The Rock Adventure Cruise 10/11 February 2019
A cruise jam-packed with wildlife encounters including a rare sighting of a yellow-bellied sea snake.
Date: Feb 10th 2019
Passengers: 29 Overnight | 1 Day Cruise
Skipper: Timo
Weather: Sunny with a 0.5m Swell
Crew: Jake, Austin, Marius, Lotte
Wind: East turning SW 10-25
Overnight Anchorage: Electric Bay
Snorkel Spot: Palm Beach
Island Visit: Roberton Island
Wildlife: Dolphin, Stingray, Snapper, Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake
Skipper's Report:
Joined onboard by a group from Top Deck and independent travellers, including one who cruised with us 3 years ago when Skipper Timo was still crew.
Wildlife highlight: a rare sighting of a yellow-bellied sea snake while kayaking in the evening. Though sea snakes are occasional visitors to New Zealand waters, they are considered a native species — arriving here naturally on ocean currents rather than by human transportation.
While snorkelling the next day, the group spotted a huge stingray — the length of two people. And if that wasn't enough, we were escorted back to Paihia by bottlenose dolphins.
Video Credit: Celia Chalmers
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Source: Rock the Boat NZ | rocktheboat.co.nz