Kaikoura
Kaikoura has a rich history and culture. Maori heritage is reflected in the name Kaikoura. Tama kiTeRangi arrived in the area according to Maori legend and was hungry, and here he found an abundance of crayfish and named the area TeAhiKaikoura a Tama kiTeRangi – the fire that cooked the crayfish of Tama kiTeRangi. Captain Cook first mapped the peninsula in 1770 and the first whaling station was established in 1843.
The rich coastal waters and the closeness of the Kaikoura trench (5,250ft deep) make this area home to an amazing array of marine mammals. There are around 76 species of whales and dolphins in the world and 34 have been identified in New Zealand waters and 15 have been seen in waters around Kaikoura. Today guests were fortunate enough to see around 30 of the rare Hector’s dolphin in one group. Sperm whales are present throughout the year, NZ fur seals abound, Dusky dolphin gather in groups that number many hundreds and the waters here offer some of the best seabird watching in the world with giant albatross, lesser albatross, petrels, shag, gulls and terns. For those of us who went on the pelagic trip this morning it certainly lived up to its reputation of being considered in the top three viewing sites for albatross in the world.
The people of this small seaside town, population 3,500 realized in the 1990s that the growth in tourist numbers could have an impact on the environment and the local infrastructure; together they adopted an environmental management scheme for the district. The program is known as the Earthcheck Sustainable Communities program and in 2011 Kaikoura became the first destination in the world to gain an Earthcheck Gold Community Certification due to its commitment to community sustainability.
