Matakana Extravaganza

4th June 2009.
Today I had Hayden and Cameron from Tauranga and Paul and Azamia from Austria for our Matakana Extravaganza Tour. WE meet at Pilot Bay at 9am and after our safety briefing and a short lesson on paddling technique we were off, paddling over to Matakana Island. The day was perfect with very little wind producing very glassy calm water conditions. We took our time and I informed our friends from Austria a little bit about the local history and culture of our beautiful city. As mentioned the water conditions were perfect and we were able to see plenty of piper and kahawai swimming in the shallows.

Janie was there as always to great us on our arrival at the island and she soon had them loaded in her van and off they went for their horse trek adventure. As I do most times I got back on the water and headed up the harbour to look for more wild life. I am glad I did as it wasn't long before I came across dozens upon dozens of stingrays. I was letting the tide take me right over groups of three or four sunning themselves in the shallows while at the same time witnessing another three or four gliding through the water towards me. At the same time there were dozens of fish swimming underneath me as well.

When Janie returned I offered them the opportunity to experience the stingrays. I was uncertain if there would be as many as the tide had come in but we soon came across them. Not as many as before but definitely enough to have an amazing encounter. It was soon time to head back so off we went.

Glow Worm Tour

22nd May 2009
Today we had Paul, Sonny and their children Mia, Oscar and Daisy who wanted to do the Glow Worm Tour at McLaren Falls Park. We used two double kayaks and with a large center hatch we were able to put a the two smallest in their own little cockpit. It was a great night and as always after the kayak I offered them the opportunity to take a short walk to see the glow worms up close where you actually get to see the worm and their silk web. They had quite a busy day but Mia and his her Paul were keen to go exploring while mum and the two younger ones kept warm in the van. As always we found the native New Zealand Silver Fern and carried on to where the glow worms were where they got to opportunity to have a close encounter.

Cruise Ship Package

14th March 2009
A few weeks ago after dropping some passengers back off at the port I was approached by Warwick who worked at the casino on the ship. He saw the smiles and excitement on the faces of the group and asked what we did. I explained to him we mainly customised our tours to suit the groups but largely dealt with the more adventurous type. So, on the 14th Warwick had rounded up 12 staff from the ship who wanted to go rafting and zorbing. first stop was Raftabout and a ride down the Kaituna. Once again I was offered a trip down the river and once again I accepted. I was placed up the front of the raft and Albie was back guiding us after being away for a couple of weeks. We had a pretty strong team and negotiated the river pretty well. Albie set me up again but testing my balancing skills on some of the more gentle rapids. To be honest I had a feeling what he was up to when his first attempt to dislodge me from the raft failed and he returned to the rapid and did it again this time with success. Always up for a challenge I remained perched precariously on the front of the raft for the next rapid which again saw me swimming. It is the type of guide I am, willing to take one for the team. Another great trip down the Kaituna. Next we were off to the Zorb. Once everyone was signed in they headed up the hill for the ride back down. They all seemed to enjoy themselves with at least one trying a couple of times to stay standing up the whole way down. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful. Time for a quick feed before showing them a few of the geothermal areas and then we had to head back as one of them had to be back on the ship by four. They have told me they will be back in April and want me to take them out again. They will be staying for a bit longer so hopefully we can show them more of our lovely country.

Matakana Extravaganza

13th March 2009
Rob and Nicola have been living in New Zealand for the last couple of years and were about to head back to England to live. After initially planning to head out in the morning, due to reasons beyond our control we had to reschedule for the afternoon. In the end it worked out great. The wind had died down and the habour was calm and glassy. It took no time for Rob and Nicola to master the art of kayaking and we were off across the harbour to Matakana Island. We had a bit of time up our sleeve so we got to explore the harbour for a little longer than usual. We soon got the call that their transport was waiting so we headed to Panepane for the pick up. Panepane is a favourite spot for fishing and great for catching kingfish. While Rob and Nicola were off on their horse riding adventure around Matakana I watched the fisherman with interest to see how they were going. They had landed a couple of big kingi's and had seen a couple of large schools swim under the wharf. A couple of hours went past pretty quick and Rob and Nicola were back at Panepane. They seemed a bit overwhelmed and told me they now wanted to stay after their tour of the island. We said bye to our hosts and headed back to the mainland in the kayaks. It was a beautiful afternoon and I think if there were better job opportunities in New Zealand Rob and Nicola would still be here.

