There are plenty of things to do here in the Bay of Islands, but when you're not out sport fishing, a short cruise is a wonderful way to see the bays and islands - and sometimes to view whales and dolphins as well; knocking off a few great experiences in a single go.
We had the chance to try and do just that: an overnight cruise on the Ipipiri on the last sailing of the season. The Ipipiri is a new-built boat - the biggest one sailing in the Bay of Islands - and it happens to be well-designed for comfort and fun on short trips, maximizing opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, as an alternative to housing casinos or multiple restaurants.
There was some strong winds coming through (a storm had cancelled my dive the day before) however the size of the ship plus the protective islands and bays meant we were sailing smoothly. Within half an hour we encountered a pod of dolphins, in addition to some dolphin-watching boats. The captain pulled to a stop to allow us to observe them play for almost 30 minutes.
Those magnificently large cabin windows came in handy on the next morning since we woke to wonderful views. Steep green hills rose to a blue sky; the winds still blew still the grey clouds had gone. We went up to breakfast, chatted with other passengers, and enjoyed the nearly panoramic views.
All too soon we were heading back towards the harbour, but there were still some surprises in store. The ship sailed comfortably through wind-whipped white waves, but we were still in a position to spot some dolphins chasing fish under the cliff face. The captain slowed to give us a good look, but kept a polite distance; the dolphins responded to the attention by making huge vertical leaps to the delight of everyone on the ship.
The Ipipiri overnight cruise in the Bay of Islands doesn't always follow precisely the same schedule. Depending on weather, wildlife as well as other factors, the captain and crew have lots of options for things to do - including kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, as well as island excursions and dolphin- or whale-watching. Without a car, Paihia is a four-hour bus ride from Auckland with the InterCity Northliner bus.
Flights from Auckland are possible (private or through Air New Zealand), however the local airports are all very small, thus it pays to communicate with your accommodation provider prior to travelling about transfers. Hop-on, hop-off bus passes are also available, mainly serving a 18-35 year-old crowd. The drivers or local guides with these New Zealand backpacker buses can often arrange accommodation for everyone too.
We had the chance to try and do just that: an overnight cruise on the Ipipiri on the last sailing of the season. The Ipipiri is a new-built boat - the biggest one sailing in the Bay of Islands - and it happens to be well-designed for comfort and fun on short trips, maximizing opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, as an alternative to housing casinos or multiple restaurants.
There was some strong winds coming through (a storm had cancelled my dive the day before) however the size of the ship plus the protective islands and bays meant we were sailing smoothly. Within half an hour we encountered a pod of dolphins, in addition to some dolphin-watching boats. The captain pulled to a stop to allow us to observe them play for almost 30 minutes.
Those magnificently large cabin windows came in handy on the next morning since we woke to wonderful views. Steep green hills rose to a blue sky; the winds still blew still the grey clouds had gone. We went up to breakfast, chatted with other passengers, and enjoyed the nearly panoramic views.
All too soon we were heading back towards the harbour, but there were still some surprises in store. The ship sailed comfortably through wind-whipped white waves, but we were still in a position to spot some dolphins chasing fish under the cliff face. The captain slowed to give us a good look, but kept a polite distance; the dolphins responded to the attention by making huge vertical leaps to the delight of everyone on the ship.
The Ipipiri overnight cruise in the Bay of Islands doesn't always follow precisely the same schedule. Depending on weather, wildlife as well as other factors, the captain and crew have lots of options for things to do - including kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, as well as island excursions and dolphin- or whale-watching. Without a car, Paihia is a four-hour bus ride from Auckland with the InterCity Northliner bus.
Flights from Auckland are possible (private or through Air New Zealand), however the local airports are all very small, thus it pays to communicate with your accommodation provider prior to travelling about transfers. Hop-on, hop-off bus passes are also available, mainly serving a 18-35 year-old crowd. The drivers or local guides with these New Zealand backpacker buses can often arrange accommodation for everyone too.
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