What's Included
- 2 hr evening Bay of Islands sailing trip
- Swimming stop
- Complimentary drink
What to Expect
The Bay of Islands Sundowner Cruise is ideal if you don’t have a whole day to spend sailing, but relish the chance of getting out on the water. It’s also a great opportunity to experience sailing at a more relaxed and cooler time of day. The atmosphere of an evening cruise is something you just have to experience for yourself!
Departing Paihia beachfront at 5:00 pm, the boat pulls right up to the sand where you can step aboard from the shoreline. Enjoy a relaxed trip aboard a smooth sailing catamaran in a peaceful setting, while the sun is going down.
The journey takes you through the inner bays of the Bay of Islands, Paihia, Opua, Russel and Waitangi. Experience the landscape from a different perspective, on the water. Take it all in as you cruise alongside the water's edge and meander through peaceful anchorages, catching a glimpse of prime real estate perched on the hilltops.
The boat also stops for an evening swim, where you can dive in and cool off in the refreshing water. This is a perfect start to a good night out with friends and family, a romantic getaway, or just the perfect escape from the daily grind!
Where we visit:
- Bay of Islands
- Paihia
- Opua
- Russel
- Waitangi
Frequently Asked Questions
You will find us on the beach at Paihia. We won’t be hard to find once you get there, just walk along the beach and you will see the boat anchored very close to the shoreline.
Absolutely! But not too wet -you will have to step into the water to get onto the boat. Sometimes it is ankle or calf-deep, other times a wave will roll in and it may be up to your knees. So kick your shoes off and roll up your trousers before you step aboard. Sometimes we get the odd wave splash on the boat, it’s all part of the fun!
Just the usual – bottle of water, warm clothing/ jacket, footwear for the island walks, swimwear, towel hat, sunglasses, sunblock (please not spray sunblock it eats the paint) and please do bring clothing that you can cover up with, the summer sun can be intense on your skin so be prepared for this as much as the possibility of cool wind.
Nope, kick off your shoes at the shore and experience the Kiwi barefoot culture for yourself, it’s quite liberating!
No, the boat sits flat while sailing which means it is a very comfortable experience, especially for first-time sailors or families with children. There is plenty of deck space and we have bean bags to relax on if you are sitting on the front half of the boat, the back half has seating.
Yes, our skipper loves to get people involved if they want to take the helm or help set the sails. There are some conditions or points of sail that it is not practical to have others helm the boat, but for the most part, you are very welcome.
Yes, we do. We use the motor to get in and out of the beach to anchor. We just love sailing! So we like to sail as much as possible, the boat performs far better under sail than under motor so sailing it is! There are times where if there is not enough wind to reach our destination we will have to use the engine or to keep to our schedule – we don’t like to make anyone late to catch their ferry/bus.
Yes, we do see dolphins, not every day but they are there and if they happen to be where we are sailing it is a lovely experience to see them play around the boat. We like to advise you that the resident dolphins in the Bay of Islands are very sensitive to human interaction, we do not encourage any interaction with them, we will not follow them nor do we do any swimming with them. We prefer to leave them be to do what dolphins do best…be dolphins in the wild !!
New Zealand can be tricky to plan for with the weather particularly when choosing outdoor activities, so to be realistic you just have to be prepared for anything.
We do try our best and are very vigilant when it comes to weather forecasting.
Safety is always our foremost concern, then comfort. We are generally not too bothered by a rain shower here or there. It is an open boat, so we have rain poncho’s to cover up and stay warm/dry, or you can pop down into the cabins if you want. If the forecast looks like a serious day of rain we which will make the trip a misery we will cancel/postpone, as we would like our guests to have a good experience.
The skipper is experienced to make decisions based on the weather, and the final decision will be his (keeping in mind that we are reliant on the information that is given to us, we can’t promise the forecast will be correct). If we decide to cancel a full refund will be given if we can’t make alternative arrangements for another day that suits your travel plans.
We are not licensed for the sale of alcohol however you may bring your own, limited to 1 bottle of wine or a 6 pack of beer per person, and strictly limited to 18 years of age and over.
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Policies
- Passengers must be present at the Paihia Beach 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure
- Guests are required to listen carefully to the pre-departure safety briefing
- The Operator will not be responsible for any personal injuries, equipment loss or damage sustained while travelling on any of our cruises
- Children under 16 years must be under continuous adult supervision for the duration of the charter, and all activities. There is a maximum of two children (under 12 years) per adult sailing on the boat
- All departures are subject to demand, sea and weather conditions, and minimum numbers
- If you have a serious medical condition that may require assistance please note this in the special requirements box when registering your booking, and discuss this with the skipper/crew when boarding the vessel
- Cancellations by the client will incur a 20% fee of the full ticket price
- Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will incur the full charge
All customer cancellation & refund requests are also subject to our website’s own refund conditions.
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