Team Building

11th March 2009
We had arranged for an afternoons activities for the Property Services Division of the District Health Board. Pilot Bay at The Mount was our intended location but with winds gusting up to 30 kms required a change of venue. With kayaking and beach olympics been on the agenda I went and had a look at the Mount beach. It was a little more sheltered but as the day went on the wind just picked up more and more. After speaking with DHB management we went for our contingency plan and organised a whole lot of activities at the Mount Action Centre. We swapped the kayaking for building the bikes and doing a lap of the car park. Most of the other games, caterpillar walk, spin around the pole, blind folded relay races and some ball games to work on communication skills and eye and hand co-ordination were able to be held on an indoor court. Near the end of the day we decided to join the teams together and play ultimate Frisbee and in line hockey(without the skates). Although it would have been great to have been able to do the activities on the beach in does show how versatile Adventure Bay of Plenty can be.

Spanish Armada

5th - 6th March 2009
Coca Cola in Spain had run a competition to promote Fanta. The winners were able to invite a friend or two to go for a holiday in New Zealand. Peter from Elements Watersports had the dubious task of organising everything and because of my relationship with the local Maori community on Matakana Island and i had kayaks he asked me if I could help. After months of planning we were all set to provide water activities and a cultural experience for them. The plan for the 5th of March was to provide several activities down at Pilot Bay, Mt Maunganui. These included sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, paddle board, sea biscuit rides etc. There was a bit of wind which was great for the sailing but a little frustrating for kayaking although we were able stay close tot he shore and avoid the worst of it. The day went until 1.30pm when it was time to pack up and start preparing to go over to Matakana Island to set up for the next days activities. Everything went smoothly and all we had to do was wait for the next day to come round. The weather gods were not on our side and the next day brought consistent rain. As with every well organised plan there are contingencies in place and we had a few. Once they all arrived on the island we transported them to the clubrooms on the island where three Young warriors performed the Wero (Maori challenge) before the Powhiri (Maori Welcome). The school children then performed the Kapa Haka (Maori song and dance) to which the Spanish performed their National Anthem. The men then had the Moko painted on their faces and learnt the Haka while the ladies learnt how to make a Poi, how to use the Poi and sing a song. After they performed their new learnt skills to the local community their was a break in the rain and the call went up for a game of rugby. The men raced down to the field followed closely by the local community. The ladies were given a tour of the local school by the principal Jack. It was soon time to head back to the lodge where we had set up some marques, toilets, showers and the hangi. Once everyone arrived the hangi was pulled up and everyone had dinner and a few drinks. It was soon time for the group to head back to Tauranga so after a song and haka performed by the adults they were herded into the vans and taken back to where the ferry returned them to town. Myself, a few of the helping hand and the locals stayed up to the early hours of the morning singing songs and talking about the day.

Cruise Ship Adventure Activities

19th Feb 2009
Another cruise ship day and another group wishing to head over to Rotorua. Their preference was rafting so off we went to Raftabout. As on every tour we try and fill in the journey over to Rotorua with a few stories about the local history and culture, a quick stop if we can at a kiwifruit orchard and anything else that may catch the eye of our customers. Today it was Stu, Joy, Steve and Patricia. We booked the 12.30 trip on the Kaituna River which is approx 45 mins on the river and boast the highest commercially rafted water fall at 7 metres. First though I showed them a few of the geothermal areas in Rotorua. When we arrived at Rafttabout they had room on one of the rafts so I was once again given the opportunity to go down the river. Needless to say I was glad to accept. I know I have already mentioned this but in my opinion Raftabout is the best rafting company in Rotorua. The Kaituna river takes you down a narrow gorge covered in native bush and of course several large rapids, but you really need to do it to appreciate how amazing it is. After the trip it was time to head back to Tauranga. Again if we have time I like to take people up one of the highest hills in the area which provides them with panoramic views of the Bay of Plenty. I am glad to say we had time today to do just that.

