We are offering 2 options for one-day trips:

We ask that the tamariki address us as Aunty & Uncle, and we insist that they all wear life jackets.

On our trips we usually encounter Dolphins seals and penquins, they are always the highlight of the trip for the Tamariki, We teach lots of interesting facts about the different species, although we cannot guarantee their appearance.

• Whale of a Tail ~visit the whaling station, Te Awaiti, Whekenui, Okukuri, Tory Channel entrance.
• Captain Cook's Footprints ~ Blumine Island, Ships Cove, Motuara Island ( Bird Sanctuary), and Kokomohua, the Marine Reserve.

itinerary 1:
All day cruise 9.00 to 5.00pm ~"Whale of a Tail".

Please click on the map icon to see enlarged route map.

Learn about the Maori history of Queen Charlotte Sound, about early explorers such as Kupe, Captain Cook, Jackie Guard, and the sealers and whalers.
The tamariki lap up all the info on whales, such as "Did you know that the brain of a blue Whale is larger than an Elephant?". We go ashore and explore the ancient ruins of the Perano Whaling Station.

Pete has lots of photos and memorabilia.

We teach about the early missionaries, and the impacts of European immigrants, settlers , deforestation and Pastoral Farming.

Learn about the impact of fishing, forestry and aquaculture on the delicate eco-system of our Sounds environment and how important it is for us to protect our environment for future generations.

Cruise by and learn the positives and negatives associated with Salmon and Mussel Farms

What was life like for Maori in pre and post-European times?
Learn about their proud history and culture, their use of natural resources, where and how they quarried their Argillite and Greenstone, their food sources, kaimoana etc…
Learn about the great warrior, Te Rauparaha, hear stories of battles, invasions…
Explore the site of ancient Maori pits. and learn resect for wahitapu sites and urupa.

What better way to gain an appreciation of what life was really like in times long past than for the children to visit the rock where Kupe killed Te Wheke o Muturangi, visit Te Awaiti, the first European settlement in the South Island.
Learn about the whalers and the sealers, see and touch whalebone that can still be found on the beach and whale oil in the banks. See the old tri pots used to render down the blubber, see the tomb stones of some of New Zealand’s first settlers. Have lunch, a guided walk & a swim.

Itinerary 2:
All day cruise 8.00am to 5.00pm captain cook's footprints

Please click on the map icon to see enlarged route map.

This cruise is very much in the footprints of Captain Cook and his crew.
We visit Blumine Island and take a short bush walk up to the World War 2 gun emplacements, and learn of impacts of world war 2 on NZ, learn of the famous battles that turned the tide of war.

We visit Ship Cove for lunch, the site of Captain Cooks Monument and a wealth of history and wonderful stories handed down over the generations.

Students can enjoy a swim , picnic lunch and guided bush walk up to a beautiful waterfall ,along the way Takutai or Tane will point out to you the different varieties of trees in the native forest, and some of the Maori medicines for which they where used.

Pete then steams the Tutanekai over to Motuara Island , on the way teaching the tamariki all about the effects that introduced pests have had on our native bush and ecology.

Students will have the opportunity to learn about the sanctuary and the different species of birds it provides protection for, and the good work undertaken by the Dept of Conservation.

Check out the penguin nesting boxes, if you are quiet you'll see and hear the Kereru, bell birds, Robins & Saddlebacks.

On our way back to Waikawa we will cruise past Kokomohua, the Long Island
Marine Reserve. We will talk with the students about the impacts of mussel and salmon farms and Bottom Dredging for scallops, kina and the resulting habitat destruction which is one of the main causes of the collapse of our fish stocks. We have lost 87% of our Blue Cod stocks in the last 5 yrs alone.
Students will learn about the impact of forestry, aquaculture and how important it is for us to protect our environment for future generations.

I know that it sounds like a lot of information to cover in one day, but it works and the tamariki enjoy themselves, this is events education and an exercise in Oral Histories, and these trips shouldn't be looked upon as pure recreation, we see them as a very important education tool , teaching about our Maori history, Colonialization, and the need for our tamariki to be more environmentally aware.

We have visited schools and talked to classes, some that have done wonderful projects about dolphins, seals, bush & birds , all researched from the internet , but they have never seen them in real life.

Here is your opportunity, book a day trip with Myths & Legends Eco-Tours.