There are plenty of things to do within the Bay of Islands, but when you're not out sport fishing, a short cruise is an incredible way to explore the bays and islands - and sometimes to watch whales and dolphins as well; knocking off a few great experiences in one 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 were some strong winds coming through (a storm had cancelled my dive a day before) but the size of the ship along with 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 enjoy them play for nearly half an hour.
Those magnificently large cabin windows came in handy on the next morning as we woke to wonderful views. Steep green hills rose to a blue sky; the winds still blew but the grey clouds had gone. We went up to breakfast, chatted with other passengers, and enjoyed the nearly panoramic views.
Photo cc. Bruce Tuten.
All quite soon we were heading back inside 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 along the cliff face. The captain slowed to offer us a good look, but kept a polite distance; the dolphins responded to the interest by making huge vertical leaps to the delight of everyone on board.
The Ipipiri overnight cruise in the Bay of Islands doesn't always follow exactly the same schedule. Based on weather, wildlife along with other factors, the captain and crew have a large number of options for things to do - including kayaking, swimming and snorkelling, in addition to island excursions and dolphin- or whale-watching. If you don't have 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.
