kiwinow

Now I've lived here for over 10 years and was ready to move to Oz before the credit crunch, but I have to say Timaru has turned on the weather this summer. I don't remember a time when we've had so many hot days in a row. Usually we get a few days in the 30s and then it goes southerly and drops 10 or 20 degrees.

On Christmas day it was around 15 degrees, but since then we've had gorgeous Aussie weather in the high 20s and 30s. The sea is actually warm enough to swim in!

shirl

http://www.timaru.govt.nz/

If you click on the above link and go to the Top 10 most visited pages you will see the live webcams of all sorts of places in and around Timaru! I love going down to Timaru to visit my sister but alas OH works here in Chch. Still we get to have overnight stays with my sister which is great and also the location to the southern lakes is good too isn't it.

planty

Gotta agree, its been fantastic weather and life is great, I've just got back from a Kayaking evening with my neighbour and his son around Caroline Bay and we had 2 dolphins join us. How cool is that?
A couple of weeks ago my son and I were out Sailing around the bay and we had 5 dolphins round the boat that followed us into shore, he's 10 years old and was so excited about it, he was reaching over the bow of the boat as they were leaping out and was almost touching them.

kiwinow

I may have been watching you longingly from the beach, as there have been loads of kayaks out there the last few days. We were going to buy a couple in Oz, because you can get them new on sale for about $250, but they are kind of expensive here - even second hand. Do you have your own kayaks?

My sons have met dolphins when they've been out sailing and rowing with sea scouts and they've been close enough to touch, but they aren't always about. Watch out for the seals too. There are usually some on the rocks behind the fishery, but occasionally you'll get one swimming in the bay. They're a bit shy of people though.

If you like wildlife you may not have discovered that we have our own blue penguins nesting in the rocks. The best place to see them is at that monument to people lost at sea, beyond the yacht club, near that lookout thingy. If you go at dusk and shine your lights towards the rocks you'll see them running around (unfortunately often amongst the McDonald's wrappers).

Make the most of this great summer. Like I said, I can't remember one like this and usually the sea is too cold for me even in summer, but I'm all for making hay (or waves) while the sun shines. One thing Timaru has over Queensland is daylight saving and right now I'm making the most of the long evenings.

Am Loolah

Maybe you could find a little time when the sun goes in and add your impressions here;

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=586785

Pretty please ...