Dolphins in Paihia

Bottlenose dolphins - Flipper

Kia ora!

Got a ride back to Auckland with my host and immediately took a bus (4 hours) up to Paihia in the Bay of Islands.  There's only one main road up and down and it was very heavily travelled. I don't know why we were in so many traffic jams.  It's a long commute to Auckland and I was travelling during the last week in May, late autumn, and it wasn't during school holiday. They were widening the road so that it'll be two lanes in each direction most of the way, but I don't think that's the whole reason.

The dolphin's peeking at us while bow riding

Any way, it rained the night I arrived so I didn't explore.  The next morning, I went on the 4 hour Hole in the Rock dolphin cruise ($159 value, free on my InterCity FlexiTrip pass) and saw lots of bottle nose (Flipper) dolphins in 2 separate pods.

The dolphins were curious and stuck around a  while each time.  Although some of them jumped or spinned into the air, the crew determined that they were not in a playful mood and do not allow the swimming with the dolphins option ($30). Some of the bottlenose dolphins rode the bow.  It's amazing how fast they can swim.  We also saw fur seals, cormorants, gulls and other birds.

Camping available at the Bay of Islands

There's an old lighthouse and keeper cottage on the far tip of the mainland.  The cottage is available for camping but it's a day's walk to get there.  Other options are to arrive in a boat or helicopter.  Of course it's a beautiful site with gorgeous scenery, but there is no potable water source and no services available.
The cruise took us past 12 islands, large and small.  One of the furthest that we saw had a natural tunnel.  Since the wave action was normal, our skipper went through the Hole in the Rock.  There was not much clearance on either side.  If the wave action is too violent, the boats don't go through.

The Hole in the Rock

 People are not allowed on most of the islands because of potential erosion and the presence of rookeries.  A Maori man was on board to offer a one hour Maori lecture and guided walk ($15) on the largest island.  I considered joining the group but the sky looked ominous.  About 20 minutes after we dropped them off, it started tipping it down (pouring rain).

Paihia is a wee small town with one big and one small supermarkets, lots of little eateries and tourist shops.  Art exhibits are at the Wharf/transit center and the Public Library. Two Maori women were at the library weaving flax leaves into flower shapes.  They wanted me to tell them about California because they didn't think they would ever get there.

It was cold windy and sunny, then.....

Auckland has a population of more that 1.3 million, about a third of NZ's total population.  I was in and out of Auckland over three days with only one showery day to see the sights.   The free City Circuit bus was good for a 30 minute orientation.  I explored the CBD and wharf areas by foot, pretty but nothing spectacular.
The hostels in the middle of the CBD did not rate very well so I stayed at Freeman Lodge, about a 10-15 walk away.  The Link buses ($1.80) conveniently travel through the closest suburbs.

I would have liked to have had more time on North Island's Bay of Island and Coromandel coasts to watch sand surfing on the dunes of 9 Mile Beach, make my own spa at Hot Water Beach, and do some tramping.  If I had more time, I would have also gone to see the glow worm caves of Waitomo, the gardens of Hamilton, and the craters and flora of Mt Taranaki.

One of the smaller islands in the Bay of Islands

So I think that there is lots to see and do on North Island. If you go, I would recommend splitting your time evenly between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.  And you just gotta go.

Cheers!
Cyn