{"id":1699,"date":"2015-08-08T16:24:53","date_gmt":"2015-08-08T06:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/?p=1699"},"modified":"2016-11-19T08:58:05","modified_gmt":"2016-11-19T08:58:05","slug":"i-can-see-for-miles-and-miles-wings-over-whales-kaikoura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/?p=1699","title":{"rendered":"I Can See For Miles – Wings Over Whales Kaikoura"},"content":{"rendered":"

———————————————-<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

UPDATE: Kaikoura Earthquake November 2016<\/strong><\/span>
\nOur thoughts, best wishes and prayers are with everyone affected by the earthquakes that struck the northern areas of New Zealand\u2019s South Island.<\/span>
\nPlease know that you have many friends around the world who are standing with you through this very tough time. We are all looking forward to seeing you back on your feet very soon. We also can\u2019t wait to come back to visit and spend time with you in our beloved Kaikoura, one of the most beautiful and special places on Earth.
\nBest wishes and take\u00a0care WS!<\/span><\/p>\n

———————————————-<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes to see something differently\u00a0you need to change your perspective!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-3076\"

A Sperm Whale cruises the waters off Kaikoura<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

I just love being on top of\u00a0mountains or up in aeroplanes. I can spend hours\u00a0searching out all the tiny details in the world below. I’ve whale watched from boats and cliff tops for many years but never from the air, so it was with great delight\u00a0that I went into the wild blue\u00a0yonder with Wings Over Whales, Kaikoura!<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Sperm Whale’s very distinct blow, forward and to the left.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The\u00a0Kaikoura Canyon<\/strong><\/span>
\n Kaikoura on New Zealand\u2019s South Island is an amazing bio hot spot and one of the few places on earth where you can see Sperm Whales very close to the coast. This is because\u00a0New Zealand\u2019s continental\u00a0shelf\u00a0drops over a\u00a01000 metres into the Kaikoura Canyon only a few kilometres from the coast.\u00a0The\u00a0Kaikoura Canyon is U shaped, 60 kilometres long and in places up to 1200 meters deep. It leeds into the even larger\u00a01500 kilometre long Hikurangi Channel and then out to the\u00a0southwest Pacific Basin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WW-2415c\"

A Sperm Whale rests on the surface above the Kaikoura Canyon with the Kaikoura Mountain Range in the background.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

If the\u00a0Canyon wasn’t dramatic enough there are the mountains coming right down to the coast as well, snow capped in winter the\u00a0Seaward Kaikoura’s are a dramatic and beautiful backdrop. Formed by the\u00a0Marlborough fault system, they are seen as the\u00a0northernmost extension of the Southern Alps on the South Island. The mountain range dominates the coast rising straight\u00a0from the coast north of\u00a0Kaikoura township to the\u00a02,608 metre height of Mount Manakau.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kaikoura with the dramatic Seaward Kaikoura Mountain Range in the background<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"WW-Sperm

Sperm Whale by Linda Cox<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The\u00a0Sperm Whale<\/strong><\/span>
\n Maybe the term EPIC is\u00a0used a bit too much\u00a0but I really don’t know how else you could describe one of the largest predators on earth. Sperm Whales are the largest of the toothed whales, has the largest brain of any animal, can hold its breath for hours, can dive thousands of metres to the depth of the oceans and is famed for its epic battles with eight meter long Giant Squid!\u00a0I mean REALLY?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Sperm Whale’s very distinct blowhole is on the front lefthand side of its head, unlike any other whale.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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All aboard the Wings Over Whales GA8 Airvan for our flight!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Into The Air!<\/strong><\/span>
\n Its a simply beautiful day for flying, clear, sunny and calm. Very\u00a0happy camper! The seven\u00a0of us pile into WOW’s\u00a0Airvan for our half hour whale watching flight. I’ve never been in an Airvan before so am\u00a0impressed with this smart little aircraft, comfortable seats and large clear windows that are perfect\u00a0for viewing and photographing whales.\u00a0The\u00a0Airvan is a very\u00a0popular\u00a0single-engined utility aircraft manufactured by GippsAero in\u00a0Victoria, Australia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-2322\"

