The Cream Trip

Take a trip with me on the famous Cream Trip around the Bay of Islands. The Cream Trip got its name from the original pickup and delivery trip around the various islands in the Bay, collecting the cream and milk cans from the farmers, and delivering the mail and supplies.

With the advent of the new fast catamaran Tangaroa III, the Cream Trip has been expanded to include most of the features of other Bay of Islands boat excursions.

Apart from calling in at some islands to deliver mail and supplies (no cream cans now) the Cream Trip passes by the 5 million year old Black Rocks then on out to the Ninepin Island. From there it's back across the Bay to deliver more mail and supplies before calling at Otehei Bay for lunch at the Zane Grey cafe, and maybe a ride in the Nautilus to view the fish that abound in the area.

In the afternoon the boat travels out to Cape Brett and the Hole in The Rock.

The cruise starts from Paihia. A Christian mission was established here in 1823. Nearby, in 1840, a treaty was signed between the northern Maori chiefs and the British at Waitangi, where the governorship of the country was ceded to Queen Victoria, in exchange for guarantees of Maori rights to their lands, fisheries and forests. It is now a busy tourist town.

Leaving Paihia for the day's cruise.

From here we travel across to Russell for more passengers. It is the oldest town in New Zealand and was headquarters of the South Pacific whaling fleet in the 1830's, when it gained the reputation as the Hellhole of the Pacific. Russell is now a quiet historic town.

Arriving across the harbour at Russell.

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