Kaikoura - a whale of a tale

Dan Hutchinson

“Whale, starboard!” cries the spotter as passengers scurry to their seats. The powerful catamaran surges into life, bounding over the low, choppy swells towards the prize.

Before long 30 eager faces are leaning over the railing, pointing cameras rather than harpoons at a recuperating sperm whale, only partly visible above the water.
Having spent over an hour in the impossible depths of the Kaikoura Canyon, the living submarine, dubbed “Big Nick” now sucks in oxygen, occasionally expelling vapour and stale air from its massive lungs.
Impervious to the little creatures on the surface, the 40-tonne giant sinks head first, offers its tail fluke into the air in a single flamboyant gesture and then disappears into its dark realm hundreds of metres below.
Whales have long been a part of the history of the small South Island, east coast town of Kaikoura and one can still find evidence of this on shore at Fyffe House or the nearby whaling station which still stands after 162 years.
Nowadays, people come from far and wide, drawn by a reliable population of adolescent, male sperm whales. Other whales, including orca, pilot whales, southern right whales and other species can be seen from time to time also. The nearby 1600m deep Hikurangi Trough is something of a whale motorway running along New Zealand’s east coast, linking the cool South Pacific with the warmer waters further north.
Kaikoura also has the advantage of the Kaikoura Trench which drops sharply to over 1000m just a few kilometres from the main harbour at South Bay and linking with the Hikurangi Trough.
The geography, the currents and the plentiful fish stocks attract sperm whales all year around, giving visitors as close to a guarantee of a sighting as nature can offer. At this time of the year the annual humpback migration is also taking place along the east coast of the South Island.
The waters off Kaikoura are something of a fitness centre where adolescent male sperm whales build up their energy and strength before heading to breeding grounds in warmer, northern waters.
There seems to be something slightly mystical about being close to a whale and there is barely a whisper from the group heading off the coast aboard the Whale Watch Kaikoura boat the Whakatere. Whakatere is the Maori name for the legendary giant squid which is thought to dwell in the darkness of the Kaikoura Trench. Major submarine filming expeditions have taken place in the canyon but have so far failed to turn up what would be the first footage of giant squid in their natural environment.
The anticipation of whale sightings is enough for out group though and people scramble for the exits whenever the boat stops to view a whale. There are more than enough viewing areas for everyone.
The sea off the Kaikoura Coast is not often flat and those prone to motion sickness would be well advised to take preventative measures. Whale Watch Kaikoura uses three identical 18m catamarans which are more stable than single hull craft and trips are cancelled at short notice if the weather is unsuitable.
Whales are the superstars of the Kaikoura Canyon but when it comes to putting on a show, large pods of dusky dolphins are equally as impressive while huge wandering albatross patrol the skies above.
Other firms in Kaikoura specialise in dolphin or seal trips, including swimming with these friendly creatures, although Whale boats will stop to take in the dolphins if time allows.
To really appreciate the scale of the world’s largest birds, it pays to take a separate albatross tour, where bait is used to lure the giant birds in close. These birds are an amazing spectacle looming large on wingspans of up to three or even four metres.
You do not have to be an ardent bird enthusiast to appreciate the albatross, but for those who are there are dozens of other birds to check out, including the Huttons shearwaters which only breed in the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges.
Kaikoura is an eco-tourist’s dream and one of the country’s most popular attractions is absolutely free. The Point Kean Seal Colony is a five minute drive through Kaikoura township where an exciting landscape and a good population of New Zealand fur seals ensures plenty of photo opportunities. While seals are friendly in the water, do not be fooled by their cuddly exterior as they will give quite a bite to those approaching too close on the rocks.
Kaikoura township has a population of 3200 people and archaeological findings show humans hunted moa on the peninsula 900 years ago. Maori legend has it that Maui planted his foot on the Kaikoura Peninsula to steady himself as he fished up the North Island from the sea. Kaikoura wasn’t discovered by European settlers until Captain Cook mistook it for an island in 1770.
The town thrives on a busy summer tourist trade so there is no problem finding accommodation in the winter months. There is a range of land and sea based activities to keep a person occupied for some time including kayaking, tours of the impressive Maori Leap Cave, fishing tours, scenic flights and many others.There are a range of walks including a popular half day hike around the Kaikoura Peninsula or the more demanding mountain climb to commanding views atop Mt Fyffe.