Looking north as we head out over South Bay with the Kaikoura Peninsula running left to right.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Kaikoura airport is situated just behind the beach, right next to South Bay making it\u00a0perfectly placed and only a few minutes flying\u00a0time from the\u00a0Canyon which maximises our time with the whales.\u00a0Liam, our pilot gets us up in the air and we turn east out over South Bay. I’m always amazed that\u00a0as soon as your ever so slightly up in the air the world becomes this fascinating miniature world. I’m seated in the very back row with a great views out each side\u00a0of the aircraft.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-2326\"

Looking back south west to the coast over South Bay.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Close to shore we fly over a large pod of Dusky Dolphins but we don’t stop to check them out just yet as\u00a0Liam thinks he has seen a whale further out! We’re in luck! Sperm whales spend about\u00a0ten minutes on the surface recharging their blood with oxygen so they can make their epic dives into the deep. These dives average 45 minutes, sometimes longer so you have to have a little bit of luck going your way to spot one on the surface. Within a few minutes we are over our whale and\u00a0Liam banks the aircraft into a tight turn giving us an amazing view.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-3094\"

A Sperm Whale’s very distinct blowhole is on the front lefthand side of its head, unlike any other whale.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Cruising along the surface is a massive Sperm Whale! They really are unlike any of the other whale species with strange lumps, bumps and all shrivelled to boot. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-3112\"

A Sperm Whale’s very distinct blowhole is on the front lefthand side of its head, unlike any other whale.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Liam circles back and forth giving each side of the plane a great view of\u00a0the whale. Our\u00a0Sperm Whales doesn’t seem to be up to very much and in the end we come to believe its having a sleep. Whales are conscious breathers, they have to actively decided to take each\u00a0breath unlike us who breath subconsciously without having to think about it. So to sleep whales are able to shut down half of their brain at a time and rest it. The other half remains alert so they can continue to swim and breath. After ten minutes\u00a0we decide to move on and see what else we can find.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-2333\"

Out over South Bay searching for the whales.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Liam takes us back towards the coast and we are very lucky to spot another whale on the surface. This whale\u00a0is more active, moving along and with regular blows.\u00a0Liam again takes us into an orbit above the whale and we are treated to\u00a0another fantastic view. Two whales in one flight is amazing!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"2W-3085\"

Cruising on the surface between breaths.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"W-3169\"

An Albatross flys past the whale, with a wing span of two to three metres it really gives you an understanding of the whales massive size!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"2W-3091\"

After a few more breaths the Sperm Whale prepares to dive.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"W-3258\"

The whale begins to nose down into its dive.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

…after a few minutes more our whale starts to dive. Sperm whales dive rather spectacularity by going strait down, lifting their tails into the air.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"W-3261\"

The whale lifts it tail as it dives.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

We turn for home and to visit some little friends along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hundreds of Dusky Dolphins escorted by Dolphin Encounter.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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The view south as we come back into land.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"W-2339\"

Liam and the team. Great fun!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"2W-2343\"<\/a>

John and Liam from Wings Over Whales, Kaikoura<\/p><\/div>\n

Wings Over Whales, Kaikoura<\/strong><\/span>
\n Wings Over Whales operates a Gippsland GA8 Airvan and Cessna 172 from\u00a0Kaikoura Airfield\u00a0just south of the town along the main highway.\u00a0Whale watching flights\u00a0leave daily depending on weather conditions. Please see the\u00a0Wings Over Whales\u00a0website for current conditions and trip availability.\u00a0WOK Website<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Wings Over Whales<\/strong><\/span>
\n Kaikoura Airfield<\/span>
\n617 State Highway 1, Kaikoura<\/span>
\n http:\/\/www.whales.co.nz<\/span>
\n Ph: +64 3 319 6580<\/span><\/p>\n

My great thanks to John and Liam from Wings Over Whales for taking me up to see the whales and for their great support and encouragement in creating this story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Camera Gear
\n<\/span><\/strong>Nikon D610 with Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f4G ED VR
\nNikon D7200 with\u00a0Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f\/2.8G ED VR II Lens
\nThanks to Nikon\u00a0Australia for their continued support and encouragement!<\/span>\u00a0Nikon<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Australia<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

———————————————- UPDATE: Kaikoura Earthquake November 2016 Our thoughts, best wishes and prayers are with everyone affected by the earthquakes that struck the northern areas of New Zealand\u2019s South Island. Please know that you have many friends around the world who are standing with you through this very tough time. We are all looking forward to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","category-whale-watching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1699"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2485,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1699\/revisions\/2485"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whalespotter.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}