The Fox Glacier
On January 12th, we headed north to the Fox and Franz Josef Glacier area. We stayed the next two nights in Franz Josef.
Here is a photograph of the Fox Glacier.
The Franz Josef Glacier
Here is a photograph of the Franz Josef Glacier.
The Pancake Rocks
On January 13th we drove up along the West Coast to Westport and returned back to Franz Josef for the evening.
We visited the Pancake Rocks in Punakiki and the Fur Seal colony at Cape Foulwind.
Here is a photograph of the Pancake Rocks.
New Zealand Fur Seals
On January 14th we drove from Fran Josef to Kaikoura on the east coast north of Christchurch. We stayed the night in Kaikoura.
We wanted to observe the New Zealand Fur Seals and Sperm Whales in the area.
Here is a photograph of a New Zealand Fur Seal on Point Kean.
Sperm Whales
On the morning of January 15th we took a Kaikoura Whale Watch Tour. This is your best opportunity to see Dusky Dolphins and Sperm Whales.
Sperm whales spend 7-8 minutes on the top of the water breathing and then they do a deep dive and disappear for up to 30-40 minutes. The Kaikoura South Bay is unique because of a very deep canyon near the shore which serves as a good feeding area for Sperm Whales.
Here is a photograph of a Sperm Whale beginning its dive into the deep water.
Dusky Dlphins
There is also a large pod of Dusky Dolphins in the Kaikoura South Bay area.
They are known for their very high jumping out of the water.
Here is a photograph of one of the Dusky Dolphins jumping.
Leaving New Zealand And Its Sheep
On the afternoon of January 15th we drove back to Christchurch. We spent the night in Christchurch and returned back to Sydney Australia on January 16th via Air New Zealand.
A trip to New Zealand would not be complete without at least one sheep photograph!
Enjoy the rest of the photographs in the New Zealand gallery!
