Wed 26th Nov Take 2

Tue 25th Nov.
It was still blowing strongly this morning but the sun was breaking through and the ferry to South Island left on time (ish). The crossing was very choppy but superb with great coastal scenery and crashing waves. At south Island we sailed into a very narrow sound which was a cross between a fiord and and a cornish estuary absolutely beautiful. When we arrived in Picton we went to a maritime museum where they have preserved a sailing boat from 1853. This was brilliant, the boat had been in the Crimean war, transported tea, convicts and emigrants before becoming a refrigeration ship for meat.
We then drove south to Kaikoura. On the way we drove through incredible wine growing country in an area so hot and dry they were irrigating despite the storm of the past couple of days. in Blenheim we dropped off the postcard from post office bay in the Galapagos to a lady living there. We also drove past the turn off to Molesworth Station where our friends the Phoenixes have visited and even been to a wedding there. It seems to cover half of New Zealand, it has its own snow capped mountains and the road out of it to the south was declared closed on the road signs.
The run down the coast to Kaikoura was beautiful, the Pacific on one side, snow capped mountains on the other and irrigation sprays on the fields, oh and fur seals on the coast.

Wed 26 th Nov.
Spent the morning getting a little rest doing domestics and booking a few things ahead. Then came the afternoon. Whale watching. The boat was advertised as a high seasickness risk but we have already survived Galapagos. So we settled down to enjoy a 25 knot slap and crash across a huge swell in a very powerful catamaran. The set up was excellent , first they caught up with a dozing Sperm Whale on the surface which we watched for quite a time. then we chased another who was wide awake and dived as soon as we got close. They then stopped the boat and listened and located another one coming up from a deep dive. They slowly manouvered the boat until we were right over where they expexted him to come up. After about 10 mins boy did he come up . He broke the surface and cleared the water before falling back an astonishing sight . He then took a few breaths before diving with a flick of his tail - incredible! All this and Wandering Albatross too. Never a dull moment in 4 weeks on the road.