Bay of Islands paradise, dolphins and Captain Cook

The Bay of Islands premier holiday spot Paihia is an appealing place with three gorgeous sandy beaches, attractive waterfront accommodation, lively bars and restaurants. It is also the starting point for a vast array of water activities.  With over 144 islands scattered throughout the Bay of Islands not getting out on the water would seem rather criminal. With this in mind I joined one of the popular ‘Hole in the Rock’ cruises which I was told was a must do. As I peered over the front railings of the boat and did my very best titanic impression I was fortunate to spot several little penguins and even a hammerhead shark. These crystal clear turquoise waters teemed with marine life. Being at the front of the boat also had its advantages when we cruised out to Piercy Island and its famous ‘hole’. If the conditions are right the boat ventures right through the very middle of the hole and out to the Pacific Ocean beyond - a surreal experience. Sailing out around the islands we were told some fascinating stories. Robertson Island was where Captain Cook had anchored the Endeavour. My personal highlight was Black Rocks where only the tops are visible from the lava flow left behind about 1.2million years ago. The rocks are actually sheer cliffs which drop down to the sea floor as far as thirty metres below, quite incredible.  The climax of the trip for everyone though was the spotting of several fins surfing through the water as a pod of bottle nosed dolphins raced towards our boat.  They apparently frequent the bay and are spotted regularly. They love to frolic around and swim with the boats and were grandly applauded as they put on quite an acrobatic show.