Professional skipper, Rachel has had 21 years plus experience operating and working on commercial vessels in this area. And even longer in tour guiding and experience with the local wildlife on Otago Harbour.

Custom built vessel.

Quality binoculars, to borrow, on board.

Wildlife information sheets provided to keep.

Bathroom onboard and heated cabin.

Experience for yourself the unique natural attractions that Dunedin has to offer by joining our impressive Otago Harbour cruise. 

Wildlife

• Albatross – Northern Royal in the breeding colony, you may also see different species flying or resting at sea.
• Fur Seals – Adults and pups in breeding rookeries all year round.
• Shags – Nesting or feeding at sea
• Penguins – Most commonly, Blue Penguins, can be seen feeding at sea or occasionally moulting on rocks along the coast.
• Dolphins – Up to three species can seen at certain times of the year, feeding and frolicking
• Sea Lions – The rarest Sea lion in the world. Can sometimes be seen feeding at sea or sleeping on beaches in the area, all year round
• Sea birds – Such as shearwaters, petrels, prions, gannets, skuas, terns and much more
• Wading and harbour birds – Such as spoonbills, oystercatchers, herons, godwits, Black Swans and much more.

Otago Harbour

• Taiaroa Head Lighthouse – Completed 1864
• Former Cannon and Search Light Fortifications – From 1880s, WW1 and WW2
• Port Chalmers – Container Port and Cruise Ship Terminal
• Working Vessels – Such as Pilot Boats, Dredger, Tug Boats and Ships.
• Carey’s Bay – Boat Builders Yard and Local Fishing Port
• Quarantine Island – Historic Buildings and Former Quarantine Hospital
• Whaling Station – Weller Rock Former Whaling Station
• Historic Pilot’s Houses – History from the 1840’s to present day
• Research Vessels – Of The University of Otago
• Shipwrecks/hulk – Learn the history and see up derelict wrecks (if sailing from Portobello)

• Geology – Of Dunedin’s Extinct Volcano 
• History – Human settlement and industry, including Maritime.

What to bring

• You only need to bring yourself, your camera and your enthusiasm. Binoculars and warm jackets are provided for your use and wildlife information sheets are yours to take home, all free of charge.
• Please dress warmly to ensure you will be comfortable throughout the duration of the cruise.

Small groups (approx 12-14 people max, unless by request or discretion of the skipper, as we are surveyed for 20.)

 You will start and finish at the same location, unless you would like to finish in a different location, then please ask us:)

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Small groups (approx 12-14 people max, unless by request or discretion of the skipper, as we are surveyed for 20.)

 You will start and finish at the same location 1.5 hours later, approx, unless you would like to finish in a different location, then please ask us:)

Extra info:

TO WALK: The wharf is approx 400 metres (or five- ten minutes), self guided walk from the Port Chalmers Yacht Club, from Cruise Ship Terminal Building.

To get there from cruise ship terminal building, leave the building at and cross the road to the footpath, to walk AWAY from the main Port Chalmers township, towards the logging yards.

Start walking TOWARDS the Port logging area. You will have pine logs on your left and a steep clay/grassy bank to your right.

Its a flat, easy paved footpath, you will come to the Port Chalmers Yacht Club.

We do not offer transport between cruise ship terminal building and the wharf we depart from.

(And there is no wharf that small boats can get to, closer to where the ships berth.)

You will finish that the same place that you start, Port Chalmers.

If your cruise ship is delayed or needs to leave early, we will do our best to accommodate you with perhaps utilizing another timeslot.

If your cruise ship visit in cancelled and you can give us some notice we may be able to refund you.

The usually cancellation periods are 36 hours by written message, or 24 hours by phone call during NZ business hours (8:30am-6:00pm, every day). This can be adapted on consultation with and at the discretion of the owner.

However, we must also meet our costs for sailing, so should we not get enough notice of changes, and we have been advised OUTSIDE the cancellation period, we may need to charge to cover our running costs. This may be the case if we have accepted others to join the cruise on the basis that the combined number of people were going to meet those.

However, we are not a bunch of meanies, so we'll do our best to help you and to be fair in all cases:)

We DO NOT provide food, please bring your own if you wish.

We do not take wheelchairs or scooters sorry, unless they are light (less than 10 kgs and can fold up) and the person can sit on a seat during the cruise. We CAN take walkers but please write this in your notes so we can accommodate.