Kaikoura - a whale of a tale

by Dan Hutchinson

“Whale, starboard!” cries the spotter as passengers scurry to their seats. The powerful catamaran surges into life, bounding over the low, choppy swells towards the prize.

Before long 30 eager faces are leaning over the railing, pointing cameras rather than harpoons at a recuperating sperm whale, only partly visible above the water.
Having spent over an hour in the impossible depths of the Kaikoura Canyon, the living submarine, dubbed “Big Nick” now sucks in oxygen, occasionally expelling vapour and stale air from its massive lungs.
Impervious to the little creatures on the surface, the 40-tonne giant sinks head first, offers its tail fluke into the air in a single flamboyant gesture and then disappears into its dark realm hundreds of metres below.
Whales have long been a part of the history of the small South Island, east coast town of Kaikoura and one can still find evidence of this on shore at Fyffe House or the nearby whaling station which still stands after 162 years.
Nowadays, people come from far and wide, drawn by a reliable population of adolescent, male sperm whales. Other whales, including orca, pilot whales, southern right whales and other species can be seen from time to time also. The nearby 1600m deep Hikurangi Trough is something of a whale motorway running along New Zealand’s east coast, linking the cool South Pacific with the warmer waters further north.
Kaikoura also has the advantage of the Kaikoura Trench which drops sharply to over 1000m just a few kilometres from the main harbour at South Bay and linking with the Hikurangi Trough.
The geography, the currents and the plentiful fish stocks attract sperm whales all year around, giving visitors as close to a guarantee of a sighting as nature can offer. At this time of the year the annual humpback migration is also taking place along the east coast of the South Island.
The waters off Kaikoura are something of a fitness centre where adolescent male sperm whales build up their energy and strength before heading to breeding grounds in warmer, northern waters.
There seems to be something slightly mystical about being close to a whale and there is barely a whisper from the group heading off the coast aboard the Whale Watch Kaikoura boat the Whakatere. Whakatere is the Maori name for the legendary giant squid which is thought to dwell in the darkness of the Kaikoura Trench. Major submarine filming expeditions have taken place in the canyon but have so far failed to turn up what would be the first footage of giant squid in their natural environment.
The anticipation of whale sightings is enough for out group though and people scramble for the exits whenever the boat stops to view a whale. There are more than enough viewing areas for everyone.
The sea off the Kaikoura Coast is not often flat and those prone to motion sickness would be well advised to take preventative measures. Whale Watch Kaikoura uses three identical 18m catamarans which are more stable than single hull craft and trips are cancelled at short notice if the weather is unsuitable.
Whales are the superstars of the Kaikoura Canyon but when it comes to putting on a show, large pods of dusky dolphins are equally as impressive while huge wandering albatross patrol the skies above.
Other firms in Kaikoura specialise in dolphin or seal trips, including swimming with these friendly creatures, although Whale boats will stop to take in the dolphins if time allows.
To really appreciate the scale of the world’s largest birds, it pays to take a separate albatross tour, where bait is used to lure the giant birds in close. These birds are an amazing spectacle looming large on wingspans of up to three or even four metres.
You do not have to be an ardent bird enthusiast to appreciate the albatross, but for those who are there are dozens of other birds to check out, including the Huttons shearwaters which only breed in the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges.
Kaikoura is an eco-tourist’s dream and one of the country’s most popular attractions is absolutely free. The Point Kean Seal Colony is a five minute drive through Kaikoura township where an exciting landscape and a good population of New Zealand fur seals ensures plenty of photo opportunities. While seals are friendly in the water, do not be fooled by their cuddly exterior as they will give quite a bite to those approaching too close on the rocks.
Kaikoura township has a population of 3200 people and archaeological findings show humans hunted moa on the peninsula 900 years ago. Maori legend has it that Maui planted his foot on the Kaikoura Peninsula to steady himself as he fished up the North Island from the sea. Kaikoura wasn’t discovered by European settlers until Captain Cook mistook it for an island in 1770.
The town thrives on a busy summer tourist trade so there is no problem finding accommodation in the winter months. There is a range of land and sea based activities to keep a person occupied for some time including kayaking, tours of the impressive Maori Leap Cave, fishing tours, scenic flights and many others.There are a range of walks including a popular half day hike around the Kaikoura Peninsula or the more demanding mountain climb to commanding views atop Mt Fyffe.

