I joined a Netball team!

One of my goals for our time in New Zealand was to play netball, and it's finally happened! I contacted the Kaikoura Netball Club and turns out they were having a tournament a couple days later to kick off their season. What luck! As the manager's suggestion I came by ready to play, and there was a team that was short on people for the season. So I played part of a game at the tournament and joined the team as a sub! I'll only be playing for a couple months (the season goes until September but we leave Kaikoura in July) but it's better than nothing. I'm looking forward to meeting some new people and working on my skills as the weekly practices and games. Gotta keep in shape for starting back in Calgary in the fall!

Netball in Kaikoura!

I played later in this game.

Our team uniform. A bit more professional than back home!

Innovative Waste

Kaikoura has an interesting waste management plan. There is no weekly garbage collection, only recycling and organic waste collection. Garbage has to be taken to the waste centre for disposal, at a cost of 3.50 NZD / bag. Really encourages people to cut back on waste! Hopefully we can live up to the challenge :)

Our house didn't have a recycling box so we had to pick one up at the centre. Gave us a chance to check the place out too! There are areas to put unwanted furniture, magazines, etc which is free for the taking. There's also a secondhand store onsite, for selling used clothes, dishes, etc. Good thing my mom wasn't with us or we would have been there for hours :)

Innovative Waste Kaikoura

Recycling goes here

The secondhand store

Ryan and Charlotte's Big Bike Adventure

Ryan and Charlotte left on their adventure today! For those that don't know, they are spending 3+ weeks cycling around the south island. They will be camping along the way, so they have to bring all their camping supplies, food, clothes, etc with them on their bikes. Wow! 

A couple hours after waving good-bye we realized that Charlotte had forgotten her camera battery at our house, oh no! :( So we hopped in the van and tracked them down to deliver it (only about half an hour journey, using the convenience of gas power). We also brought popsicles, and had a nice lunch-time visit :) Then we said goodbye for real. Happy trails Ryan and Charlotte!

Follow their progress via their GPS tracker. 

All packed up and ready to bike!

And they're off!

One last visit...

Seafood feast

Kaikoura is all about seafood, specifically crayfish which its named after: "kai" means food and "koura" means crayfish. We were advised by many that the best crayfish experience is at a road-side shack, so we thought we should get the authentic experience. Such a shack exists a short walk from our house, so we went one afternoon for a seafood smorgasbord complete with crayfish, scallops, paua (abalone), seafood chowder, and french fries (for Scott and Dexter).

The crayfish was delicious, tasting similar to lobster. The price point appears expensive (ranges from ~30-80 NZD for a whole crayfish), but it's actually quite reasonable considering it takes about 7 or 8 years to mature. We all agreed that the seafood chowder was the best deliciousess-to-cost value, at only 5 NZD a cup. The abalone fritter was rather blah, and confirmed my dislike for the food (I had previously tried it in the Coromandel and was also unimpressed then).

Also, Charlotte arrived yesterday, hooray!

Delicious crayfish!

Can't beat the value on this tasty chowder.

Enjoying our seafood lunch

Scott enjoyed his lemonade and fries :)

Ryan and I go Bungy Jumping!

Ryan E was visiting a few months ago and I expected to go Bungy with him but it just didn't happen, so now that Ryan H was visiting, it was time to get it done! We had thought about doing it in Australia when we were there but I thought there was a chance Kiran would want to do it with us so we waited until now in Hanmer Springs to do it.

Sadly it was a super cold day and rainy as well, but we got to do it and got to warm up in the awesome Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools afterwards, which was a super treat since we don't have a bath here at the new place in Kaikoura (and didn't at the farm either, sad for those who know me!). We didn't take any pictures at the pools, but it was pretty fun! We did a few awesome waterslides too for an extra $10 ticket, including a tube ride where you got thrown into a funnel and spun around a bit. :)

Here's some pictures! We jumped 35m and survived! It was a pretty terrifying experience though, even scarier than at West Edmonton mall I think, since this was off a bridge and down into a river below! Felt super safe though, many many checks and balances (seriously, they weighed us like 3 times and recorded it everywhere and triple checked everything).

Weeeee! I think I actually screamed here. Quite out of character for me, but it was really quite frightening too!

More screaming...

Ok, starting to relax now, slowing down at the bottom!

My first jet boat experience in NZ, getting rescued from the end of the bungy line.

I did it!

I love Ryan's jump form! Good job, buddy!

We got certificates of fearlessness, but I don't know, we look pretty fearful!

Surfing with a seal

Surfing in Kaikoura is a lot different that surfing in Ruakaka or Tauranga. For one, the water is much colder! This is probably also due to the season changing into fall. We all wore wetsuits and wetsuit booties so it was mostly warm enough as long as you stay moving. I eventually had to go in due to my hands being cold though.

Another difference is the beach is rocks instead of sand. And largish rocks, so entering the water involves balancing with a surfboard, while being periodically pounded by waves and sucked by undertow. There are a few bruised arms and legs...

Also in Ruakaka we certainly never had a seal join us in the waves! He looked like he was just out for a swim, flipping and spinning in the waves. Pretty cool!

Ready to hit the surf!

A seal joins scott in the waves!

I'm pretty sure this is the start of an epic bail for Ryan (back right)

But he catches this wave with more success!

Kiran warms up in the sun

This is the serene scene that follow the awkward and painful exit from the water

Kaikoura Peninsula Walk

Kaikoura is located on a peninsula, jutting out into the pacific ocean. The proximity to the mountains combined with the intricate coastline makes it a very picturesque town. At the end of the peninsula there is a beautiful walk with view of the ocean and mountains, and takes you near numerous seal colonies. Unfortunately Dexter wasn't allowed to come :(  but he got another walk later in the afternoon.

Kaikoura peninsula, from the air

View of the mountains from the beach

Walking around the peninsula

So many seals!

Surprisingly, there is farmland up here. 

The walkway actually crosses through some cow paddocks, haha.  Move cows!

Mooooo

Pretty!

Nice panoramic of a bay

We love Kaikoura!

Ryan, having a break from his big run

Kiran taking pro photos!

Down on the beach now

Rockstar

Seals are SO smelly...

And lazy. Yawn!

This one granted us a cute pose

Navigating along the cliff...good thing it's not high tide!

Lots of tidal pools

Ryan found a sea star

Kelp!

It's so thick! 

As the tide goes out it exposes more and more of the rock shelf

Neat rock slant