From Earthquake to Volcano

Where Christchurch was built on a marsh, Akaroa sits in the crater of an ancient volcano.  Essentially just over a 3000' ridge from the big city, Akaroa is a world away ... indeed, Christchurchers (Christchurcians?) go there for rural day trips and longer holidays in their vacation homes.  It's beautiful!

 

We stayed in "The Rectangle," a Home Exchange hosted by a lovely couple (doesn't that sound New Zealandish!), Alison and Ross.  We enjoyed getting to know them a bit, learning about their own travels and their adult children (daughter lives in Bend, OR, son lives in Barcelona). They lived through the 2010/11 earthquakes in Christchurch; neither was at their home there, which was fortunate, as it had been badly damaged and was uninhabitable.  Though it was eventually rebuilt, they hightailed it to Akaroa to start new lives, which they seem to have done with grace.

Akaroa has some very good restaurants and coffee shops, but it's known for its abundance of nature. We took a tour of the long harbor to spot Hector's dolphins, among the smallest in the world. We were fortunate and saw many, as they seemed to enjoy swimming around and under the boat. The dorsal fin was described to us as like Mickey Mouse's ear ... you decide. 

Hector's dolphins are not to be confused with Hector's gin, their namesake, made by a local craft distiller that donates part its profits to a trust committed to protecting the little critters.

We kayaked in nearby beautiful Pohatu B
ay, led by two guides who work for a local organization whose mission is to protect another little critter, the Blue Penguin - also one of the smallest penguin species in the world.  We did, in fact, see one of the penguins in the water, but with it bobbing, our kayak bobbing, my camera hand bobbing, the photo is way too blurry.  We did, however, get good views of many fur seals (like the baby above), spotted shags (cormorants), and even a few more Hector's dolphins.

But here was the star of the show ... a 4-week old baby Blue Penguin in its nesting box (it will be ready to venture off on its own at about 8 weeks).  The organization builds these shelters to protect the penguins from predators, including rats, possums, weasels, stouts, all introduced by Europeans for one foolish reason or another.  We've seen many traps on our hikes in an effort to make New Zealand predator free.

On a hike above Akaroa ... the fellow who bought the land and maintains it for public use adorned it with animal statues like this rhino ... also giraffes, sheep, and a crocodile. Go figure!

We've seen lots of English gardens in bloom like this one in Akaroa.

A local sculptor has spent 20 years creating "The Giants Garden" full of her imaginative and bizarre ceramic sculptures.  It was like being in Alice's wonderland!