Pine time to leave me

by Dan Hutchinson

An ambitious plan to eradicate wild pine trees from the inner Queen Charlotte Sound has received another major boost.New Zealand King Salmon has donated $10,000 to the project on top of $102,000 received from the Lottery Grants Board and the Biodiversity Condition Fund.The eradication of wild pines is the key project of the recently formed Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust.Trust chairman Andrew Macalister said the Sounds community were very keen to see wild pines removed from the area to improve the landscape and allow for regeneration of native plants.He said it was a very large project that would need Government assistance if the whole of the Marlborough Sounds was to be covered by the project.However, the Trust had set its sights on 2600ha of wilding pine infestation in the inner Queen Charlotte Sound with an aniticpated budget of $130,000 this year.Contractors would make their way by foot through the infested area, drill holes in the trees and inject poison.By leaving the trees standing, re-growth was limited by the shadow of the dying tree.New Zealand King Salmon General Manager Aquaculture, Stewart Hawthorn says the initiative is a good fit with the company's strategic values. "We are an important part of the Marlborough Sounds community and within our vision we seek respect for our sustainable commercial success.“Actively participating with the community by assisting its growth, widening its resources and improving its features is a part of advancing that vision.""The wilding pines campaign reflects the passion many in the community feel about ensuring the naturalness of the Marlborough Sounds. As a user of that naturalness, it's good that we can give something back," Mr Hawthorn said Mr Macalister said it was important to make a success of the first eradication programme, scheduled to start at Labour weekend, as that would encourage further investment in the project."It seems the community agrees wilding pines are a scourge of the Sounds and that a response to this problem is long overdue."

Mr 4 Square in person

Spring Creek Four Square owner Allan Withers celebrates a half century of involvement with the brand. Photo Dan Hutchinson


by Dan Hutchinson
Fifty years ago Allan Withers’ mum wanted him to settle down and get a real job – he did and is still involved with the same company.
Now owner of the Spring Creek Four Square, Mr Withers has had half a century of involvement with the firm – starting off as a pricing clerk in Timaru in 1958.
Maybe chance or maybe his lifelong involvement with the brand has even made him look like the Four Square man, something that is not lost on his colleagues at head office as they acknowledged his 50 years with the brand last Thursday.
Either way, he personifies the store. His dry wit and customer focus make him a popular figure on the junction.
He started his working life as a teenager in the highly paid job of potato and carrot picking in South Canterbury.
It was not uncommon to earn up to 60 pounds a week in the fields – a giddy figure in those days and even more so for a young man.
“But Mum was not too happy with that. She wanted her boy to settle down and get a proper job.”
It was his mother who arranged the interview at the Four Square warehouse and the rest, as they say, is history.
“I went down to five pounds a week but that was life. I had a job, a permanent job.”
He moved to the Four Square Head Office in Christchurch in 1962 where one of his first jobs was to manually adjust all the prices for decimal currency.
“That was a huge job; there were no computers in those days.”He later moved into the buying section and transferred to Blenheim in 1968, for what was meant to be a three year stint.
“My family was from here and I liked it so I resisted moving back.”
He was heavily involved in opening the first New World supermarket in 1977 where Farmers now is.
Supermarkets were a relatively new phenomenon in the 1970’s. Previously the Four Square stores catered for grocery needs with about 2000 of them around the country.
“The town and whole district had many, many Four Square stores. Sadly, as supermarkets grew smaller ones closed down which was inevitable.”
In 1980, Mr Withers’ wife passed away and he decided on a change.
“I had my eye on this site for a number of years so I purchased the property and the 100-year-old shop that was on it at the time.”
His son Adrian came to work at the shop at that time too and is still there today, carrying on the strong family tradition.
“I have seen the area grow and develop, children having children. It is a nice feeling that they all come back and see you,” Mr Withers said.
He built the new Four Square store in 2002, installed a larger car park and provided for the reconfiguration of the busy Rapaura Rd, State Highway 1 intersection.
The old store was right on the highway’s edge, as a result of the road being realigned some time ago.
Four Square is now part of the Foodstuffs co-operative, something Mr Withers said was unique in the global supermarket scene.
Volume was very important in the grocery trade and the shareholder/supermarkets that own Foodstuffs can command the same prices as their competitors.
The benefits of the cooperative also extend to staff training and ensure young people entering the industry have a clear career path.
At the end of the day the basics of good prices and good service is what keeps the smaller format of stores like Four Square going.
The stores are also thriving in rural areas where travel distances and fuel prices are becoming more of an issue for customers.
Traditional post office services like motor registration and road user charges are also proving a boost to rural retailers, as is Lotto.
Coupled with good, local service, the Four Square format is thriving in rural and semi-rural areas.
Mr Withers also operates a bakery at the Four Square and offers prices as cheap as anywhere on basic items like milk and bacon.
“People tell us we are cheaper than the supermarkets in town. We can’t be as cheap in all areas because we don’t have the volumes.
“I think we give the public a good deal and that is reflected in the way they support us and it is also a strategic site.
“We have put the emphasis on pricing and service and so far we are holding on. We have good support and good staff. The public have confidence, not just with me but with the staff,” Mr Withers said.
Mr Withers still does six and a half days a week up to 12 hours a day but plans to “ease off” at some stage in the future. He says he can never claim to have had nothing to do.Until then he plans to do what Four Square has always done “look after the locals”.

