Kaikoura: A Treasure of New Zealand

Kaikoura is a beautiful treasure that New Zealand has. In winter, there are Snowy White Mountains that meet the ocean. Deep cannons, under the sea, where Sperm Whales dive down to eat the mysterious giant squid. There are scientists that come and visit this amazing place, and study the rich marine life that lives in the waters that no one else has.

About 180,000 years ago, the layers of limestone and siltstone laid down on the sea-bed about 60 million years before to form the twisted and weathered outcrops that today make up the Kaikoura Peninsula. Originally an island, the peninsula has since been joined to the mainland by steep plains built up of debris swept down from the mountains in the Hapuka and Kowhai rivers.

In Māori lore, the peninsula was the place where Maui braced his foot when he fished up the North Island. The name Kaikoura, meaning meal of crayfish, was given by Tamaki-te-rangi when he stopped over to eat here while chasing his runaway wives.

In this story of Kaikoura's Peninsula, we have four characters that bring the rich marine world to life, and they tell their story from what they see and hear through the Pipis, the Seashells, and the Gossip magazines. The rocks and the beaches that lie out in front of the Peninsula bring a lot of interesting wildlife. Smelly seals lying on the rocks sunbathing, lots and lots of birds—Albatross, Dotterels, Herons, Gannets, Oyster catchers, Penguins, Petrels, Seagulls, Shearwaters, Shags or Cormorants, Terns, Pied Stilts, and Wrybills—more Gossip Queens, Dusky Dolphins surfing in and out of the waves, the Sperm Whales coming up for air after eating something mysterious deep down and bringing in more gossip from the ocean floor.

Zoe the shag, Craig the crayfish, Bluey the Blue Cod are three that are local to the area, which comes up with a Neighbourhood Watch to protect their friends. They come up with a plan to get rid of the Killer Mob Whales that cruise through and bring terror. The Neighbourhood Watch attack, and one of their friends gets hurt and needs mending by the nurse sharks. The group of friends gather, and they find out the new name of their coastline.