Tauranga Tour

18th Feb 2009
The Volendam was in today and for a change I had four who wanted to have a look around Tauranga instead of heading of to Rotorua. Norman, Sasha, Helen and John had already decided where that they wanted to go to the Katikati Bird Gardens. As always I was going to show them a lot more than that but the bird gardens was a good start. First stop however was Katikati itself to show them the towns murals that tell the history of the area. We found a park and the ladies decided to do a bit of shopping while Norman wanted to try some of the famous kiwi ice cream. That was easier said than done as we couldn't find one shop that sold ice creams. We soon thought it best to track down the ladies and head to the bird gardens. On our arrival we were given a few extra bags of food for the birds and of we went. It wasn't long before the birds cottoned onto us and the doves were actually landing on us wanting to get a bit of the food. We carried on around the gardens followed closely by all its feathered inhabitants. We had a quick lunch and then I took them to Omokoroa to see one of our more beautiful inner harbour peninsulas and then up to the Minden Lookout which treats you to amazing panoramic views of the Bay of Plenty. Time was quickly running out but we had time for one last stop. The Elms Mission House. Offering pretty gardens and a insight into early European history it provided a nice wind down before heading back to the ship.

Matakana Extravaganza

16th Feb 2009
I had been liaising with Judy from America via email for several weeks and had arranged to kayak over to Matakana and go for the Clydesdale drawn wagon ride. Judy, Dolph, John and Joanne were in Tauranga on Clipper Odyssey and and were in Tauranga on the 16th of February. Unfortunately that morning I got a txt from Hone saying he his boy had fallen off his motorbike and he had to take him to hospital. Needless to say I was not looking forward to telling Judy and the others. After some confusion and misunderstanding we finally decided to kayak over to Matakana from Omokoroa and go for a walk on the island and maybe get someone to take us over to the beach. Going to Omokoroa was definitely the right thing to do. It was absolutely beautiful. The harbour was like a lake and their was hardly a cloud in the sky. Once on the island I decided to see if I could get someone to take us over to the beach. I didn't have much luck so we decided to walk to the hall to see if I could find anyone. On the way we stopped off at one of the 4 Kiwifruit orchards and spoke a bit about the island and the kiwifruit industry. At the hall I found Des who arranges activities on the island for me. I tried to get Judy and the others to go with Des over to the beach for lunch but they did not think there was enough time. We ended up having lunch at the hall at about which time Hone turned up. I left them in his capable hands and he drove them around the island as there was not enough time to get the Clydesdale's set up, although he did take them to the paddock where they were kept. In the end I think they had a good day

Mount Mauganui Marvel

15th Feb 2009
Another day and this time we had Alex and Robin. It was another fantastic day in Tauranga and we were off for our three to four hour Mount Maunganui Marvel Tour. Alex and Robin were quite competent kayakers so although in some places the tide was not ideal we were able to negotiate it without any problems. After showing them around our beautiful harbour and coastline we went over to Matakana Island to stretch our legs and go for a wander on the beach. I let Alex down when getting back in the kayaks and he went for a bit of a swim. Beautiful sunny day though so it was probably well worth it.

Matakana Extravaganza

14th Feb 2009
It was gong to be a busy day. In the morning I had four to take over to Matakana for a horse ride with Hone and in the afternoon I had approx 50 surgeons and their families form around New Zealand for kayaking and clay bird shooting. I rang my good friend Ross to help out with the morning tour. Charlotte and Owen who had gift vouchers from Red Balloon and Daniel and Jenny who were form the cruise ship turned up at appox 9am. Once we all got kitted up and had gone through our safety briefing we were off. We soon arrived at Matakana Island and Janey was waiting for us at Panepane to take them back to Hone for their horse riding adventure. It was a beautiful day so Ross and I decided to kill time and go for a leisurely paddle up the harbour. A couple of hours later they were back from their adventure with Hone so we decide to take them for a short walk along the beach. It was getting close to the time that the first load of surgeons and their families would be arriving. My plan was to get Ross to take our four adventurers back while I hosted the group. Unfortunately Daniel and Jenny wanted to get back as they wanted to do a few other things before their ship left port and Charlotte and Daniel were having to good a time on their walk and had not returned. Tim arrived right about then with the first load for the afternoon so I decided to escort Daniel and Jenny back to Pilot Bay leaving our caterer and to prepare lunch for the group. I was hoping to get back to the island before Tim brought the second lot over. I almost did it but on the way back Tim passed me. I tried to ride the wake form the boat but was feeling the effects of the long paddle back to Pilot Bay and back to the island. I did however give the passengers something to laugh about watching me surfing the wake for a few minutes and I did earn a beer for my efforts. I was only a couple of minutes behind the boat and the first group had just finished their lunch and were having fun on the beach. Ross was about to head back with Charlotte and Owen so everything worked out fine in the end. The team building group split up into the clay bird shooting, kayak and laze on the beach groups. There had been a bit of fun on the boat as the tide was right in and The Enterprise could not get under the bridge as there was some cable hanging a bit low from the construction of the new bridge. The afternoon went smoothly and everyone had a good time. It was my first go at trying to run a couple of activities in the one day and i think we succeeded with a little help form our friends.

