SWIMMING WITH THE DUSKIES

DAY 31: Kaikoura

Today we did something that I never thought I would ever get to do. Something I will never forget for as long as I live. Today, we swam with wild dolphins in the ocean.

The day started off bright and early with the swell thankfully calmer than yesterday. We checked in, slightly apprehensive, but excited all the same and got fitted for our wetsuits, flippers and snorkels. Not one person looked good in the thick neoprene suits with matching shinobi ninja style balaclavas.

On the way out of the changing room I bumped in to a mate's cousin I'd met on his stag do last year, Alex, which was so random and a very nice surprise. Turns out he works at the Dolphin Encounter and lives in Kaikoura! Wish we'd known before.

After a short briefing and bus ride we boarded our vessel and we were on our way. We must have been at sea about 15 minutes before we saw our first small pod of Dusky Dolphins, one of which had a new born with her which looked like a little rugby ball with fins.

Another five or 10 minutes later and our captain found a pod for us to swim with. Time to suit up, get the snorkel on and get in the water. Although I was aware that the water was going to be on the chilly side, I wasn't quite prepared for how cold it actually was. It was freeeeeeeezing!!!! Let's say I had two lumps in my mouth after feeling how cold it was as I was sat on the back of the boat in the water.

Once we were in the icy cold water we were told to make stupid noises as loud as we could to encourage the dolphins to check us out. Now, I was good at this, much to Jen's annoyance. I made the most annoyingly stupid noise you could make. After about 2 minutes of sounding like a loon through my snorkel and feeling pretty cold, a fair sized dolphin swam right up from underneath us and in front of Jen and I. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a sight and so close up. Then another swam past, then two and three together. We were about a foot away from them at times as they were darting in front of us, from under us and upside down underneath us. It was just so surreal and breathtaking. To keep them intrigued, you're encouraged to swim around in circles when they're near you so I gave it a go and one kept me going around in circles so much I got dizzy. Suddenly I had forgotten about the cold and to be so close to these dolphins in their natural habitat brought such a smile to my face my mask kept leaking.

This was one of greatest things I have ever experienced and it was a complete privilege to be surrounded by such wonderful creatures.

I hadn't realised it, but being in the water had actually made me feel quite sea sick, the swell getting quite big now. When I got out and on to the boat it was a little worse. The belching was getting closer together and soon I thought I might need to reach for a bucket. Both Jen and I managed to keep our composure, which is more than can be said for some of our fellow swimmers. The rather tough, solid and crunchy ginger biscuits (which Jen christened 'Laura Biscuits' - sorry Laura) appeared to do their job of settling our stomachs and we avoided the sickness. It was such a strange sensation of being so happy and feeling so sick at the same time.

On the way back to port the dolphins treated us to a spectacular display of aerial ability involving lots of flips and back flops.

Once back on dry land we had a coffee with our friend Alex and he made us so jealous with stories of his life in Kaikoura. We want to live here! We then had a spot of lunch on the front before unwillingly heading off back to Christchurch as we had to take the hire car back.

Arriving in Christchurch, we located a good hostel with ease and then I drove the car back to the airport. After a short walk around Christchurch on what was a lovely, warm evening, we returned pretty knackered and watched a bit of TV before going to sleep. What a brilliant, amazing, unforgettable day!