Up early for a Dolphin Watch. We've opted for the NZ$ 55 [literal] watch rather than the NZ$ 85 swim (too cold!). We're there a little after the 8.30 meet but it doesn't matter as the swimmers all need kitting out and we have to watch a 15 minute safety/preview video. The news that the 5.30am trip (ouch!) saw the main pod 40 minutes south and heading away wasn't good. And, indeed, we spend an age searching for dolphins aided by other boats and a plane. In the meanwhile we had a couple of albatross swing by and passed, a little way off, one of the Whale Watch boats just as its sperm whale took a last couple of breaths and descended to the deep for 45 minutes.
Eventually we spotted/stumbled across a pod of twenty or so Dusky Dolphins. Helen and I were wedged in the prow of the ship taking pictures of them as they played in the bow wave. 
The dolphins quickly bore of a non-moving boat and indeed quickly bore of wildly splashing people. The swimmers had been advised that diving, swimming in circles and making noises through their snorkels might make them more interesting to dolphins. I think they should review their advice or at least keep splashing kids out of the water.
Back in Kaikoura we collected our free information packs (Helen wanted the postcards) and took lunch in a cheap cafe. We checked out Whale Watch who do multiple trips on many boats per day (there must be fewer restrictions on harrassing the poor whales) but charge NZ$ 110 for the privilege. Hmm.
We take the Inland Scenic Route towards Arthur's Pass, our destination for tonight. I can't really claim it was scenic but it was inland. As you climb into the hills again the mountains appear from behind cloud belts, it's as though the cloud is a ring around the mountains that you drive under and past letting the mountains appear in all their glory. Which mountain is which remains, as ever, a mystery. Sometimes, that a mountain is snow-capped suggests that it's 2000m or more but then there's a series of peaks, one of which might be your man, but it might not. Best not to worry about it and just enjoy it all. Again there are a couple of huge river beds that are just waiting to be filled.
At Arthur's Pass village, about 5km from the pass proper or indeed peak of the pass as seems to be the labelling, it appears, when we find the hostel, that the owners are big hitters in "town" as we're not in the hostel on the main road but in room #1 (of 3) of house #1 (of 4) on the back road. And she's just off back to run the cafe over the road.
Just as we're off back up the road we spot a Kea, the only alpine parrot. Possessor of a fearsome beak and with a noted interest in human wares the kea is known to rip car tyres to shreds. We take pictures as it eyes up another tourist's car tyres.
The Mountain House #1 is a very nice affair (though I suspect a bit chilly outside of the main room in winter) which we're sharing with two couples who's langauges I can't identify. They've both just rustled up some nice smelling nosh. I wonder what they'll think of our soup and beans on toast emergency rations?
Mountain House #1, Arthur's Pass S42.94336 E171.56273 Elev. 758m
from Mountain House #1 -- Mt Lathrop? Actually it could be any of four other peaks over 2000m before Lathrop, Guinevere?
A guide book in the living room suggests a nice ten minute walk at the back of the Visitors' Centre in the village to Avalanche Falls, lit up at night. We took the opportunity, Helen wasting a few shots on one and two second exposures of the night sky by not using a fixed mount (eg. a rock) now she's worked out how to do something other than Auto on her Nikon F55. The falls look quite good for just a minute [walk] off the main road but sadly the large spotlight wasn't switched on. A swizz! We'll probably find tomorrow there was a button...
Copyright 2002 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.