A great day on the water. We drove a couple of hours around to the
other side of the volcano to Akaroa and took a boat through a long inlet. We saw the smallest dolphins, the smallest penquins and some really small seals, not sure why they are all so small. Also lots of birds cormorants, skunks, gulls, and an albatros. I loved watching the dolphins racing us
along in front of us as if they were playing. Along the way there were some really amazing geological formations from the volcanic activity. All in all the best nature ride. It was hot when we got off the
water and I was too uncomfortable to really take in the history of the place.
What I liked was that both the British and the French were racing to set their flags and claim the territory. When they were within the sight of land a big storm came up. The French took refuge in a bay but the English soldiered on made it to shore and set the flag. In the meantime a boatload of settlers had left France for the Island. Relations between Britain and France were bad but when the settlers got their the British commander seeing how exhausted and travel worn they were told them they could each have 5 acres of land and if they didn't like it after 2 years he would give them passage back to France. An unusual act of reconciliation at that time. Today Akaroa still has stores with French colors decorating them.
After lunch and history we drove to Lincoln University, not far from Christchurch. Our Christchurch guide had taught there until he retired and gave us a tour of the place, again many building damaged and being torn down from the quake. We had a professional story teller dressed as an early settler share her family story both as an English woman and a Polish one. She was wonderful. Then they gave us dinner and we were on our way back. A wonderful day.
I think I mentioned our Christchurch guide was deeply rooted in the community, He could tell stores aboout his grand parents that could make your hair curl. He was driving past a gully and said "This is where my grandfather was robbed and murdered.They didn't find him foe several days and they called the place Red john's murder gulch. A dangerous time a lot of men died young of un natural causes.
We stopped at a little town called Rivertown. It had a great restaurant, art gallery and accommodation made out of round grainaries.
On the boat we saw lots of dolphins but they were so fast they were really hard to photograph
This is elephant arch
The penguins and the seals liked to pose
The rock formations were unlike anything I have seen before These photos are the way he rocks actually looked, they haven't been manipulated to look like paintings
A two masted sailing ship
This salmon farm is famous for it's high quality farmed salmon
An Albatross holding court and telling stories to his buddies
For those who requested me to put pictures of myself on this blog
Now for some of my Favourites from New York Derrick, Rita and Ellen
They had 2 feet of snow back home, shut the city down
Lincoln University
Summer Boat houses along the water
What I liked was that both the British and the French were racing to set their flags and claim the territory. When they were within the sight of land a big storm came up. The French took refuge in a bay but the English soldiered on made it to shore and set the flag. In the meantime a boatload of settlers had left France for the Island. Relations between Britain and France were bad but when the settlers got their the British commander seeing how exhausted and travel worn they were told them they could each have 5 acres of land and if they didn't like it after 2 years he would give them passage back to France. An unusual act of reconciliation at that time. Today Akaroa still has stores with French colors decorating them.
After lunch and history we drove to Lincoln University, not far from Christchurch. Our Christchurch guide had taught there until he retired and gave us a tour of the place, again many building damaged and being torn down from the quake. We had a professional story teller dressed as an early settler share her family story both as an English woman and a Polish one. She was wonderful. Then they gave us dinner and we were on our way back. A wonderful day.
I think I mentioned our Christchurch guide was deeply rooted in the community, He could tell stores aboout his grand parents that could make your hair curl. He was driving past a gully and said "This is where my grandfather was robbed and murdered.They didn't find him foe several days and they called the place Red john's murder gulch. A dangerous time a lot of men died young of un natural causes.
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