Kaikoura & Dolphin Swimming

The small town of Kaikoura is one of the few in the world where you can swim with dolphins in the open sea and I wanted my course on my world trip not to be missed!

The unique location of Kaikoura on the South Island of New Zealand is the reason for the extraordinary advent of marine life. Very close to the coast, there are in fact a very deep underwater trench in the even flow together a cold current from the Antarctic with a warm from the north and therefore sufficient food for many animals such as Whales, seals, albatrosses and dolphins offers.

Die Firma Dolfin Encounter has almost a monopoly on the swimming tour with the Black dolphins 3 times a day takes place in the warmer months. Although all the fun with 100 Euro is not exactly a bargain and the 16 degree water temperature not invite to swim, I did not want to miss this opportunity!

So we went to seeking out equipment (extra thick wetsuit) and the introduction and safety video on the boat. I was on the smaller boat, as I had indicated that I normally would not get seasick, more on the consequences that later .... 😉

Since there already is autumn here in New Zealand, the temperatures drop, the underwater visibility is poor and the waves stronger. After about 20 minutes boat ride over hill and dale, we then found a group of dolphins, so we went into the freezing water!

Advance was explained to us that we should actively swim up to the dolphins, are trying to make about the snorkel sounds to make them curious and when we have eye contact, we should on its own axis turn to play with them.

No sooner said than done! While the other fellow Wimmer were still struggling with the snorkeling gear and the waves, finally my swimming training paid off at home and so it was not long before I attracted with your comic snorkel sounds a pinball.

Nun ging die Action los, ich begann mich mit wilden Flossenbewegungen im Kreis zu drehen und der Delfin schwamm um mich herum! Nach ungefähr zehn Drehungen, filmend mit meiner Unterwasserkamera und bei Wellengang brauchte ich bei aufkommenden Schwindelgefühlen eine Pause, sodass der Delfin gelangweilt davon geschwommen ist.

But even if one is then driven off in the water, swam past the Dolphins, but easy to make fast to a good one! So I had to repeat several times to the sweet little animals to come near the turning maneuver!

After about half an hour in the freezing water I had enough and went back on board and was glad to get out of my wetsuit!

Doch ich fand zu meiner Überraschung schon jemanden auf meinem Sitzplatz, der knapp vorbei an meiner trockenen Kleidung in einen orangen Kübel kotzte!! Als ich mich dann am Boot umsah, merkte ich, dass es auch den meisten anderen gleich erging!!

So I grabbed my train and walked to the front of me to move and be as far as possible away from the seasick. With all the noise and the smell I had mitgebrochen prefer just down 😉

Well that ends well, I was one of three passengers (of 13!) Have taken the not the orange bucket in claim and took the cocoa and biscuits on board to complete!

The poor guide (first I thought what a dream job) did not occur after the emptying of the bucket and at the end we were all pretty happy to have solid ground under your feet! It was definitely a unique experience but on my trip around the world that I would want to miss on any case!

I had to explore these days time the Kaikoura Peninsula with views of the surrounding Seaward Kaikoura Range, the snow-covered mountain range. On a 4 hours tour of the coast you can except the lazy seals lying around on the beach just enjoy the enchanting landscape.

The contrast of the blue sea with the green meadows are impressive especially in warmer weather so Kaikoura definitely should be a fixed point on every trip to New Zealand!

The Sea Gulls with her cubs in the Southbay sat like threaded on the web.