Kaikoura Earthquake Update #8 – Saturday 14 January 2017
…two months on from 14 November 2016 earthquake, bumper edition!
Phil Keoghan visited Kaikoura on 7 Jan, nice one Phil! Snow on them mountains on 5 Jan but what a stunner day!
News of the Week, “At 12.02am in the early hours of Monday the 14th November 2016… the earth
shook in the Kaikoura, Hurunui (Hanmer Springs area) and Marlborough Districts. Kaikoura experienced
significant devastation with no telecommunication (for 3 days), no access to fresh water, broken
infrastructure and destruction to the South Bay Marina, complete isolation with no road access along
State Highway 1 from Picton-Kaikoura-Christchurch and Inland Route 70, and partial/full destruction to
local buildings and residences with risk of no future occupation. It was an overwhelming experience to
have the NZ, Australian, US and Canadian naval ships/helicopters and the Red Cross here helping the
community, and we had to acknowledge we were indeed, in a civil emergency situation. It wasn’t great.
The prospect of a buoyant visitor season evaporated as quick as you could say jiminey cricket.
Added to this, was the worry that the eco/marine life that makes Kaikoura so special (and NZ’s only district
Earthcheck visitor destination) was the concern with uplifted sea-beds that the earthquake may have
destroyed the environment and the whale, dolphin, seal and birdlife populations may have disappeared or
been adversely affected. Six days after the earthquake (20 Nov) it was an enormous relief when Whale Watch
Kaikoura reported, that our friends, the whales, were still there. It was quite an emotional moment for the
those on board and the town. In subsequent days, to learn that dolphin, seal, albatross and our iconic crayfish
populations were still around and in abundant numbers was heart-warming. This was a positive omen that
helped the community move from a response to recovery phase.
Eight weeks along on our journey of recovery, we are in good heart. There were many learnings from the
Christchurch earthquakes and the huge effort by Kaikoura District Council and its Civil Defence team, central
government and the many Ministers/Prime Ministers that have visited, have left us in no doubt, Kaikoura and
its recovery is important to the South Island and NZ visitor economy… and, we’re on the way back. Not quite in
the fullest sense, that will take time, but we’re on the way. We’re thrilled with the progress made by NZTA and
its road crews repairing SH1 and Route 70 (you guys are awesome) and the teams working on dredging the
marina. Through their work, we can approach the later part of the 2017 year with a sense of optimism.
It’s been terrific to see Intercity, rental cars, campervans, private vehicles and visitors back in the district and
the local tourism industry is humbled by the tremendous support we’re receiving from industry colleagues. We
know you are all doing your best to encourage visitors to put Kaikoura on their South Island itineraries. Thanks
also to the many Kiwis for visiting in the last two weeks. It means a lot, thanks.”
Glenn Ormsby, GM Destination Kaikoura, the DK Board and i-SITE team.
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Key Spoutbites
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SH1 South to Christchurch is open (remedial work happening 16 & 17 Jan, road closed 2 days)
Inland Route 70 between Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura is open
SH1 North from Kaikoura-Clarence/Picton closed for 6-12 months
Whale Watch Kaikoura trips are operating daily (2-3 times per day around tides)
Dolphin Encounter and Albatross Encounter trips are operating daily (around tides)
88% tourism activity/attractions are open
88% retail, café and general services are open
78% accommodation providers are open
See page 10 for Whale Watch tour schedule 16-22 Jan 2017
Check out FAQs on pages 11-13
Table 1.0: Progress Indicator Summary Week 2 to Week 8
Progress Indicator
Week 2
29 Nov 16
53% open
78% open
66% open
closed
closed
closed
White
938
Yellow
112
Red
34
White
193
Yellow
4
Red
5
Activities/Attractions
Retail, café, general
Accommodation
Inland Route 70 road
SH1 South
SH1 North
Residential properties
Commercial properties
Week 4
17 Dec 16
79%
82%
68%
Restricted access 2 Dec
Reopened 21 Dec
Closed
White
1215
Yellow
50
Red
27
White
199
Yellow
37
Red
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Week 8
14 Jan 17
88% open
88% open
78% open
Open 24/7
Open – day driving only
closed
White
Yellow
Red
White
Yellow
Red
Kaikoura Progress per Business Category
from Week 2 - Week 8 (% open)
300
250
88
200
150
100
82
78
68
78
66
50
53
79
88
Week 4
Week 8
0
Week 2
Activities & Attractions
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Accommodation
Retail, Café & General
Interesting Recent Links
This is worth clicking on. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/87596704/before-and-afterthe-kaikoura-quake-images-show-colossal-damage
SH1 South Kaikoura-Christchurch will be closed on 16 and 17 January for remedial work.
