After the dolphin experience, and believe me, it is an experience, we drive back to the in-town campsite, have a shower and dump the tanks. That's it for this place, tonight we'll stay somewhere different just because we can. Second breakfast is up opposite the Kaikoura Dolphin Experience place we've just come from, because there's a lovely view of the bay, the door opens the right way on the sidewalk, and there's a nice vibe. Eating breakfast (first or second!) with the front door open on a beach and blue sea, in golden sunlight is right up there - passersby nod and grin knowingly, and maybe a bit, just a tiny bit, jealously!
The Peninsula Round Trip walk looks good - you can chicken out part-way, and still have a good trip. We kit up in walking boots, hats and slap, chuck a water bottle and some bits in a bag, and set off. The first part is a bit dull, it's on the road pretty much, not a busy road (where is?!) but still a road. It feels good to be walking, at an easy pace, bridging from shade pool to shade pool cast by the Esplanade's Norfolk Pines. The New Wharf is the second oldest wharf, and the accompanying Pier Inn was relocated from the old wharf when the new one arrived - ages ago!
There's a seafood stall with benches and a lovely smell as we round a corner after seeing Fyffe House, a famous whaling person's place, it's almost midday and we wondering if our choice of second breakfast timing was a bit rash - we certainly don't have room for 3rd or even lunch yet. Ah well, on to the end of the car track and the big carpark, where the NZ fur seals have a colony apparently. There are many warning signs about their proclivity to bite - if the seals could read them they would probably threaten it just to keep people off! There don't seem to be many around though, in fact none are actually visible, and if I were a fur seal with many layers of fur and blubber, in this heat I wouldn't be either!
We walk up the head to the Lookout - fantastic view, and a good fun picture with naming and locations for all the mountains. Apparently on a clear day you can see the N Island - I doubt it somehow, but hey, the Maoris who had a pa here were pretty happy they could see enemies coming a long way ahead. The walk continues around the tip of the peninsula - are we going to as well? It's a long (and now boring!) trip back the way we've come so we decide to proceed…
And the walk progresses, feeling a bit like a Cornwall cliff path walk, but maybe better signed, and with the weird hill/sea/mountain combination that you just don't really get in the UK. It's HOT!! Occasional stops in shade for a drink help, but not enough. There are seals along here, and what look like cormorants, and other sea birds, on the limestone slabs that make up the lower level of the peninsula - this is formed by repeated upthrusts and erosion. There's a green-headed and chested bird, very sweet. We head off away across the last part of the peninsula to South Bay, and this is almost like the Downs, with short dry grass, thistles, and occasional animal watering pools. The wheelchair-capable path would only be possible for someone who had a very strong minder or a well-charged battery, so although it's lovely, not sure how most would actually cope. It would be hard to walk down or up in flip-flops, it's so steep, despite the well-laid flagstones. Plus nobody could get by easily if the device was incompetently driven - who wants to take a dive off a very steep 150 ft hill, aka cliff?
The heat is taking its toll now, Jen stops at the loos in the South Bay car park, which are pleasantly sheltered. My heel is showing that the piece of glass in it from Caitie's is still there, and hurts to put down.
We come out at the South Bay marina, someone washing their large white speedboaty thing, lots of NZ-stylee joshing amongst owner-operators. There's a long trudge along the seafront, the way isn't obvious but occasionally one of the guide posts appears.
Eventually and thankfully we turn right onto the Scarborough track, which heads up hill but at least it's in through the woods and in the shade. Neither Jen nor I are happy with hills at this point, and we're certainly not interested in any detours, however scenic or culturally significant!
But this is ok… the path winds round and up, emerging on top of the peninsula's central spine, before turning into Tom's Track, so-called after Tom who was killed in 2003 trying to save a whale in North Bay. This is shady, but hard going - very tricky with some steep steps. An interesting bird stays just ahead of us but I can't make it out to identify it. Nearly there!! But then there are some more twists, a small bridge across a gully… Finally we emerge onto Brighton St, and walk down to the Esplanade and then "home"! Tea! Give me tea! And water!! And nothing on my feet!!!
We come out at the South Bay marina, someone washing their large white speedboaty thing, lots of NZ-stylee joshing amongst owner-operators. There's a long trudge along the seafront, the way isn't obvious but occasionally one of the guide posts appears.
Eventually and thankfully we turn right onto the Scarborough track, which heads up hill but at least it's in through the woods and in the shade. Neither Jen nor I are happy with hills at this point, and we're certainly not interested in any detours, however scenic or culturally significant!
But this is ok… the path winds round and up, emerging on top of the peninsula's central spine, before turning into Tom's Track, so-called after Tom who was killed in 2003 trying to save a whale in North Bay. This is shady, but hard going - very tricky with some steep steps. An interesting bird stays just ahead of us but I can't make it out to identify it. Nearly there!! But then there are some more twists, a small bridge across a gully… Finally we emerge onto Brighton St, and walk down to the Esplanade and then "home"! Tea! Give me tea! And water!! And nothing on my feet!!!
It's nice to sit doing nothing, feet up, door open, passers-by, beach swooshing, in the shade. We do this for a long time before lunch-type food - bread, cheese, salami, tomatoes, lettuce - lovely. Finally, as Jen looks like she's going to sleep, I spur us into getting organised, 4 Square for food for tonight, and beer, wine, ice cream and crisps, and we leave Kaikoura almost regretfully for somewhere further south...
We've ended up at Paketa Beach campsite - this is the second choice, the first being full, largely with bkers from Wellington apparently so not unhappy to miss the fraternity. This is a nice campsite, good everything, and it's on the sea side of the road, which is a bonus. The beach is very sandfly-heavy however, which is not so good. The guy next door but one, Spanish-speaking, is actually sanding down his bumpers on his rather tired-looking Mitsubishi Delica 4X4 utility vehicle - guess it's not rented!
Whilst I write, a family with their elderly but newly purchased camper has pulled up, doing an overnight on the way back to Christchurch from Wellington. The two boys are exploring the new bedroom - better than the previous tent erected outside Mum and Dad's people carrier! Their enthusiasm is infectious - I explain the fridge, because it's like ours but older. They raise and lower the satellite aerial a few times... And they're gone in the morning by the time we leave. What's the rush?
Whilst I write, a family with their elderly but newly purchased camper has pulled up, doing an overnight on the way back to Christchurch from Wellington. The two boys are exploring the new bedroom - better than the previous tent erected outside Mum and Dad's people carrier! Their enthusiasm is infectious - I explain the fridge, because it's like ours but older. They raise and lower the satellite aerial a few times... And they're gone in the morning by the time we leave. What's the rush?
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