Short and Sweet

5th Feb 2009
I had a few quiet days but plenty of office work to catch up on. But on the 5th I got a call from Brooke from Mount Backpackers who had two interested in going for a kayak. We scheduled for 1pm and on my arrival to Pilot Bay Tom and Sophie from Christchurch NZ were there waiting for me. (I was early too) After a quick safety and technique drill we were off out around Mt Maunganui and heading out the entrance to into the wide open sea. There was a bit an onshore wind so the ocean conditoins were a bit rough but after giving our offering of bread to Kuia Rock they reassured me they were keen to carry on so that's exactly what we did. I have done this tour countless times and never get sick of it. It is always different, conditions are never the same and you never know what you might come across. With visitors to our shores including dolphin, penguin, Orca and seals there is always that unknown. tom and Sophie were pretty fit and we timed the tide perfectly so we had a bit of time on our hands and stopped off at Matakana Island to stretch our legs. Sophie took over the reins on the way back steering their kayak safely home.

Cruise Ship Adventure Package

2nd Feb 2009
The Rhapsody of the Seas was back in Tauranga Port. It didn't take long before someone wanted that little bit more than just the set packages provided by the other companies. Here at Adventure Bay of Plenty we will take the time to sit down with you and let you build you own adventure, taking you to places you want to, whereas other companies have their packages and that's it. Tonya and Rosalla (Daughter and mun) and Nick and Sarah (partners) were keen to do a bit of adventure in while in Bay of Plenty. The Zorb was the first place we went to. Hop in a big plastic ball and roll down a hill. The picture tells the story. Tonya opted for the wet option while the rest went down dry. As we left the Zorb we were treated to farmers herding up sheep using their dogs in the paddock opposite. A sight I must remember is something unique to many of our visitors. After a quick drive through Agroventures to show them the attractions there, including the Ostriches we headed into town. There is a small village by the lake that you can drive around and see Marae (Maori buildings) and geothermal activity and its free. I had to mention our meat pies after my the last couple of crazy Amercians I had and once again they went down a treat. Time to head out to Raftabout for the white water rafting. This time I went along for the ride. As mentioned, great company, great guides. We had Albie take us down and its just a cool trip. After surfing a few of the rapids and conquering the 7m water fall, and getting totally sucked in by Albie and getting thrown out of the boat we made it to the end of our white water adventure. Nick was keen to have a go on the luge but after having a look at Lake Tikitapu and Lake Tarawera plus a real neat thermal pool (sapphire blue in colour) it was time to head back to Tauranga. I had to mention one last activity and that was Blokarting. We were pushed for time but we went and had a look and managed to get a 15 minute ride in. There was a good wind and their guide got another ride on the house so no complaints. We probably got more in this trip than any other I have done. But it just goes to show if you choose Adventure Bay of Plenty for your cruise ship excursions you get a whole lot of bang for your buck. Sorry Nick had to show you with the helmet on backwards.