http://nzta.govt.nz/media-releases/planned-two-day-closure-of-state-highway-1-south-of-kaikouranext-week/
For those interested in learning more detail about road access and future work, please click on this link
and go to 45mins29secs to 30mins-20secs (from the start of video) for the segment from Duncan from
NCTIR.
https://www.facebook.com/KaikouraDistrictCouncil/videos/1327812540573110/
Article on Hon Steven Joyce’s visit to Kaikoura 11 Jan 2017
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/88310224/road-access-issues-harbour-still-top-of-the-list-forkaikoura-businesses
Video link https://www.facebook.com/stevenljoyce/videos/1325676420804023/
South Bay Marina Progress
The South Bay Marina and harbour is changing quite quickly. The repair work to the harbour has
commenced and it is likely that in a few weeks larger vessels will be able to use at any time of the day.
Whale Watch Kaikoura and Dolphin & Albatross Encounter are now running daily trips around tides.
Its back to old-school method of boarding Whale Watch trips for a while until South Bay Marina work is fully completed.
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Activities/Attractions – 44 operators on spreadsheet (88% open for business)
The following activities are operational. Whale Watch Kaikoura trips are now operating 2-3 trips per day,
Dolphin Encounter Albatross Encounter trips now operating daily – varying schedule.
www.whalewatch.co.nz and www.encounterkaikoura.co.nz for booking details. Changes in number of
operators is due to shifting tourism cafes to retail/cafes in the spreadsheet.
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Albatross Encounter (operating daily)
Air Kaikoura
Air Kaikoura Pilot a Plane
Atawera Art
Board Silly Surf & SUP Adventures
Caves Kaikoura Tours (early Feb)
Clarence River Rafting
Dolphin Encounter (operating daily)
Emporium Brewery
Emporium Mini-golf
Fish Kaikoura
Glenstrae 4Wheel Adventures
Indulge Body & Soul
Kaikoura Coast Track
Kaikoura Cheese
Kaikoura Farm Park
Kaikoura Fishing Charters
Kaikoura Fishing Tours
Kaikoura Golf Club
Kaikoura Helicopters
Kaikoura Kayaks
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Kaikoura Marine Tours
Kaikoura Museum
Kaikoura Short Walks
Kaikoura Shuttles
Kaikoura Snorkelling Tours
Koura Bay Fishing Charters
Koura Bay Golf (9 holes)
Kowhai Gorge Horse-trekking
Kaikoura Lavender Farm
Levi’s Pedal Kayaks
Maori Tours Kaikoura (reopens 15 Feb)
Llama Trekking
Seal Swim Kaikoura
South Pacific Whale Watch
Spey Creek Hunting
The Point Sheep Shearing Show
Waikoura Springs & Freshwater Crayfish
& Poultry Farm
Wings over Whales
Whale Watch Kaikoura (daily around
tides)
Accommodation – 79 properties on spreadsheet (78% open for business)
Please find attached a copy of a spreadsheet that has information on Accommodation providers and
whether they are open (white) for business.if they are yellow (closed in the interim while still being
evaluated) or red stickered (closed indefinitely).
Any agent requiring specific details, please contact Lynda Keene at [email protected] or +6421 295395,
Kaikoura i-SITE on 03-319 5641 or [email protected] or contact the accommodation provider direct.
Retail/Food & Beverage Services – 104 businesses on spreadsheet (88% open)
The majority of retail, hospitality and general service outlets are open for business. Information collated
from i-SITE. Please refer to spreadsheet attached with this email for specific information.
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Info NZ Inbound Tour Operators and Offshore Tour Wholesalers (Agents)
For inbounds and agents planning to include Kaikoura on future itineraries (2017 and 2018), please note
SH1 Picton-Clarence is open. However, the road from Clarence-Kaikoura is closed and not expected to
open for 6-12 months. There are options to fly from Clarence to Kaikoura with Wings Over Whales. For
FIT and cycle tours, note the roads will not have a lot of traffic and perhaps a cycle portion from
Blenheim-Clarence and then a flight could be an idea. Alternatively, other road/cycle transport options
from Christchurch-Kaikoura then a fly option. This is a great way to see the new raised sea-beds and
other changes in the landscape.
