Wednesday July 23, 2014 Kaikoura Adventures

Kia Ora!

The Squad hiking the Kaikoura Coast

The squad hopped out of bed this morning, ate breakfast at the Dusky Lodge, and headed out for a day of adventures. We started off by checking Whale Watch Kaikoura to see if the weather was clear enough for some of us to experience the sperm whales right off the coast. Unfortunately the waves were too rough and the tours were canceled.

However, we did still learn about whales in the reception area! One of our favorite things we discovered was about the giant sperm whale's buoyancy. Due to the large quantities of oil in their bodies, they can regulate it. By regulating the temperature of spermaceti in their heads, the sperm whale can alter it's buoyancy. When exposed to cold air on the surface, the oil cools and hardens forming a solid wax denser than the water that helps them descend. To melt the waxy film, the whale's capillaries pump blood which allows them to be less dense and ascend more easily.

We jumped back in the Gator Waka and drove to tea time at the Why Not Cafe. With some warm drinks in our bellies, we were ready for our hike around the Peninsula Seal Colony on the Kaikoura Coast. We started at Point Kean where we ran into many resting Kekeno (the Maori name for New Zealand Fur Seals meaning "looks around").

Fur seal "looking around"

Fun Fact: During the winter months there is a large increase of males at Point Kean. In the Spring/Summer (breeding season) the males travel to larger breeding colonies so there are less likely to be as many here. They are also less aggressive in the winter since they are not competing for mates.

Colony of fur seal at Kaikoura

Reading the information signs was really interesting. We learned that the only fur seal killers on land are humans and stray dogs. At sea they may be killed by sharks and orcas. Major threats to the sea puppies include synthetic packaging, looped lines, and pieces of discarded nets. They will occasionally swallow plastic bags, mistaking them for jellyfish. This can cause a slow painful death.

The squad then hiked up the trail around the coast to learn about the Titi (Hutton's Shearwater). These pelagic birds are endemic to the Kaikoura area. The Te Rae O Atiu area that sits in the bird's flight path to the mountains. There are strong sea breezes here which help the birds take flight. Most of the time these birds are at sea, however they come ashore to nest. The first thing we saw when walking up was a predator proof fence. It is part of a conservation effort by Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust. The fence was put up in 2008 due to the rats and stoats significantly reducing the number of nesting colonies found in the area. In order to establish colonies within the fence 2-month old chicks were taken from their mountain burrows before they would normally leave and placed in artificial burrows at this site. They were hand fed and biologists hoped the babies would imprint on the area and return to lay their own eggs. The project has been successful! The number of shearwaters has increased since then and they are continuing to breed at that site! Not only is this area important to the birds, but the birds are important to the land as well because they bring in a lot of nutrition from the sea to the mountains.

Erin enjoying the magnificent views

The site is actually on Maori land and the people are excited about being involved. This is because they traditionally eat them but cannot until the population is stronger in it's numbers.

We continued along the coast, seeing MANY more fur seals and even spotting a few dusky dolphins! After the hike, we stopped for lunch before hitting the road to Lincoln University. A long 3 hour drive put us back at campus just in time for dinner and a night of catching up on our class journals!

Squad Love

Cheers!
Sam and Katherine

July 20, 2014 Rapaki Marae - Part Deux

Kia Ora. We had an outstanding time with Yvette and the folks at the Rapaki Marae.  Thank you.
Erin and Dr. H led us well through the Powhiri and we relish the stories we heard of the not only the history of the Marae but also some very personal histories as well of growing up in the area during hard times, returns home, travel to America, and inspiration for conservation. To our amazement, we were also allowed to take some photos to share with you below.

Yvette explains how the Powhiri will work

Looking up inside the Marae at the Great Waka (boat) that caries the creators of this land (the oars can be seen on braces coming down); windows to the heavens

Representation of extinct Haast Eagle

Representation of Kereru, which Maori and conservationists alike hope will be returned to great numbers as the great trees of the country are restored.

The pole that holds up the weight of the Marae is  on the back of a great ancestor;
in this case he was the brother of peace left to guard this area while his father,
who discovered Rapaki, went off to fight more wars.  Our sleeping arrangements can be seen here as well along with some of the beautiful paua shell colours of the Marae and carvings and weavings (ladders going up to the heavens on back wall).

At the entrance to Wheke Marae at Rapaki this morning under rainy skies.

July 9, 2014 Hinewai - Hugh - Hiking - (Seal, Paua, and Sheep Shearing)

Hugh Wilson talking with students 

Ok - not all Hs in the title. . . . anyway, on to our day in Hinewai. This is our first big hike. The day was drizzling and grey in the morning. We road up to the top of Banks Peninsula, and first met up with Hugh Wilson (NZ botanist and ecologist extrordanaire). Hugh gave the history of Banks Peninsula and how he came to becoming the caretaker of Hinewai. He had surveyed the entire Bank Peninsula and found (surprisingly) some native bush still present and he thought "If we could buy a bit of bush, and keep mammalian browsers out, the native bush would come back." Partnering with Maurice White Native Forest trust, they initially bought some land (109 ha in 1987) and have been increasing the amount of the reserve ever since (it is up to about 1250 ha today). They control browsing brushtail possums (introduced from Australia), and the bush has now risen above the exotic weed gorse. Lets take a look at Hinewai - the squad is taking a hike around the reserve (about a 10 kilometer walk, up and down!).

The group at the start of the track

Group near a big, old Totara tree

The hike started out with no rain - but we did encounter a bit of rain over lunch. We encountered lots of flora (broad leaf trees, red beech, black beech, tree ferns, lancewoods, fuchsia trees, kanuka, five-finger, seven-finger, stinging nettles [no touchy touchy!], Mahoe, and much more) and fauna (fantails, tomtits, silver eyes, brown creepers, wood pigeons, variable oystercatchers, and even a fur seal [see below]).

Black Tree Fern

Brief rest to enjoy the tree fern gully

The squad on route to the bottom

Muddy Feet!

After much slipping and sliding (no injuries!), and soggy feet, we made it to Otanerito Bay to look for Paua shells and relax on the beach. Incredibly, we saw a fur seal asleep on the rocks. First time we have seen this marine mammal in this area.

Looking for Paua in Otanerito Bay

Ahhh - sleeping fur seal

Sam and her collection - Happy "official" Birthday Sam! : )

Le'a and her collection

Success!

Ok, wait for it - on our way out, we encountered the farmer in a wool shed actually shearing sheep (with a team of people). We had to stop and take a look! Do click on this youtube video I uploaded to see a sheep get sheared!

Inside the wool shed

Ahh - back to Akaroa and to Chez la Mer Backpackers. Nighty night until tomorrow, Dr. H

Backpackers and enthusiasm!