A further word on Dolphins

I thought I'd just mention dolphins again because it was such a great experience and cos I didn't give much detail last time. These were dusky dolphins that inhabit the deep waters just off Kaikoura on the east coast. They can reach up to 2 metres long, but alot of them seemed to be about the same size as me, and perhaps not so far off in age- they can live to 25 years! The boat we went out in has a strict limit on the number of people that can swim each day & they aren't allowed to do anything to entice the dolphins. They come and check out the human swimmers entirely of their own volition. They don't always show up- sometimes they're busy. Sometimes they're playful, sometimes not. We were lucky in that there were lots of them around - maybe 40 at a time and they were in a very playful mood, doing acrobatics and swimming us round in ever decreasing circles. We went out in the early morning (crikey the sea was cold) as they have to be left alone later in the day to have their siesta (really). Lee got some great shots from the boat, as you can see. He said they swim alongside the boat and turn their bodies side on to check out the people on the boat who are watching them.

Aaaarharrrr birthday ahoy

Here's Lee getting into the sprirt of his birthday. I gave him a pirate costume and turns out it's just what he always wanted.

Happy Birthday Lee (even though it was a while ago now)

Swimming with Dolphins in Kaikoura

Sorry it's taken us so long to get these photos up. Lots of you have asked about the dolphins and here they are. It was such an incredible day- I'll never forget the feeling of swimming along and a dolphin swooping up beside me to have a closer look at me. They take you round in circles as a game and then dart away into the open sea. We were told that if we sang down our snorkels they'd come and check out the noise. I sang my heart out down that snorkel and it worked- they came and looked at me as if to say what's this crazy animal saying? I can see now why people say it's a spiritual experience swimming with dolphins. I wouldn't put it quite that way, but there was certainly some kind of communication going on between the people and the dolphins- some sort of understanding. Beautiful, elegant and so fast- what amazing creatures. We also saw a humpback whale who came up to breathe for a while and give his back a good scratch on our boat. A 'baby'apprently, at 8 metres!