Bright yellow dawn of new Auckland ferry era

The new Explore ferry service will conduct 12 trips a day. Photo / Dean Purcell.

A new company will ferry passengers to Waiheke, Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands from today - bringing two upmarket, though smaller, boats to Auckland's harbour.

Explore Company's bright yellow vessels - with three decks, comfier seats and USB ports in the windows - will conduct 12 trips a day across the 18km of water.

A third, and larger, boat was expected to join the yellow fleet in coming weeks, bringing welcome competition for Fullers Group, which has dominated the water for the past 20 years.

The Herald put the two services to the test yesterday, travelling to Waiheke on Explore and returning on Fullers.

Explore offered free rides yesterday, and passengers aboard welcomed the new service.

"I'm just pleased with some competition, competition is healthy," said Lawrence Barker, who has a holiday home on Waiheke and travels there most weekends.

"The fares are fairly similar at the moment so they don't have a good advantage there, but it is very nice."

Waiheke local Anne Morris was aboard the Fullers service to Auckland and was hoping the new ride would reduce summer congestion.

Both services were true to time when the Herald was aboard, but Explore's brand new interior and modern features were an obvious winner.

The three decks were also a novel feature, with larger and more comfortable chairs described as "like a bed only to sit", by German tourist Hannah Gallinat.

The company's fares were slightly cheaper for one-way tickets, and offered the same prices for return fares.

Fuller's was able to offer passengers fares that included riding its Waiheke Island coaches.

Explore managing director William Goodfellow said the business, known for its tourism ventures in the Bay of Islands and Australia, was here to stay.

"We are long-term players ... "

He said the company aimed to rope in the attractions of all three islands to grow the total market for visitors, rather than share the existing one.

Fullers managing director Douglas Hudson said the company had invested $10 million this year in new vessels, and he was encouraged by other people putting their money into vineyards and restaurants.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development manager of tourism Jason Hill said Waiheke was a big part of Auckland's solid tourism growth.