What started as a dreary, slow day in the quaint beach town of Kaikoura quickly morphed into one of the most action-packed and awe-inspiring experiences involving nature I have ever had. While the rest of the group elected to walk a nearby beach, Dr. Jogan and I decided to go on an albatross encounter, hoping to intersect these majestic birds on their migratory paths while on a boat a few miles into the Pacific. Our skillful boat driver, Gary, navigated the choppy waters with finesse, safely (but rather bumpily) guiding us to the (Antarctic ridge?) where he promised birds would discover the fish livers he had thrown overboard. Within minutes, hundreds of enormous, majestic birds were swooping around our craft, angling themselves and attacking each other to get a share of the delicacy Gary had brought for them. Seeing this show and knowing that the very birds I was looking at would be on the other side of the world a few months later was simply awe-inspiring. After half an hour of watching this incredible display of avian might, Gary guided us out of the area and into waters not known for its bird activity, but frequented for another equally-mesmerizing animal: the dolphin. After a few minutes of waiting, they appeared and did not disappoint. Seemingly curious of our boat, the dolphins performed dazzling displays of acrobatic defiance that I had only seen on television. Seeing these graceful animals in such coordinated finesse was an emotional experience and one that I will never forget. Overall, the albatross encounter was one of the highlights of the trip and one that I would highly recommend for anyone even remotely interested in nature.
International Antarctic Centre
On Saturday, we took a trip to the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. Here, we got to experience a simulated Antarctic storm and subzero Antarctic water, pet huskies, learn about the special relationship between New Zealand and Antarctica, as well as the history of scientific research in Antarctica, and my favorite, a little blue penguin encounter.
Antarctica is only 2000 km from New Zealand. It was fascinating to see stuff so close that we usually think of as being impossibly far away.
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