Spotting whales in Kaikoura

Which is better is a tough question. Spotting Kaikoura’s resident sperm whales from the water or air?

Having been fortunate enough to experience both I can categorically say that the answer isn’t easy.

Nothing beats a sighting of a whale close up by boat. Bobbing alongside such a magnificent mammal is truly awe inspiring and even more so when the whale sucks in that last bit of air and arches its back upwards rising to the sky to sink deep into the depths below. The first time you witness this it simply blows you away.

The great thing about being on the water of course is that you also have the opportunity to spot other sea creatures and birds close up. Seals are often seen bobbing in the water and dolphins love nothing more than to frolic on the brow of the boat. There are heaps of rare seabirds in these parts including the largest of them all, the mighty albatross, which are often spotted on the horizon.

From a plane the view is very different as you’d expect and you have the benefit of being able to appreciate the full size and scale of the whale. The flight itself is quite an adventure - taking off from a grass runway in such a small plane whilst watching the pilot at the controls right in front of you.

The views of the Kaikoura Headland are quite spellbinding as are those of the mighty Kaikoura Mountain Range. The great thing about the plane trip is that it’s quick. Once a whale is spotted they can approach it much faster than any boat can which can really benefit a viewing. The whales only breach the surface of the water for a few minutes, taking in deep breathes of air before plunging down again. I was lucky on my trip and we actually saw a whale surface so spent several precious minutes circling just above.

So which is better, the plane or the boat? Hmmmmmmmm