Kaikōura Earthquake Nov 14th 2016
Just after midnight on the 14th of November 2016 Kaikōura was hit by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, it tore through fault lines, demolishing houses, ripping up roads and railways and causing massive landslides as it travelled.
Ruptures occurred on multiple fault lines and our community was completely cut off from the rest of New Zealand.
Around the Kaikōura Peninsula the seabed and coastline had risen up to 2 metres and we were unable to kayak the inshore paddle routes as they were now exposed reef. North of Kaikōura the coastline had risen up to 6 metres.
Tourism was hit hard at the start of a promising season, with no visitors to the area and the cash flow completely stopped the future looked pretty grim for operators in Kaikōura.
Kaikōura Kayaks was the first operator back out on the water guiding tourists while rediscovering the new coastline.
We felt as soon as we had managed the new risks, it was important to start a tourism movement as quickly as possible.
The simple nature of our business and adventurous spirits of our staff helped get Kaikōura Kayaks back up and paddling within 4 days of the devastating 7.8 Earthquake.
Conner Stapley and Matt Foy days later also discovered the Hope Springs, the incredible new attraction found in the shallow waters of Whalers Bay of the Kaikōura Peninsula.
It is believed the bubbles were caused by the 7.8 earthquake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKy7YgVMPUc
Matt and Conner were out on a recky ( reconnaissance ) paddle around South Point into Whalers Bay too see if there were any changes to the coastline and check on marine life after the quake.
Conner saw some bubbling on the water surface in Whalers Bay and yelled out to Matt "What is that?" "We paddled over and it looked like someone had turned on a spa pool from underneath with a very strong smell of sulphur as well."
Dr Matthew Hughes of Canterbury University says the bubbles are likely dissolved gases in the sea floor which have become exposed by new cracks in the rock which has opened up around 50 metres from the shoreline and exposed carbon dioxide which is causing bubbles to rise to the surface.
The bubbles are a combination of several different gases, but the strong smell likely comes from hydrogen sulfide.
Dr Hughes says it is a "magical little silver lining" for the tourist town.
The name 'Hope Springs' was created by Conner Stapley and Matt Foy for 3 reasons; Conner's daughter is named Hope, the Hope Fault that lays underneath which could be contributing to the bubbles and also 'New Hope' for Kaikōura after the 7.8 earthquake which rocked the community.
"I believe, it's going to be a new attraction for tourists in Kaikōura" Matt Foy.
What our customers have to say
Wow wow wow! We'd done whale watching the day before but this beat that hands down. Miles was great, just enough instruction and safety chat and getting us involved in prep. He mentioned that he'd seen spouting and splashing over the other side of the bay so we decided to head that way. Within minutes we were seeing loads of leaping...
Lesley H, UK
We did the trip with a 6 and 8 year old. Parents in the back of each kayak, kids in the front. This worked really well. Saw a huge number of dolphins & Seals. They were playing & doing crazy tricks. Had a lovely time, the staff were really friendly, helpful & enthusiastic. Great value for money and would highly recommend this...
Steve, Nelson NZ
Marine mammal megamix Spent a truly incredible morning around the Kaikōura Peninsula with Matt and Emma, two fantastic local guides. The whole operation was very professional, with high quality kayaks, equipment and a detailed safety briefing. Spent a good amount of time observing the seals, tried our hand at some kayak surfing in the big...
Tom, Neverlands
I would have to say this is up there with one of my best experiences in New Zealand! The kayak tour was incredible and I would really recommend this to anyone. The staff are great, friendly and funny which made the tour even more enjoyable. My team included Emma, Cam and Sophie. As I was on my own, I had the pleasure of sharing a kayak with...
Giorgio Favarulo, UK / Ireland
Third time with Kaikōura Kayaks! Have been in guided tours and hired a double kayak; all experiences were incredible. Great staff and equipment. Kaikōura is one of the most amazing places to kayak - so much wild life and you're surrounded by epic scenery.
Kiana Saltarelli, North America
Great Trip - even the oldies loved it! Had a really great trip with Cowan out to the see the seals and the reef on a beautiful morning. I was a bit worried getting in a kayak with my mother (67) and father (70) but Cowan kept us going at a leisurely pace and even convinced us to have a go in the open ocean! What a great experience and...
John R, UK
"To Matt and the Kaikōura Kayaks team, Thank you very much for a fantastic day of kayaking. Both our trips were very well organised by your friendly team. We found your lessons enjoyable, helping us all to be confident, expert paddlers! We were so lucky to have a beautiful sunny day, and we enjoyed fantastic scenery and wildlife out...
Kowhai Class, Hurunui College NZ
The experience of a lifetime! Having intuitive and professional guides who allowed us the opportunity to experience an outstanding and very memorable day. They knew just where the incredible action was happening. We saw an amazing array of dolphins playing right near us and also saw blue penguins and seals. We travelled for two weeks around...
Paula Kirby, Wellinton NZ
Sunset magic 10/10 thanks to Emma and her crew. We had a magical day on the water and got to see feeding seals, dolphins and wildlife. Thanks so much would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a unforgettable experience in Kaikōura!!
DKG, Australia
We had a truly wonderful experience; my husband and I went as a stop on our honeymoon trip. Our guide, Ru, was knowledgeable and skillful, and checked in with us often to provide the experience that would help us feel challenged, excited, and also safe and comfortable. From start to finish the team was so thorough and made sure we had all of...
Laura James, USA