A weekend in Akaroa, Banks Peninsula — New zealand uncovered

A weekend in Akaroa can be enjoyed either on land or water. Hire a kayak and gently paddle your way around the various bays of Akaroa Harbour. There are birds of all descriptions hanging out and drying their wings on the rocks. At low tide there offers a bounty of mussels for foraging. There are also numerous nature cruises and dolphin cruises to choose from. These cruises take about 2 hours and venture through the harbour and, if conditions are right, out to sea. The friendly crew point out numerous landmarks of significance on route including some stunning sea caves which the boat will actually venture into if the sea conditions are good. A seal colony is tucked into one of the sheltered bays as you head out to sea from the harbour entrance. Sometimes it can be possible to spot a penguin or two as there is a significant Little Blue Penguin colony at Flea Bay on Banks Peninsula - I will blog about this at a later date, as it’s well worth a visit especially at dusk when the penguins are returning.

The highlight of any trip for many folks is the sighting of the endangered Hector Dolphin. The world’s smallest dolphin has a pod that lives in and around the Akaroa Harbour and is usually spotted on these trips. Often in small groups these sweet little guys love nothing more than surfing off the front of the boat as you surge through the water. More often it’s the dolphins seeking you out before you encounter them. They love the small cruise boats here and keep your eyes peeled as you will often spot one or two of them swimming across to join you. On several occasions when I’ve been out in the harbour, they have had young calves with them - especially during the later summer and autumn months. The crew will always get incredibly excited if they spot a calf, it’s the sign of a promising future for these rare and endangered guys.

This conveniently brings me to my next recommendation - the swim with the dolphin option. There are two operators offering these trips which are highly regulated to protect the dolphins. The rules are you can only swim if the dolphins are happy, look as though they are interested and have no calves in the pod. One summers morning I joined up with a Black Cat Swim with the Dolphins cruise. It was an exceptional experience and one I’ll write about shortly.

Back on dry land, Akaroa, is a lovely spot to while away time on the sheltered beach, saunter around a few gift shops and down back streets which are home to traditional old Kiwi colonial cottages and French street names (the area was originally garrisoned by the French until the English signed an agreement with the local Maori Iwi to claim it for the King. It’s quite a tale and I won’t say too much as you will be told the full story on your nature cruise). There is a French Cemetery and Anglican Cemetery located in Akaroa reflecting this past shared history. It’s most certainly the most French place you will find in New Zealand!

I enjoy strolling along, following the pretty waterfront boulevard, wandering down the Pier where the boat trips leave from, and then across to the Akaroa Lighthouse. The views are picture perfect and there is also the chance you stumble across something interesting on route - I have spotted Tui, flocks of Kereru (the New Zealand wood pigeon) and even an Elephant Seal on my ventures.