Chasing Dusky Dolphins in Kaikoura

Though disappointed by the cancellation of the astrophotography workshop in Lake Tekapo, we remained optimistic about coming back at some point given New Zealand’s proximity to Sydney. The next leg of our journey was a drive estimated at about five hours to Kaikoura, with a planned stop in Christchurch to break up the trip. Christchurch greeted us with strong winds (like hold onto a street sign to avoid being blown away strong) and freezing temperatures.

As we approached Kaikoura, the road became increasingly curvy, and a light rain began to fall. Upon arrival at our Airbnb, the Clifftop Cabins, we were immediately struck by the breathtaking view—it was simply stunning, complete with an outdoor kitchen that proved surprisingly functional even in poor weather, thanks to thoughtful design elements like an outdoor heater and windscreen.

For context, this place was $200 per night less that the apartment in Lake Tekapo! When the sun finally made an appearance, the view got even better. Our host also mentioned that it was unusual to see snow on Mount Manakau in the middle of summer.

We even saw an orca swimming down in the bay!

The primary reason for our visit to Kaikoura was to swim with dusky dolphins, but the weather was less than cooperative, with near gale-force winds. Our initial excursion was canceled just an hour before departure – we were gutted. They put us on the waiting list for the following day, but we weren’t optimistic given the backlog following three days of cancellations. We were shocked to get a call a few hours later letting us know there was room for us the following morning, and the winds appeared to be dying down.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at the cabin, somewhat drowsy from the seasickness medication we took in anticipation of our morning trip. By afternoon, we felt better and set out to see the local wildlife. Our first stop was the Ohau Point Lookout, home to a large colony of seals. Although the viewing platform wasn’t ideal for photography, it offered an incredible opportunity to observe the seals. I watched a lone pup calling out for its mother, crying persistently. Eventually, she returned from the sea, and through a series of distinctive calls, they found each other. It was amazing to witness how they reunite purely by sound.

 

We then visited Paparoa Point, which had fewer seals but offered better photographic opportunities.

The following day brought improved weather, setting a promising stage for our rescheduled dolphin swim. The excursion was well-organised, starting with a briefing and fitting for wetsuits and snorkelling gear (though we’d brought our own masks and snorkels because we have prescription masks and sharing snorkels is gross). We were then transported by bus to South Bay Marina, where our boat awaited. We had wondered how they accommodated so many people from the cancelled trips, and it turned out they had FOUR boats! Ours held 16 passengers and a handful of observers. On our way to the dolphin site, we encountered a large pod of common dolphins. You can’t swim with them, but they were awesome to see.

Soon after, we located the dusky dolphins we had come to swim with. As the boat reached the optimal position, all 16 swimmers lined up at the stern, ready for the dive. The ship’s horn signalled us to slide into the water. Underwater visibility was limited to about one meter, allowing us to see the dolphins clearly only when they surfaced. Below the surface, the dolphins were nearly invisible until they approached very closely, which they did frequently. Dolphins are known to be highly responsive to sounds and vocalizations, so we were encouraged to sing through our snorkels to attract them and enhance our interaction. I recalled doing something similar on previous trips to Kangaroo Island, although I couldn’t remember the exact song I had used. We had four opportunities to swim with the dolphins. While the low visibility might have made us less intriguing to them, the moments when they came close were undeniably exhilarating. To completely manage expectations about this trip, here’s some video 🙂

Once back on the boat and out of our wetsuits, we watched the dusky dolphins literally jumping out of the water around us. This made the trip 100% worth it, and the cherry on top was the tour operators changing us to the spectator rate given the poor vis.

Next Up — Hiking the Abel Tasman Coast Track (well, part of it)