NZ - Kaikoura

After leaving Christchurch, we joined a whale watching tour in Kaikōura - which boasts a submarine canyon stretching over 60km and reaching depths of 1200m. The canyon is part of the Kermadec Trench system formed as one of the Earth’s tectonic plates - the Hikurangi Plateau. As cold water moves along the base of the trench towards the coast, it begins to rise, bringing with it nutrients from the deep ocean. The nutrients encourage a food chain which begins with tiny plankton and goes all the way up to whales and dolphins.

There was a large swell and many people were sick but Sarah and I managed to keep our insides in. We were thrilled to see two giant sperm whales (both males) and a large pod of dolphins.