Penguins, Sea Kayaking, and Sheep – Oh My!

We tried something different this year – sea kayaking in Flea Bay or Pohatu (near Akaroa). Pohatu means the “place of stones” because the Maori had to remove so many stones from this area in order to till the ground and grow kumara – or sweet potato http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/kumara . The pakeha (or foreigner) name was Flea Bay – because when the settlers picked up the abundant penguins in the area – they were covered in fleas and these proceeded to cover their arms.

The company that took the group started a unique conservation reserve called Tutakahikura Scenic Bush Reserve and they take folks kayaking through the marine reserve. Shireen and her husband were both farmers and bought the property and when they saw the penguins disappearing around the peninsula, they decided to do something about it and started protecting the penguins (see http://www.pohatu.co.nz/About+Us.html ). We were greeted by Benoit and and Kevin, our (French) guides through the land and marine reserve.

Hopping into two vans – we headed the road over to Flea Bay. From the top, we had quite a view of Akaroa Harbour, which is actually the crater of an extinct volcano over 6 million years ago.

View of Akaroa Harbour

Ben explains the origins of Akaroa Harbour

The class near the top

Along the way, we looked at a weta hotel and saw a Bank’s Peninsula tree weta Hemideina ricta. http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/General/banks-peninsula-tree-weta-brochure.pdf   These lovely wetas became really large – in the absence of mice and other small mammals – sort of taking over their niche. 

Checking out a weta hotel

This is a giant weta form the North Island

Banks Peninsula tree weta in the hotel that we saw today

We dropped down into the bay and begun our preparations. We were instantly surrounded by some shaggy brown sheep – much to the delight of the class. We got to feed them!

Over here!

More?

After safety instructions and some instructions about the sea kayaks, we entered the water on a beautiful sunny day. The water was a nice turquoise blue and we began to look for white-flippered penguins Eudyptula albosignata http://www.penguin.org.nz/white-flippered-penquin.html and Hector’s dolphins Cephalorhynchus hectori. http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/dolphins/hectors-dolphin/  Both species are rare and endangered.

First up though were New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri basking on the rocks. As we paddled by, they were basking on the rocks. They lazily lifted up their heads as we paddled by. 

Out into the bay!

Grouping together as we head towards the penguin colonies

Tupelo giving it her all

Then, Kevin pointed out our first white-flippered peguin along the rocks. Amazing! These penguins are unique only to Banks Peninsula and at one time numbered in the tens of thousands but were reduced quite dramatically due to predators (e.g., rats, cats, dogs, and stoats).  The penguins dig/find burrows on shore and this is where they are vulnerable to introduced predators. There is an extensive predator control program in the area. Even grazing sheep help because they prevent the exotic grasses form seeding out – and this reduces the amount of food for rats and mice. Currently, it is estimated that there are about one thousand penguins nesting in the area. 

Cute penguins huddled on the rocks

As we got out towards the ocean, we saw Hector’s dolphins. These little guys (they grow 1.5 m in length) are highly endangered, affected by fishing nets and boat propellers. The Banks Peninsula marine mammal sanctuary in Canterbury was established in 1988 primarily to reduce set-net deaths of Hector’s dolphins in the area.

We returned to shore, dragged up the kayaks, and cleaned the gear. We were introduced (to our surprise) a pair of penguins nesting right by the boat shed. 

Hello there!

Ok guys - cover us back up!

We had lunch and headed back over the hill. next stop was tea time and then back to Lincoln. We leave for Kaikoura tomorrow and will have limited internet connection. So more in a few days! 

Cheers Dr. H

One last look at Flea Bay

From a modern day market to a market street of olden day, some artsy fartsy stuff, and a crusade

Fun and busy day exploring Christchurch.  We started with the Riccarton Market which served up all manner of fruit and veg alongside yummy treats like breads and cheeses and olives and cookies and French pasteries and chocolates and candies and…

 

Then on to the Christchurch Botanical Gardens to view the small tucked away corner of native plants and wonder at all the flora brought with European settlers like large sequoia trees, roses, and a hot house filled with warmth (!) and gnomes as part of the greater Christchurch area Kidfest activities.

Checking out a sequoia at the Christchurch Botanical Garden

One bough is big enough to "swing" three of us

Hen and Chicken Fern

The Sun Dial in the Rose Garden was right on time (12 noon)

Hen and Chicken Fern Gnome in the hot house

Grace helps us see the Silver Fern that is the symbol for New Zealand

After lunch in the YMCA building, we headed over to the Canterbury Museum to explore natural history of the Maori, flora and fauna of NZ and cultural icons like the Paua House, Arctic area, an old time Christchurch street replica, and an alternative radio special exibit.

At the Peacock Fountain

Flat White art - Silver Fern

Lunch break

New Zealand is really close to Antarctica - expeditions there leave from Christchurch

A wall in the famous Paua House

Hey Dad, I got to hold an Albatross chick!

Amber rides a bike on the old Christchurch market street

Next we were off for some time in the Christchurch Art Gallery, newly reopened this year.  Here we enjoyed traditional and modern NZ artists work.

Bad Hair Day gallery

In the late afternoon, we made our way to AMI stadium to take in a Crusaders Rugby game (bummed that they lost by a large margin when it was predicted to be a close game). The Crusaders lost to the Highlanders 35-10. Some fun rugby terms: try, scrum, maul, ruck, blood bin, hooker, hospital pass, etc.

Sunset over rugby field

Scrum!

in the stands - a bit cold!

Whew!

Sweet Dreams, m&m

And Back Again

After a yummy breakie at Maggie's Kitchen in Greymouth on the West Coast, we bid goodby to Alan and Maggie and headed back to Lincoln across Lewis Pass.

Breakieat Maggie's Kitchen, Greymouth

Thanks Alan, Maggie. and Nancy for taking such good care of us!

Along the way we stopped at Reefton, the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have electric lights, and the St. James Walkway for a different view of Alpine forest as we walked through Goblin Forest in search of peripatus but instead found all manner of beautiful little fungi and algae.

The weather held for us (starting tonight and the rest of the week, as predicted, there will be rain every day) and we saw beautiful patches of frost sparkling in the warm sunshine and spectacular mountain views encircled by braided rivers.

At St. James Walkway

Frost/ice crystals.  Fun to compare with the coral fungus below.

Mimi as a Goblin of the Forest.

Amber on a swing bridge on the way to search for peripatus at another location along Lewis Pass

Tupelo displays a REAL giant slug after successfully fooling Mark with a fake one last week ; )

Dr. Meurk feels bad that we did not find a peripatus so pretends to be one for us

Two pretty fungus pix thanks to Grace and her close up lens:

This one is called Bird's Next Fungus and each "nest" is about the same diameter as the top part of a cap of a pen.

A quick tea time before the last leg of our trip back to Lincoln

We got back at dinner time and will be happy to get settled back in and have a good night's sleep before more adventures ahead.

Thanks All for a fun trip to the West Coast and back together, m&m : )