Our Lips Are Seals

(I know that’s NOT the lyrics, but next time you hear that Go-Go’s song, try NOT to sing it my way.  See, you can’t!)

After the Whale Watch, shopping (I lasted 15 minutes), and lunch, we headed north on the aptly named North Road, winding along the coast in search of the Ohau Point Seals.

(This Ohau is not to be confused with Lake Ohau or the Ohau ski field.  Admit it, “ski field” is a more interesting term than “ski area” or “ski resort.”)

First we came to the rocky point where there is an overlook to see the seals.  They were all around.  Most were lounging on the warm rocks – even though most of the rocks were now in shade.  Some were frolicking in pools of water high up on the rocks, while some swam in the Pacific Ocean (but stayed close to shore).

A few of the seal pups were feeding, although one wanted to and mom was having nothing to do with it.  She kept chasing him off every time he approached.  A few of the seal pups sparred half-heartedly with each other, and one big daddy was chasing after a smaller teen-aged seal.

We stayed a while, figuring it couldn’t get better than that!  Then we drove a quarter mile or so up the road to the next parking area, for the Ohau stream waterfall hike.  The waterfall is famous as a place where the young seal pups frolic and play until it is time for them to go to the rocky coast.

Unfortunately, the time they move to the rocky coast is mid-September or so, and not a seal pup was left there.  It was a beautiful waterfall, well worth the short hike (not even the ten minutes suggested by the sign).  Apparently July or August are special times to be there.  Ah well, can’t get everything.

We then crossed over the road and Maddy and I went down on the rocks, crossing the stream and nearly stepping on a few seals who were well camouflaged in with the rocks.  It was the last time we scared ourselves getting too close.

Next, we drove back into town, wondering again at the amazing views of Kaikoura, the Peninsula, and the snow-capped mountains (this trip has to be a world record number of mentions of “snow-capped mountains”).

We drove down the lower road of the Peninsula, and went into the parking lot at the end of the road.  At that point we entered what can only be described as a magical place where ocean and land meet.  We kept nearly stumbling over sleeping seals, scary the heck out of us.  Then, we watched as an Asian woman sat and quietly petted a seal pup (not recommended by the authorities, or by us!).

After that, we walked out on the rocks at the head of the peninsula.  It was low tide (or close to it) so we could go pretty far out on the low rocks.  There was algae and seaweed everywhere, as well as little water streams through the rocks, so we did have to pick our way quite carefully.

There were a couple of large adult male seals resting up against the cliff, but they did not care as we passed by.  The advice is: don’t go between the water and a seal (because they need an escape route).  The seals were unfazed by our flouting of that advice, although we made sure to give them a wide berth.  The rocks jutted a good 50 yards out into the ocean, which made, along with the setting sun, for a sublime setting.

We turned back to parking lot, where Maddy fell in love with a seal pup lounging on the rocks.  That guy had the biggest eyes!  Very cute.  Then, we went over to the boardwalk path and took photos of a few seals hanging out either on the boardwalk or just below it.

Then, it happened.  Scary moment.  We had come to a fourth seal along the boardwalk – it was a young male just down below it.  Apparently because we got to close, or because I was singing (badly) to it, he took exception to us and our proximity.  He jumped to his feet/flippers and roared at us.  We ran in panic!  Carol claims I almost knocked her over, but I am skeptical of that.  Of course, it might not have been a bad strategy since I was closest to the seal and had to get away.

Oh, we’re still laughing about the near fatal seal attack.  Well, maybe Carol and Maddy are still shaken, but I find it rather funny.  After all, no one got hurt.

It was time to go, get ready for dinner, eat, and then be breathalyzed.

Between the dusky dolphins, the fur seals, and the sperm whale.  Oh, and the snow-capped mountains, the good breakfasts, the friendly people, Kaikoura is a fantastic town (sorry I sound as enthusiastic about Kaikoura as Donald Trump does about himself).  We are so glad we spent two nights there – it was a perfect destination along with Queenstown.