After the beautiful, warm still evening the night brought rain and wind and the day dawned cool with low grey cloud. We woke early to get to the Blackcat Cruises office as it opened - two cruise liners were due in and we didn't want to get trumped for seats, but even as we looked out on hill/mountain tops obscured by cloud and the grey sea looked distinctly uninviting but felt sure that the dolphin swim would go ahead, that we 'couldn't let this adventure pass us by' and so we might as well be wet and cold in the water as out of it so (The liners incidentally have been good for Akaroa traders since the February 2011 earthquake - the wharves at Lyttleton were damaged and can't be used so the ships have re-routed to tiny Akaroa. We thought the ships would dwarf the bay - but the ships were dwarfed by the mighty mountains behind.)

Down at the harbour there were lots of coaches queuing for the American passengers so we had no competition and there were to be 6 of us on the adventure - an Irishman with his girlfriend, two German girls and ourselves. Dave and I had time to go for a coffee and check out our boat - we looked at the catamaran and then at the rolling sea and hope for a bigger boat!

Liability forms signed, we were taken through to the changing rooms and fitted out in 5mm wet suits and boots by a cheerful Skipper - and today's guide - a Welsh lad called 'Julian'. Well zipped into our suits Shirl thought she looked like a giant red and black sausage and Dave did nothing to shatter her perception. 'The suit will help you float' he said in encouraging bloke speak, completely missing the nuances of 'I feel fat in this' lol! We were also given masks and snorkels and Shirl had a moment of concern as there was nothing she wanted less than to put her face and head into the cold sea - 'refreshing' the ticket office said, and in the next breath that they weren't optimistic of our chances at seeing dolphins today because of the weather - big swell and breezy.

Out to the mouth of the big harbour on a thankfully larger jetboat than we'd seen, the sea swell increasing the further out we went, the cat bouncing along on top of the waves. As we progressed Julian told us all about the Hector's Dolphins we were seeking, the world's smallest dolphin - fully grown at 5' - and endangered they're only found in New Zealand, there are thought to be only 200 left. Hector's don't reach maturity until they are 7, only live to a max of 20 and the females are only fertile every 7 years so to be honest they need all the help they can get. Julian then talked us though how to behave and attract the dolphins, we were to group together and not swim towards them or splash as this would threaten them but they would be attracted to us singing down our snorkels, blowing bubbles and tapping mask and snorkel together. We were told that the more we did this - the more fun we would appear to the curious little fellas. Julian also said we weren't to touch them: apparently dolphins (mammals not fish) have very thin skin and by touching them we can break it by and thus leave them open to infection.

Two dolphins spotted, the engines were switched off and we bobbed about (nauseatingly for some) as we waited to see if they were up for play (by approaching the boat). Scott the Captain decided they were and so he said we should get in the water. Shirl looked very anxiously at the huge sea, the tiny boat, the waves breaking onto the back of the cat sucking and dragging and not optimistic about her chances of bobbing about like Dave had suggested requested a 'noodle' for extra buoyancy. By this time Dave was in followed un-elegantly by Shirl. Well readers - it was B..... COLD! Took Shirl's breath and after a few breathing lessons from Dave she was able to relax and float in between duckings from the waves - just as well it turned that floating was successful as swimming was difficult due to complete loss of any hand sensation. The Irish lad followed and we looked around for the dolphins.

Our fellow swimmers - still on board - and the crew helpfully telling us to keep 'playing' the dolphins were here, they were there also. Encouraged by Shirl who was now feeling warmer - the two girls got in and through joint effort we worked hard to attract the fish. We sang the Marseillaise, The Irish guy sang the Irish National Anthem, the German girls theirs, we passed on the British anthem but Shirl sang some lullabies and 'I'm forever blowing bubbles'. And joy of joys the Hector's came to play, they swam around us, between us, behind us - these tiny pretty special dolphins made any discomfort and anxiety slip away, they were awesome! But gradually they lost interest and moved away so we were called back onto the boat. Easier said than done: the sea swell was huge, the three steps at the back of the cat moving up and down as the waves sucked and overwhelmed the stern of the boat. It wasn't a question of swimming up to the boat and climbing on - it was an extreme exercise in itself.

Safely on board we laughed and smiled and tried to encourage the remaining 'land lubber' into the sea with us next time. Further out - with bigger waves - there was three dolphins and we were once again dispatched into the tempest, Shirl went right under as she got in, came up choking and thankful she had the noodle for help. As for the dolphins they must have loved our entertainments because we had another amazing 20mins-ish with them before they disappeared. Called back to the boat it was clear this was an increasingly challenging task, trying to get onto the boat in the heavy sea was daunting to be honest. Dave seemed to manage better than Shirl who this time was deposited trunk first onto the top step by a helpful wave and was told tongue in cheek by the Skipper - 'very elegantly done' lol.

Further out we sailed, by now the swell was around 10-15' feet and the grey rolling waves appeared huge. More Hector's were spotted - on early friends must have been to get their mates - and we were back into the sea and surrounded by 5. Absolutely magical! 20mins later back into the boat for the last time and we excitedly chatted all the way back to the harbour.

Hot showers, peeled out of our wet suits we were dressed and off to warm up with coffee , lunch and to plan our afternoon.

The Banks Peninsula is the result of volcanoes and there is a summit road which runs around the top which gives amazing views. The cloud had lifted so we jacked up the heat in the van and went off exploring. We stopped off at the Akaraoa Museum and also the Maori and settlers museum at lovely little Okains Bay. The latter museum is rich in exhibits and the wide, flat, sheltered sandy bay are both well worth a visit.

Out for our last NZ dinner then 'home' to our balcony 'plot' at the 'Top Tin' campsite, and a good night sleep - save for the earth tremor in the middle of the night.........