Heavenly pigeon post

By Dan Hutchinson
Joan Webb has completed the ultimate tribute to her late husband and legendary Marlborough pigeon racer Noel Webb by winning the same prestigious titles.
The mission was completed this year when she won three championship ribbons at the South Island Championships run by the South Island Poultry, Pigeon and Cage Bird Association in Blenheim in July.
Mr Webb had bred a respected flock of pigeons and was aiming for his third consecutive top of the South Island Pigeon Trophy before he died four years ago.
“I inherited 54 pigeons so I said ‘I will race them’,” Mrs Webb said.
Last year she won the Top of the South Island Pigeon Trophy and over the weekend birds won three Championship ribbons.
She has now reduced the number of birds she has to 22, having bred birds for other racers.
“I have had to cut back because I have achieved the dream.”
She likened it to Possum Bourne’s wife Peggy who also took over the legacy of her successful husband.
“That’s what I have done, competed in the races until I achieved what he had won.”
It was touch and go as she prepared the birds for the competition late last week.
“I didn’t even get time to wash their feet. I had some exciting family news and then suddenly realised I had to get the birds there on time.”
She won New Zealand Championships for best blue or black chequer homer and best homer that has flown between 650km – 799km. She won a South Island Championship for best homer that has flown between 250km and 349km.
She said the birds were like athletes, averaging 70kmh in racing and the carbohydrate content in their feed was adjusted depending on how far they had to race.
Mrs Webb would continue to be involved in pigeon racing but to a lesser extent now that she has achieved her tribute.

Long odds of the law

by Dan Hutchinson

Luke Radich has swapped the glamour of the gallops for the long odds of the law, returning to Blenheim after seven years as Trackside’s frontman.
The 32-year-old Marlborough man has returned to his roots, taking up a position with the family firm Radich Law, set up by his father Peter and sister Miriam.
It is not the first time he has worked for the family firm after finishing law school 10 years ago, having started off at Radich Dwyer.
In 2000 he saw an advertisement for a presenter for Trackside and thought he would give it a go.
“It sounded like something I would be interested in. I had no broadcasting experience but I was always a very keen racing follower.”
He said it came about in a slightly unusual fashion as he sent away his CV and video before heading off on his OE.
“They got back to me a few weeks later when I was in Egypt in an internet café and wanted an audition and interview that weekend.”
So he waited at the Frankfurt Airport and caught the next available flight out. He did his interview and audition, got the job and then finished his World trip before returning to start his new career.
“It was not something I thought I had a natural ability to do and something I didn’t ever get really good at. I got up to a passable standard but it took a lot of hard work. Once you do it enough you are not nervous or anything.”
He said it took several years before he felt confident in what he was doing.
His bosses obviously saw if differently and he fronted most of the domestic racing and several overseas races where coverage from New Zealand was warranted.
His interest stemmed, oddly enough, from his childhood days when his favourite afternoon programme was cancelled.
“I really liked Olly Olsen and was cross that it wasn’t screening that day because something called The Melbourne Cup was on that channel instead. I had no idea what the Melbourne Cup was but watched it and soon became interested.
“Dad had horses but he was never really into racing, he just liked riding.”
He now has shares in several horses including the successful four-year-old pacer Veecmee that has won eight races. It was entered in the 2008 Harness Jewels at Cambridge last weekend.
He co-owns the horse with two local brothers John and Peter Forrest.
Luke said he enjoyed his time with Trackside but there was a limit to how far a person could go in racing commentary in New Zealand so he decided to brush off the old law books.
Eighty percent of his commentary was done from the studio in Wellington with occasional trips to the big meets around the country.
“I could have continued to do it forever and it would have been enjoyable on one level but not very fulfilling.
“It is like with any job, the most difficult thing about leaving is leaving the people you get to know. I made some good friends there.”
The highlight of his tenure with Trackside was commentating on the Cox Plate at Mooney Valley in 2005, a race won by Makybe Diva.
He did some legal work for the Racing Board and said getting back into law had not been as hard as he thought it would be.