Plummers Point Paradise

January the 3rd and another group interested in Plummers Point kayak adventure. Julie had contacted me by email and subsequently phone and we were looking at the Mount Maunganui Marvel however the tides were not suitable and we decided on Plummers Point. The weather forecast was not looking good the day before so it was all on standby. The morning of the 3rd and the day was looking alright, however there was a large low coming up from the south but thanks to the met service I called Julie and said I thought we wold be alright. She was keen and her niece and nephew who were over on holiday from England were heading back on Monday so she thought it would be good to give them a day off before flying back. We arranged to met at Plummers Point at approx 11.30 after her husband Jes had finished work. I got there a bit earlier and set everything up to save time hoping to beat the rain heading our way. Julie, Jes, their son Daniel and Emma and Mike (niece/nephew) arrived soon after and off we set. We had all packed lunch and our plan was to head over to Motuhoe Island, explore the coastline, have a meal and then head back. Half way to Motuhoe Emma had spotted a bird in the water and was unsure what it was. After some confusion on distance and direction of this creature I spotted a blue penguin bobbing up in down in the water. Daniel debated the issue somewhat as he didn't think it was cold enough for penguins. I think I convinced him. The tide was high and it gave us an opportunity to get up close to Motuhoe shoreline and negotiate a few of the overhanging Pohutakawa Trees and also get nice and close to the white sandstone cliffs. A shout went up as a kahawai jumped out of the water nearby as we headed to our picnic spot. We found a nice little beach to have lunch and I explained a little about the local history of the area. Looking south there was the ominous sign of the predicted rain hanging over the Kaimai ranges so we quickly packed up a headed back. Daniel was feeling the pressure and his dad was having to do all the work. (you can reply to this Daniel and give your version of events) I decided to give them a hand and gave them a bit of tow. Three quarters of the way back and we got hit by heavy rain but the good new was it was gone as quick as it came and the kayak up the inlet was fine and calm and we were able to get packed up while staying relatively dry.

Kayaking Plummers Point, Tauranga

Last day of the year and I picked up a kayak tour with the Carbine family, Glen, his wife Michelle and father Tom. We were originally looking at our Mount Maugnanui Marvel however being News Year Eve there was no chance of finding any parking over at Mt Maunganui. Instead we decided to go to Plummers Point. Approximately 20 minutes out of Tauranga it consists of a small community settled one of the many peninsula's overlooking the harbour. Providing very safe waters and fantastic views it is a great place to explore by kayak, with tree lined cliffs providing safe homes for our native birds like the Tui. Our paddle takes us out of the pituresque inlet through crystal clear waters and over to Motuhoe Island. Tom was interested in the bird life and we got to see several swallows nesting on the white cliffs of the island, cormorants, large black winged gulls and a couple of kingfishers. The most common critter was the jellyfish but we also got treated to a large Kahawai jumping out of the water. We stopped on one of the sandy beaches to stretch our legs before heading around to the point to gather some pipi's. (shell fish) It was soon time to head back so we got back in the kayaks and headed back to Plummer Point. A great day enjoyed by all. Thanks for the beer Glen.

Cruise Ship Update

I am happy to say we have had a little bit of success with our packages for crusie ship passengers. Not only are they particpating in our acivities but also, with the flexibility we provide we can sit down and plan the day for them. Whether it is a day in Tauranga or even Rotorua we are able to provide a unique, customised tour which includes a very friendly personal tour where they get to meet genuine people and experience the real New Zealand. Feed back has been positive with many saying it was exactly what they wanted as they find the ships packages to rigid and expensive. Also because we specialise in small groups our activities provide that personal touch and get to participate rather than being lead around in large groups. So if you are planning on coming to Tauranga on a cruise visit our web site at www.adventurebop.co.nz or drop us a line at enquiries@adventurebop.co.nz we will be more than happy to arrange activities for you.

Cruise Ship Activities

Tauranga will have close to 60 cruise ships come into its port this summer. Last year I tried to tap into the market by parking down at Pilot Bay just down form the port in the hope of getting some of the passengers and/or crew. It didn't go too well, so this year I joined forces with Blokart Heaven and Longridge Fun Park and desinged several Adventure Packages targeting the more active passengers on the ships. With some ships having over 2000 passengers and crew on top of that we are pretty sure we can get some people interested.


We have set up flags and a blokart outside the Mt Maunganui I-Site and so far it is a lot more successful than last years effort. We specialise in small groups of between 2 - 8 which enables us to provide a very personal, authentic experiecne where they get to participate and share in our unique cutlure, history and activities. Feedback has been encouraging with the groups we have had comenting on how they enjoyed getting away from the crowds and seeing the real Bay of Plenty.