Air Kaikoura www.airkaikoura.co.nz Wings Over Whales www.whales.co.nz and Sounds Air
www.soundsair.com have scheduled and charter services to/from Kaikoura.
Note: All ferry services with Interislander and Bluebridge sailings are fully operational.
Intercity has introduced two new daily bus services between Nelson and
Christchurch which will travel via Murchison, Springs Junction and Hanmer
Springs.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENT 9 JAN: From Thursday 12 January 2017 Intercity
reinstated their coach service from Christchurch to Kaikoura.
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8728
Departs Christchurch 07:00
Arrives Kaikoura 09:40
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8727
Departs Kaikoura 15:50
Arrives Christchurch 18:25
The times are identical to the previous timetable and the
towns/communities en route will also be serviced - eg Cheviot,
Amberley. Great to see Mayor Liane Dalziel form Christchurch on the first
Christchurch-Kaikoura Intercity service, nice one!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/88341683/first-regularpostquake-bus-service-pulls-into-kaikoura
Please note, the timings make it possible to do a Whale Watch or Dolphin/Albatross encounter day trip
on most days including kayak, seal swim trips, hiking and general sightseeing. FIT pax and wholesalers
are of course free to book a Whale Watch cruise and then separately book InterCity to get there and
back, same as before the earthquake
SH1 North Kaikoura-Clarence-Picton (Closed for 6 Months)
Article 3 Jan 2017
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/88099235/work-to-reopen-state-highway-1-north-ofkaikoura-imminent
Article 11 Jan 2017
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/nz-earthquake/88294522/state-highway-1-to-kaikoura-reopens-afterslip
The New Zealand Transport Agency last week said work to reopen SH1 north of Kaikoura would begin
imminently. However, there were still nine major slips blocking the road between Kaikoura and Clarence,
about 40 kilometres north.
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SH1 South Road and Inland Route 70 was opened on 21 Dec 2016
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/opening-quake-affected-sh1-seriously-good-newskaikoura
Road access is restored to Kaikoura. The Inland Route 70 is now open and State Highway 1 to the south
of the seaside town is open with restrictions.
The Inland Route, between Waiau and Kaikoura, is now open 24/7 with unrestricted access both ways.
There are speed restrictions and no stopping areas which everyone using the route is asked to strictly
adhere to. The average travel time for the 90km route from Waiau to Kaikoura is about two hours.
The route remains hazardous and fragile and all road users are asked to take extra care and be prepared
for the unexpected.
Access along State Highway 1 to the south of Kaikoura when restored will have night-time restrictions.
These will remain until all slip faces have been stabilised and traffic signals have been installed along a
1km coastal section of the route where there is single-lane access only.
Access will be two-way and only during daylight hours, 6am to 8pm. The last vehicles will be admitted to
travel along SH1 south from Peketa at 7.30pm. Vehicles travelling north from Christchurch are advised to
leave the city by 5.30pm to ensure they get through to Kaikoura before the road closes at Oaro at
7.15pm.
There is no stopping or camping along the route because of the risk from potential rockfall in the event
of any further seismic activity or heavy rain. There will be designated rest areas for your safety.
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic-and-travel-information/travel-information-for-canterbury-andmarlborough-regions/
Alternate route for cyclists - much of the alternate state highway route between Picton and Christchurch
is via state highways 63, 6, 65 and 7 via Murchison and Lewis Pass is not suitable for cyclists because of
the narrow, windy road and increased traffic volumes, in particular freight vehicles. It is therefore
recommended you take the longer touring route via Nelson and down the West Coast or contact a public
transport provider and travel by bus to Christchurch.
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Picton-St Arnaud-Murchison-Lewis Pass-Hanmer Springs-Culverden-Waiau-Mt Lyford-Kaikoura
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Kaikoura’s Neighbour’s
Accommodation, activities and attractions are all OPEN in neighbouring regions of Marlborough, Nelson
Tasman, Hanmer Springs, the West Coast and Christchurch.
