We decided to do and go to our favourite places today.

First we went to our fab coffee shop and then onto South Bay Kaikoura.

The tide was in and we climbed over the jagged white rocks looking in rock pools and looking for sea birds.

There were quite a few cormorants in the fir trees and while we were watching them a heron came behind us quite close by.

I found some fossil marks on the rocks. It looks like plant leaves doesn’t it?

While I was chasing a white headed heron and an oyster catcher I was so pleased to find a large Paua shell! I had to dig it out of the wet sand but it was intact and beautiful.

We sat in the sunshine and then decided to go along the main road towards Christchurch. The coastal road is so picturesque. We went as far as Cheviot and had lunch there in our favourite cafe.

At Gore Bay we were watching a man on a paddle board when grandad noticed a dolphin jumping out of the water.

We kept watching and found there were 3 dolphins near to him. They were Hectors dolphins. These are found in NZ and are rare. The man came to shore and chatted to us. He was pleased I’d got a few pics of him with the dolphins and I promised to email them to him.

Back in Kaikoura we had fish and chips at a shop near our hotel and then went back to South Bay one last time.

So pleased we did as there was a royal spoonbill there.

So sad to leave Kaikoura but we’ve both vowed to return one day xxx