Boat Trips – NUI.NZ

Dawn Waiheke Sculpture on the gulf

publish — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 09:34:33 +0000

Sunday 17th March 2019 – Spontaneous Early morning trip to Waiheke to wander around Sculpture on the Gulf 2019. A short 2km trail around the western headland of Waiheke. Ended up coming back off of the Island in the early-mid afternoon due to the heat.

Mayor Island / Tuhua Weekend

publish — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 10:35:16 +0000

Friday 1st March 2019 to 3rd March 2019 – 25 of us attended a trip to Mayor Island with the Auckland Hiking Group Meetup to circumnavigate the island and explore a few little bays on the island. Camping over two nights on the Island. Special thanks to Russell Beeton for organizing and leading the trip for the group. More Detailed trip to be added later

Matiu/Somes Island Scientific & Historic Reserve

publish — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 10:02:36 +0000

2nd January 2019 – Another trip back down to Wellington. Visiting Somes / Matiu island in the middle of Wellington Harbour (prior to embarking on a road-trip back to Auckland)

Ambrym Niri-Mbwelesu + Marum

publish — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 09:13:05 +0000

1st December 2018 to 8th December 2018 – Back to Vanuatu to climb Ambrym’s various volcanic cones. Took a truck up to the old ash flow, then walked up and camped on the edge of Ash plain. Weather was best on the first night where we got to see the Lava lake in Niri-Mbwelesu in it’s full glory. Weather later on became worse with persistent electrical lightning / thunder storms and torrential rain at night, we managed to get to Marum and see the lava lake behind the fog. In the end we had to abandon camp a day early and walk down from the mountain.

Thanks to John Tasso and his family for his hospitality and guiding, Adam who took over the guiding on the 2nd night and to the many porters who helped carry our gear up and down the mountain.

French Polynesia, Tahiti Nui + Moorea

publish — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 10:07:35 +0000

Mid September 2018 – Weekend “Whistle stop” to Tahiti (French Polynesia) to tour around the Island of Tahiti Nui and Moorea. Summary of the trip as follows.

Crossing the Date Line, arrived at Papeete early on Friday Morning (Tahiti Time). Picked up a rental car and drove to our accommodation for the night, an Air BnB Style apartment “Chez Vous à Papeete”, around Rue Cook Residence Cook.
Friday Morning, circumnavigated Tahiti Nui in a Anti Clockwise direction, dropping by Maraa Grotto, A few beaches, Cascade Vaimahuta (Waterfalls), before boarding the Aremiti Car ferry to Moorea.
Saturday, Circumnavigated Moorea, dropping off at Lagoonarium de Moorea to swim with the Tiger sharks and stingrays (they’re perfectly tame!), them on to Belvedere Lookout before heading back to a beach near our accommodation to view the Sunset.
Sunday, walked up Magic Mountain before heading back on to the Car ferry back to Tahiti Nui.

Definitely contemplating another trip back there in the coming years, to visit to the further flung islands such as Bora Bora.

Trip notes and observations further down below…

Trip Notes / Advisory…

Being able to understand and speak French is an advantage.
Traffic drives on the right.
Cost of things can be up to twice as high than back in New Zealand.
If taking a car across with you to Moorea island. Car Passengers, must embark separately as regular ferry passengers. At the other end, Drivers and Passengers are to disembark while in the car. Make sure you allow plenty of time to get back to the car deck. By the time the call over the loud speaker is made instructing people to go to their vehicles, it can sometimes be too late.
Mobile Phone Roaming charges are murderous.
The sandwich rolls at the Supermarket are perhaps the best value for filling your stomach.
Tourist attraction “Lagoonarium de Moorea” do not have card payment facilities. Take some cash. At the time we got there, the charge was 3900 XPF for each adult.

Other notes, Observations and trivia…

Upon our visit to Moorea, most people were from within the country (Domestic tourists), this was due to Tahiti’s school holiday period.
A Dacia Sandero Stepway was the rental car assigned to us.
Yes, 3 Days is perhaps a bit too short of a time to stay in Tahiti. My colleagues have all reminded me.

Hen and Chickens Island Shore Explore

publish — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 01:43:20 +0000

20th January 2018 – Boat Trip with Gulf Eco Charters with skipper Kurt Salmond (and his family) to the Hen and Chicken Islands for some snorkeling, kayaking and Paddle boarding