New Zealand > Dolphin spotting

Because of all the problems with the apartment, we haven’t done any shopping at all. This also means we have no breakfast. We also haven’t received any messages from the owner. What was supposed to happen? If we stay in the ‘east’ apartment, new guests will undoubtedly arrive later today. The man in the ‘west’ apartment is leaving today.We decide to pack our luggage and, if possible, move to our originally booked apartment. But first, we go in search of dolphins. By half past seven, we are at the pier in Russell. For breakfast, we order coffee and a muffin. At eight o’clock, we board the dolphin cruise. If we find dolphins, there is also an opportunity to swim with them.First, we receive an explanation about the boat, safety, and the dolphins. Because it is high season, there are a lot of boats in the bay. The dolphins are protected by strict rules: boats may stay with dolphins only for a limited time, and a maximum of three boats at a time.Just outside Russell, we already spot some dolphins. They come very close to the boat, but they swim exactly in the navigation channel of the bay leading to the sea. Swimming is not allowed here. The female skipper sets off to look for other dolphins. The boat sails between islands and along inlets. No dolphins are spotted.At a small beach, there is a brief chance to swim. The skipper assures us that in the meantime she is in contact with other boats also in the bay.

New Zealand - Dolphins in the Bay of Islands

Probably through this communication, on the way back we find a new group of dolphins. The animals move slowly through the bay. Presumably, they are resting, which is why they swim slowly. A younger dolphin is more active and jumps out of the water.Because this group also includes very young dolphins, swimming is not possible here either. Without swimming, we return to the harbor in Russell. We receive a refund since the swimming could not take place.

New Zealand - Hundreds of small islands around Russell and Paihia

We use this money to have lunch at the oldest restaurant in New Zealand, the Duke of Marlborough.After lunch, we return to the apartment. The west studio has been cleaned, the east one has not. We move our luggage to the originally booked apartment. We probably create a problem for the new guests, but that’s for the owner to solve. At least we now have a clean bed.We drive back to Paihia. At the ferry, there is a long line of cars waiting. We have to let the first ferry go, but just manage to get on the second. In Paihia, we visit the Waitangi Grounds. This is where the origin of modern New Zealand began. In the Treaty House, the agreement between the English and the Maori was signed in 1840.In the museum, we watch the film, explore the Treaty House, and visit the traditional Maori Meeting House, where a Maori dance is also performed. On the bay lies a 35-meter-long original Maori canoe made of Kauri wood. While reading the Dutch travel guide, a Canadian woman recognizes our language. She now lives near Vancouver Island but originally comes from the Netherlands.From the museum, a walking path leads through the mangroves to the Haruru Falls.

New Zealand - A special Maori dance in the Meeting House

Onlookers estimate the walk to be over 90 minutes one way. That’s too much—by the time we returned, it would already be dark. Instead, we drive to the Falls. The water drops about ten meters. At the bottom, kayakers try to get as close as possible to the falls and then let themselves drift back with the current.We return to Paihia. At the pier, we order beer and eat at a nearby restaurant. By half past eight, we are back at the apartment in Russell. The new neighbors have also brought their own sheets. The upstairs neighbors report that the water is gone—the tanks on the roof are empty. Together, we discuss how to reach the owner. What a strange situation.