creatures came along. 

The captain explained that he knew where the whales and dolphins would be by watching the gannets. He called it a 'work up'. They started diving furiously in order to get the fish that the dolphins had rounded up. As we approached the first work up about an hour into the cruise the first dolphins joined us. There were loads of them, frolicking in our bow wave and leaping and somersaulting alongside the boat. I didn't get very good pictures but here is one. 

The captain then explained that we really only cared about the dolphins because them and the gannets would attract the whales. And sure enough we spotted water from a whales blowhole ahead. The captain steered in that direction and slowed down and we saw the whale arch out if the water several times. He explained it was a Brydes, pronounced brooders, whale. We followed it for a while as it ploughed through the dolphins to massacre the little fishes. The whole situation with the frolicking dolphins, diving gannets, and menacing whale was just amazing. 

I didn't get any photos but it looked just like this.

To cap it all we also saw penguins on the water, the little blue penguin according to cap.

Just like these cuties, again no photos from me. 

He then steered us a bit closer to land where we saw another whale cruising round the gannets. All in all it was a brilliant experience which more than made up for my Icelandic disappointment. 

Kathy and Chris hard at work whale watching.