Hi Netters,
My
sister Jean and I had 11 days tourist/birding in the north island of NZ. If
planning a trip to Tiritiri Island use the
website to book and pay for your place on the boat from Auckland or Gulf Harbour. www.kawaukat.co.nz. We boarded the jetcat
from Gulf Harbour which takes
25 minutes. The cost is $29 leaving at 9:50am and returning at 3:30pm. Buy your lunch and drink at the café
near the ticket office as there is no food on the island. Follow the Gulf Harbour road until a
very small roundabout and turn right at the sign “marina”. Make
sure you keep your ticket for the return journey as it is checked when boarding
to stop a person trying to travel free from any private boat.
Aroha Island was a
disappointment as we had booked to stay there to see Brown Kiwi. At the time of
the booking we were told we would be the only people there. On the day we
phoned to let them know we were arriving at 7pm but no answer to our recorded
messages. When we arrived, there was a paper on the gate saying “private
birthday party, shut gate after entry”. We drove in to find our
accommodation had been given to a family and there was also a huge marquee
erected for approx 50 adults and children for the party. The lady in the house
told me the Eco Centre for the Kiwi had been booked for the weekend.
Bay of Islands we did the all
day “Diving with the Dolphins” and take your lunch with you as only
soft drinks, coffee or tea available. Picked up some birds, seen elsewhere, to
ad to my NZ list, Buller’s Shearwater, Common Diving Petrel and
White-faced Storm Petrel plus others. Plenty of dolphins with the passengers
enjoying the swim with up to 50 dolphins.
An
enjoyable 11 days.
All the Best
David Siems
Devonport
Tasmania