Matakana Island Adventure

I was up at 4am on the 23rd August to pick up a group of 17 from Germany from the Auckland International Airport who were about to commence twelve months of volunteer work around New Zealand. The flight arrived at 5.15am and by 7am we were all on the bus and heading back to Tauranga. Feeling pretty tired they were happy to hear that once in Tauranga they could relax for the rest of the day. However they had to be up by 6.30 the following morning as we were off to Matakana Island. We woke to a beautiful Tauranga winters day and were soon heading off to Omokoroa to catch the ferry across to the island. When we arrived at Omokoroa we were treated to a beautiful sunrise and then we were on the ferry heading over to our destination. On arrival we raced off to help put down the hangi before receiving a traditional welcome by our hosts who went on to tell us about life style on the island including the history, culture farming and schooling.

After morning tea and informal introductions and then the school children arrived to preformed a kupa haka show for us, all kitted out in the traditional Maori dress. Our visitor then performed the haka and sang their National Anthem before interacting with the school children where a challenge was laid down for a game of soccer. We then took a quick trip on the bus around the island and taken to one of the highest points to get a panoramic view of the area.




Around 11.30 we headed back to lift up the hangi then settled in for the feast. There was plenty of delicious food and just as well because pretty much everyone went up for seconds and even thirds. Just as the food had settled in the children returned ready for the challenge. We ended up mixing the teams to make it fair and off we went. Everyone had a huge amount of fun but it would not very Kiwi like if a rugby challenge wasn't laid down also. It was suppose to be touch but the traditional tackle version soon came into play.



With everyone a little bit tired we hopped back on the bus and headed to the beach. The bus ride in itself was something to remember with rough, narrow roads showing the way. The last kilometer or so was a narrow forestry road and as we got to the top of a mall rise the Pacific ocean welcomed us with an awe inspiring view resulting in everyone expelling a sound of amazement. With Tuhua, Karewa, Motiti Island and Mount Maunganui in the background and not a soul in sight it was an incredible sight. Our guests couldn't get over the beautiful sunny day and enjoyed a releasing time beach combing the shoreline and taking plenty of photos.


It all ended too soon before we were back on the bus and heading back have another tour around the island, this time by Clydesdale drawn carriage and also a bit of clay bird shooting. The day went far to quick and with the last ferry was leaving at 4.30pm we soon had to say our goodbyes and headed back to the jetty to catch the ride back to the mainland. By the time we got back to Omokoroa the sun was beginning to set. Everyone had had a great day but were looking forward to a hot meal and getting some well earned rest.




For all your Matakana Island Adventures visit our website http://www.adventurebop.co.nz/

Wildlife Adventrue

It was the last week of the school holidays we decided to take the kids for a kayak out around Rabbit Island and then lunch on Matakana Island. Although it is the middle of winter Tauranga is blessed with a very mild climate and the conditions were perfect. With two adults and four children we took a couple of doubles. We have seats made up that fit into the middle storage compartment so the two smallest kids rode first class. With six pairs of eyes scanning the terrain we were hopeful of spotting plenty of wildlife. There was a nice small wave washing into the Mount Maunganui main beach so at the kids request we had a bit of a surf before heading over to Rabbit Island. Here is where we got our first big surprise. A rather large seal was sunning himself on the rocks on Rabbit Island. With a large hawk over head scattering smaller sea birds it was an amazing site. The seal was unperturbed by our presence and after a few large yawns and several attempts to get comfortable he lay down and went back to his sunbathing. We carried around Rabbit Island and then the kids spotted another seal. We went in closer and to our surprise there were a total of 5 . All in the same mood as our first big male around the corner. We could have stayed there forever but after taking a few photos we headed off towards Matakana Island. The tide was coming in so once we got into the entrance we had an easy paddle to Matakana, after a short stop to watch some penguins bobbing up and down. We set up for lunch, closely watched by a couple of Oyster Catchers as the kids went off exploring the New Zealand Dotterel nesting site and with previous explorations of the island they scanned the shoreline for any ocean life including octopus, fish and stingrays. However as always it all went to fast and we soon had to head back. Tide assisted we gently paddled back and enjoyed another encounter with a small group of curious penguins. An amazing day and something the kids will be telling for news when they go back to school.