A rare beer experience

NOT EXTINCT: Josh Scott is at the forefront of a craft beer revolution with his rapidly expanding Moa Beer Company. Photo Dan Hutchinson

By Dan Hutchinson
Something strange is brewing right under the educated noses of Marlborough’s finest winemakers.
At first glance, there is nothing overly suspicious about the building, aside from a giant metal Moa standing guard outside.
In the same neighbourhood as Cloudy Bay Wines and Allan Scott, it could be just another winery, except it isn’t.
Sure there are stainless steel tanks everywhere but the bottles rattling along the conveyor are suspiciously small, the smell is not fermenting grapes but hops and there are other, more exotic smells of berries and spices.
Winemaker and owner of Moa Beer, Josh Scott is clearly in his element as he discusses the finer points of his rapidly growing craft brewery.
By day, Josh is the group winemaker for the family business Allan Scott Wines but by night he is chief taster for his pride and joy.
Like many craft brewers in New Zealand, Josh is on a mission to convert the mass-produced lager swilling heathens into beer snobs.
“Right from a very early age, I have been interested in alcohol.”
He remembers clearly, his first wine epiphany – a Muller Thurgau from Montana.
“I remember smelling apples in it and I was hooked.”
The 27-year-old alcohol aristocrat worked in the family vineyards and winery in his youth. Straight after high school he did the Diploma in Viticulture and Wine Production at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology.
He then spent a couple of years in Loire, France – the home of sauvignon blanc before moving to the wine regions of California for a further two years.
His palate had become accustomed to the craft beers overseas and when he returned he found there was a very limited selection to choose from.
“There was nothing here so I decided to make it myself. The whole concept is a wine maker’s idea of beer.
“We are trying to educate people that there are different flavours and there can be some snobbery in it.”
With five people employed full-time, including an experienced brewer, Josh’s involvement is now one of oversight and, in his own words “chief taster”.
The brewery has produced close to 100,000 litres of beer this year and production could be expected to double next year.
Josh said he wants to make Moa the largest craft brewery in New Zealand and is investing in technology to that end. It is perhaps the only craft brewery in the country with a fully automated bottling line.
The brewery now makes seven different beers entirely from New Zealand ingredients.
The domestic market is still the major base for sales with increasing volumes being exported to the United States, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and China.


As group winemaker for the family business – Allan Scott Wines, just across the road, Josh has a busy schedule


in the shadows the vines and chateaus of Marlborough’s most famous wine making Nestled within Marlborough’s most famous wineries

practical winemaker, Josh has been around wine all his life, so it was natural for him to pursue a career in the wine industry. He has a Diploma in Viticulture and Wine Production from NMIT, and has worked vintages in France as well as in California’s Napa Valley before returning home to Allan Scott Wines.
Apart from his duties here he is also involved in the winemaking processes at the other group wineries and in 2003 he established the Moa Beer Company making a bottled conditioned (Méthode Traditionnelle) pilsner style lager. Outside work, Josh plays representative rugby and enjoys outdoor pursuits of hunting, diving and skiing. He is also a keen competitor in multi-sport events.