Category: Kaikoura

25/10/21 Kaikoura – Make Watching Sunrises a Habit

November 2, 2021 / Brent Ruru

Labour Day Monday arrived.

To get up at the crack of dawn and watch sunrises is a habit.

It ain’t for everyone and each to their own.

Nature is at its most crisp – whether landscape, fauna, animal or insect.

Seagulls again flew over-head inland towards the mighty Fyfe. It was if there was a calling and every gull on the Peninsula were attending. There must be some pissed off farmer with them all coming to town!

To discover a tiny snail with its life on its back at a particular point on our path was gorgeous. Only leaving it’s foot prints. Well, snail trail! Wondered if it was doing loops or just on a journey of discovery in the one direction.

There are a heap more activities that Kaikoura can offer – swim with Dolphins, be in the presence of a whale before it plummets to the depths, drop a line over the side to catch a feed, paddle a kayak and talk to seals, surf a wave, walks, bikes, food and beverage options from street vendors to restaurant, camp, motel, air bnb or like we did once, climb Mt Fyfe and sleep under the stars.

No matter how you stretch your rubber band, as mentioned in the first post, with each new sunrise, we start anew.

Choices for the plenty to try something new.

In Kaikoura.

The only loop left was for us to return home back to suburbia.

And ponder, where to next in the third-bedroom.

Another sunrise for sure.

Another anew.

24/10/21 – Kaikoura 33,644!

November 2, 2021 / Brent Ruru

L to R – mates Randall & Marie; Marie’s sister Liz; BClaire; Marie’s mum Mum.

33,644!

They are the number of steps taken to complete the second circle loop – the Kaikoura Peninsula walk.

From the third-bedroom campervan door to door.

Where we retraced the route ridden the day before – through the township, up and over into South Bay. Then across the top of the topography versus at sea level and around it, reaching the tourist car park on the Kaikoura side, then footed it all the way back around the coastline, township revisited, to arrive back at the NZMCA Park and where the campervan welcomed us back with open arms.

Actually, we had to unlock, slide the door open and fall in!

When you get a stunner of a day, the panoramic views north, west, south and east are breathtaking.

The sound of wildlife was also in surround sound – squealing seals, squawking shags, scavenging sea gulls, singing song from the other birdlife, and the moo of cows and baa’s of sheep, as we crossed paddocks.

South Bay was an old whaling station. The display board with black and white images with story narrative made for a magnetising read, sending the imagination into yesteryear and what life must have been like.

From north of the town centre, we arrived at You Are Here.

South Bay and an historical whaling view. I mean site.

The beginning of the Kaikoura Peninsula Trail.

*From above, looking back down to South Bay.*

Further around the Kaikoura Peninsula Trail

Paddocks with cows across the tops. On the other side of the brow that is.

Hate them or love them, the cabbage tree flower is stunning.

Looking back towards the Kaikoura Sea Ranges. And the third-bedroom fudged in somewhere.

There was enough space to share with the hordes of others exploring, and the Sea Food BBQ kiosk where one can order everything edible from beneath the hide tide mark is worth satisfying the palette. A well deserve resting spot before completing the loop. No kina though (that’s sea urchin)!

A feed of fnc’s from the local shop nearby rounded out this day and one had to strategically not be seen throwing chips up onto Maree Grenfell and Randall Grenfell campervan for the sea gulls!

A wind down stretch of the legs before retiring for the night to rest the weary legs.

Those steps not counted however, all up, nigh on 20 kms looped when extrapolating out the 33,644.

And so totally worth it.

23/10/21 Kaikoura Anew

November 2, 2021 / Brent Ruru

With each new sunrise, we start anew – author unknown.

Even if we went around in circles on purpose!

With two of the three sunrises anew.

Few places in the world that we have ventured too can boost a natural wonder offered by land and sea.

Only 2.5 hours drive from Christchurch is Kaikoura, a coastal spot dear to our hearts.

We got engaged here – on a Whale Watch activity where it was a captive audience when the question was asked.

And thankfully a positive response.

Returning to Kaikoura to say vows, exchange rings etc, etc, etc,

A new sunrise, something started anew.

Okay, there is a railway line between the mountain and the sea!

We returned this Labour Weekend here in NZ to tick off a couple of going in circle loop circuits.

We meet up with our campervan buddies Maree Grenfell and Randall Grenfell who also shared being loopee x 2 with us . We also didn’t plug into power to test life off the grid. Both experiences had their discoveries!

The first loop we tackled was The Kaikoura Trail.

Mountain biking it in a clockwise direction, we hung a right from our NZMCA Park at the northern end of to rotate the pedals through the township, up over a little mound and down passed South Bay, continuing alongside SH1 off road until the Kowhai River. It was then navigating off road on track and shingle road towards the base of Mt Fyfe, turning right to skirt the base of the Kaikoura Sea Ranges until we reached the Hapuku River. It was a magical twist and turn track until we met up with SH1 again before the final turn right and follow the old Beach Road back to The Third Bedroom.

Naturally, there were a heap more turn lefts and rights in-between.

This is an absolutely awesome natural wonder loop to do and suitable for all riders with basic mountain biking skills – whether an e-biker or a traditionalist pedal pusher.

It’s approx. 42 kms from the first rotation until the last and for the enthusiast – just like the sun comes up, it does go down.

Meaning, from the sea to the mountain, there is a mountain to the sea.