Here’s some Top of the South Island touring maps. Worth checking out for ideas.
http://www.nelsonnz.com/assets/PDFs/NRDA-Driving-Routes-Map-Document-Full-Doc.pdf
Travel Itineraries for Alpine Pacific Triangle touring route:
1. Alpine Pacific Triangle
Christchurch- Hanmer Springs – Kaikoura – Christchurch
or Christchurch – Kaikoura – Hanmer Springs – Christchurch
2. Day trips
Christchurch – Kaikoura – Christchurch
Hanmer Springs – Kaikoura- Hanmer Springs
3. Ocean – Alpine – Sea
Christchurch – Kaikoura – Hanmer Springs – West Coast – Christchurch
Kaikoura i-SITE Insights & News www.kaikoura.co.nz
Kaikoura i-SITE Manager, Mariet van Vierzen said, “Day by day we’re seeing
more visitors and love hearing why they are visiting Kaikoura with plans
either before (pre-booked) or after the earthquake. We’re often hearing
things like, we’d always planned to visit and when we heard about the earthquake, what a shame we
can’t visit. The town has rebounded so quickly, we’re so happy to be here, to learn about the changes and
still be able to do what we’d hoped we could do. It is interesting to hear from locals about all the changes.
We wouldn’t have known about the differences, but pleased we can help the community by staying and
doing activities on your path back after the earthquake.”
New Defibrillator for Kaikoura
Thanks to a generous donation from St John, Kaikoura now has a defibrillator (AED) available in the West
End of town. Located on the ground level to the left of the main front door of the new Civic Centre
(Council/Library/Museum) at 96 West End. It is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In an emergency, which requires CPR (cardiac or respiratory arrest), first call 111 then ask a bystander to
bring the AED to you while you continue CPR.
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Apply the AED electrode pads to the bare chest of the victim and follow the prompts from the AED (it will
talk you through!) as instructed. You can find other AED locations around Kaikoura and throughout NZ by
following the link https://aedlocations.co.nz
Interesting images, website articles and videos
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Check out this great video walking around Kaikoura Peninsula (courtesy Canterbury Walks & CCT)
https://www.facebook.com/christchurchnz/videos/10154426727043541/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/88261073/earthquakealtered-landscape-an-attraction-forkaikoura-visitors
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/88340328/kaikoura-quake-delivers-16-million-hit-to-tourismspending
Interesting video shot 21 Nov 2016 we just found:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86703833/startling-rise-of-55-metres-in-piece-of-coastlineduring-kaikoura-earthquake
Kiwirail Blenheim-Grassmere article http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/newzealand/2017/01/quake-damaged-rail-line-fixed.html
Whale Watch Tour check in times – Monday 16th Jan - Sunday 22nd Jan 2017
Contact our Customer Service team directly either by email on [email protected] or phone
+64 3 319 6767 or free phone 0800 655 121 (within NZ) for enquiries. Thanks from the WWK team.
Monday 16th January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0615
0835
1635
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
0930
1150
1950
Tuesday 17th January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0615
0835
1715
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
0930
1150
2030
Wednesday 18th January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0615
0835
1055
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
0930
1150
1410
Thursday 19th January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0615
0835
1055
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
0930
1150
1410
Friday 20th January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0715
0935
1155
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
1030
1250
1510
Saturday 21st January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0815
1035
1255
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
1130
1350
1610
Sunday 22nd January 2017
Tour check in time at the Whaleway Station
0910
1115
1335
Bus return to the Whaleway Station
1210
1430
1650
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EARTHQUAKE UPDATE – FAQs
14 January 2017
Answers compiled by Neil, Manakau Lodge
If you are planning a visit to Kaikoura, or if you have already
booked to visit us this summer and you have any concerns at all
about what to expect following last year’s widely-reported earthquake, please have a read
through these FAQs.
How is life in Kaikoura following the earthquake?
We’re doing fine, thank you! We have had tremendous help and support from all over the
world and people have been working very hard to help us get back on our feet as quickly as
possible, life in our community is pretty much back to normal. Our shops and businesses are
open, people are going about their daily lives, and with summer here, we are welcoming
international in ever greater numbers.
How does the town look? I heard it was a bit of a mess!
No, it’s really fine. Some of our older buildings have been damaged, but most have not, and
there is very little sign of any damage in the town. Our infrastructure is all functioning
perfectly well and you’d hardly know we’d been through a big one! Some of our local roads
have had temporary repairs carried out, so there are a few uneven patches where holes
have been filled with gravel, but that’s about all there is to be concerned about.
Is it safe to visit?
We have earthquakes all the time in New Zealand! They are a feature of life. Fortunately, the
big and powerful ones which make the news don’t come around too often. It’s highly
unlikely there will be a repeat of last year’s shake. There might be the occasional rumble
underground from time to time, but that’s normal and it’s the same anywhere in the
country. Most of the time we don’t even notice them. So yes, it’s perfectly safe to visit. We
wouldn’t encourage you to do so if it wasn’t.
