Otago Daily Times senior reporter Chris Morris observes life in quake-hit Kaikoura.
Kaikoura is a paradise hundreds of tourists are desperate to leave.
Highways ripped apart and hillsides brought down by the forces of Mother Nature are starkly obvious on the flight in.
Once we were on the ground in Kaikoura, the sun shone on a blue-sky day that would normally showcase the town's majestic setting and mountainous backdrop.
But yesterday the sky was also filled with helicopters as a never-ending stream ferried emergency supplies in and desperate tourists out, while many more waited their turn.
The area outside the town's medical centre is a gathering point for hundreds of tourists, who wait, check their phones and wait some more.
Many more have created a small tent city on nearby fields, jostling for space with the helicopters.
Authorities estimated yesterday at least 700 tourists were stuck in the town, two days on from Monday's severe earthquake, with water supplies running low.
Military helicopters are being used to help, and HMNZS Canterbury is due to arrive today.
Bottled water is among the items ferried in by air, but it was hoped limited vehicle access through the inland route to Kaikoura could be restored by Saturday, Kaikoura District Mayor Winston Gray said.
It was a timetable that drew audible gasps as hundreds crowded around Mr Gray to hear an update on the emergency response at a public meeting on the grass yesterday afternoon.
Mr Gray said he could understand their frustration, but urged patience.
''Hang in there and we will do our best to look after you,'' he told the crowd.
As the wait continued, the signs of frustration were mixed with overwhelming praise for those co-ordinating the emergency response and relief efforts.
The stranded included Nico and Jeleyn van der Meer, of the Netherlands, who had planned to spend two nights in a bed-and-breakfast when they arrived in Kaikoura on Saturday.
Instead, they were woken by violent shaking early on Monday that shunted their bed across the room and toppled the television and microwave before they fled to higher ground as aftershocks continued.
''It was a very dark noise,'' Mr van der Meer said.
''As if there was a very big train slowly grinding along,'' his wife added.
Despite initial confusion, they praised the way people refused to panic and organised the emergency response.
A lack of concrete information meant they still did not know how they would leave Kaikoura, but they remained philosophical.
''The volunteers here in Kaikoura, I'm very proud of them. They helped a lot. They are working very hard,'' Mr van der Meer said.
Nearby, Gavin and Alison Smith, of Christchurch, were quietly enduring while celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary yesterday.
The couple had thought their caravan was going to flip during Monday's shake, as it was ''bounced and rocked and rolled'' about 1m across the ground.
''It was just so severe, and we have been through the Christchurch quakes,'' Mr Smith said. ''This is worse.''
The couple remain self-sufficient in their caravan, and were helping those around them while waiting for a way out.
''It's a good way to spend a wedding anniversary; 41 years and we are still alive. We have been lucky twice,'' he said.
Not so lucky was Kaikoura resident Rebecca Keats, who shed tears as she talked about the mess inside her home.
Ms Keats, her partner and their two young children were hoping to secure a seat on a helicopter out last night, as they did not want to spend another night in a home with no water.
''I'm just frustrated and tired, just not really knowing what's going on as well, and being told to wait at our house and not having enough petrol if there's another earthquake to get away to high ground.''
Ms Keats has lived in Kaikoura all her life and was in a home almost at sea level when the severe quake was followed by a tsunami warning.
''Our kitchen looks like a bomb hit it. We don't want to go back to it, because we can't clean up and there's glass everywhere.''
While her home appeared structurally sound, surrounding dwellings were damaged, some having fallen into a large crack in the ground.
In the meantime, while hoping for a flight, she was trying to keep daughter Mabel (1) and son Brodie (4) clean, healthy and safe in a town shaken to the core.
''It's pretty hard.''
And, as the helicopters continued to roar in and away, aftershocks continued to rattle the town.
