Thanks to an Under Water Mountain Range…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Now that we have seen some seals and taken a short  break…it’s time to  continue our journey northwards to Picton.

I took a few photos of Kaikoura when we passed through…   it’s little wonder that you can see references to whales and whaling here: because naturally the place is famous these days for its’ whale watching possibilities.

In other photographs I tied to capture the various hues of blues  and turquoise colours in the sea,  also a tell-tale signs that the whales are close by because the coastline here has some very special undersea geography that bring whale here in vast numbers.

If you were to set sail  east from Kaikoura and  ventured far far out into the Pacific ocean, you would eventually hit the Chatham Islands.

Now imagine a massive underwater mountain range, deep under the sea connecting the Chathams and New Zealand.  Basically this acts like an undersea wall, with very deep water on either side.

Plankton and other  microbial sea life get swirled around on the deep undersea currents and hit this wall, eddying up in a large circle and it’s this large whirlpool of food that brings whale here to feed.

The other piece of the undersea geography puzzle is that at Kaikoura the continental shelf  makes a sweeping dent from the Pacific  towards land, coming within three kilometres of the South Island so it’s possible to travel by boat the short distance from land and see whales in their deep water feeding areas.

What was one hundred years ago a whaling station for hunting whales is now a multi-million dollar tourist industry for whale watching.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The mountain range in front of us are called the Seaward Kaikoura’s…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

and the even bigger ones behind them are called the Inland Kaikoura’s…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Kaikoura is also famous for lobster…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The camera doesn’t do it justice, you have to see it to believe it….

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The top of the South Island becomes drier and the distinctive rows of grapes tell you that you are entering the famous Marlborough wine region … the road winds onwards and we follow where it leads.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

THIS is How you do a Continental Breakfast…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

We are still at Hotel Cleve  in Germany and  Himself and I are making a bright an early start to make our morning appointment on time.

We came down to a true Continental breakfast…

Oooh the Germans do it well… the breakfast buffet.

As with the salad bar of last night, the breakfast buffet  was to be found on tables a long way from the windows and the lighting was low, so the photos could have been better.

Luckily  our breakfast table was in the sun  right next to the window so it was a wonderful start to the day.

There were sweet and plain yoghurt’s of every flavour available, with a variation of fruits, honey,  etc. to mix with them.

There were the typical platters of cold meats and sliced cheeses, as well as a separate cheese board.

There was also a hot breakfast available, and croissants, rolls and cake…

…and  then even more fresh fruit, and various cereals rounded out the display, so there is surely something here to satisfy all the guests and to start the day with a smile.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

… and you know me by now, there’s going to be a bread photo in here somewhere !

(photograph © Kiwidutch)