I heard it’s difficult to reach Kaikoura? Is this true?
It was for a few weeks, but not any more! For drivers, State Highway 70 - what we call the
“inland road” - is open to traffic 24/7. This is a beautiful scenic drive and the one to enjoy
when coming to us from the West Coast, Nelson Lakes, Abel Tasman National Park, and
Blenheim, via Nelson Lakes National Park. It takes longer than the coastal road, but you’ll
forget the time long before you forget the views.
State Highway 1 to the south of Kaikoura is also open from 6.00am to 8.00pm, for a direct
route to and from Christchurch. At the moment there are still some night time restrictions
on this highway while repair works continue. So just allow a little longer for your journey
and aim to arrive in Kaikoura before nightfall.
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You don’t have to drive. InterCity Group is running a daily bus service from Christchurch to
Kaikoura and return. The journey time is around 2 hours 40 minutes. You can book your
ticket at the Kaikoura i-SITE 03-319 5641 or visit www.kaikoura.co.nz of the i-SITE
Facebook page.
State Highway 1 to the north of Kaikoura remains closed for this summer, whilst repairs are
carried out. So please plan your alternative route to us and allow enough to time to drive
safely, and to take in the South Island scenery as you travel.
What’s the situation with accommodation?
All but a few accommodation providers are open (78%) and operating perfectly normally.
We have a wide range of campgrounds, holiday parks, motels, hotels, apartments, B&Bs,
lodges and homestays from which to choose.
If you are already booked in somewhere, it’s probably not a bad idea to drop them a line to
confirm your reservation. If you are looking for somewhere to stay, we can help! Many
properties have more rooms available than normal for the time of year, but not all of them
are necessarily listed on internet booking sites, so contact us with your enquiry and we’d be
happy to make the booking for you.
Are the restaurants and shops all open?
Mostly, yes (88%). One or two have had to close temporarily, some shops have already
relocated to new premises while the old one gets fixed up, and one or two buildings are
going to make way for new ones. But it’s business as usual for most of our cafés, bars,
restaurants and takeaways, and we’ve even got a new restaurant in town this summer. You
will be made to feel very welcome when you visit them.
OK, so what’s happening with Whale Watch?
Whale Watch Kaikoura is back out on the water! They are operating a reduced schedule (23 times per day) while repair work is carried out in the marina, but subject to weather and
sea conditions, Whale Watch is out every day, and guests are having a great time seeing the
unique marine life which makes Kaikoura such a special place to visit.
Are the whale watching flights still operating?
Yes, they are! We have two fixed wing aircraft operators and two helicopter flyers, who will
take you over the ocean to see whales and dolphins, and also a fly-past of the new-look
landscape a little further up the coast and in the mountains. They are all awesome
experiences, and even more interesting now, with a new story to tell.
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And the other marine attractions, are they open?
All our marine excursions are up and running. The ever-popular Dolphin Encounter and
Albatross Encounter trips are now operating daily with a slightly reduced daily schedule,
and are as memorable as ever. Also, the popular Seal Swim and Kayaking tours are running
normally. For the scientifically curious, we have some new natural attractions in South Bay!
A guided kayak trip will let you see them up close!
How are the walking tracks? Did they get damaged?
Our most popular walking track for visitors is the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway. Offering
spectacular views in all directions and a large fur seal colony on the beach, the Peninsula
track is open to everyone and easily accessible. No serious damage, no problem.
What else is there to do in Kaikoura?
We have a brand new museum, just opened! It’s the newest museum in New Zealand, and
among the best. And we already have some new history to add to it! It’s well worth a visit,
and a great way to spend an afternoon.
Other walking tracks around Mount Fyffe, the Puhi Puhi Valley and Ocean Ridge are all
waiting to be explored. Snorkelling, diving, surfing, golf, llama trekking sheep shearing, farm
tours and other visitor attractions are all open. We’ll help you with any activities you want
more information on, or want to book.
Where can I get more information if I need it?
If you are on Facebook, you can look us up here. We regularly post news updates about
what’s happening around town on the Kaikoura i-SITE page, and share information that
comes our way.
If not, please get in touch with us by email or just give us a call on +64 (0)3 319 5641. If you
are in town, you can pop in to see us. We are located in the town centre opposite the new
civic centre building. You can’t miss it!
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