Aotearoa New Zealand 2023: Sensational Cetaceans

On the way from Akaroa to Nelson (still on the South Island), we made a 2-day stop in Kaikoura, a beach town frequented by both young international travelers and Kiwis on holiday. It's especially known for whale watching and swimming with dolphins. We booked a tour with a Maori-owned company that took us out in the waters above the Kaikoura Canyon, a 60-kilometer long trench that reaches depths of nearly 4000 feet.

The canyon is rife with sea life and, so, a feeding haven for sea mammals, especially huge sperm and blue whales. [I was especially excited to see blue whales, largest animal on earth, since I have this enduring memory of seeing one as a kid hanging from the ceiling at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.] Well, we didn't see any of these giants - although our captain did get a report of a blue whale sighting - but boy did we have a show! A family of about 10 pilot whales hung out with us for quite a while, and then a huge pod of dusky dolphins, maybe a few hundred, performed for us like a Disney World act. Awesome!

Here's a few shots of our pilot whales and a short video of the pod alongside the boat.