NZ holidays: Highlights of a Bay of Islands cruise

Connect with nature on a Bay of Islands' marine cruise. Photo / Getty Images

Vanessa McKay is the captain and owner of Carino Wildlife Cruises. She spends her days sailing catamaran in the Bay of Islands.

I have been sailing since I was 7 years old. I was lucky to have parents who took my brother and me on a South Pacific sailing adventure. We spent more than two years exploring the marine environment. Sometimes I think I was a fish!

Vanessa McKay is the captain and owner of Carino Wildlife Cruises. Photo / Supplied

Carino Wildlife Cruises is a marine conservation business, sustained by tourism. Our company is the only yacht permitted by DoC to encounter marine mammals. We are the only business in the Bay of Islands to be certified as a responsible dolphin-watching operator by WCA, an international organisation with global criteria. Our responsible tourism values make us committed to gifting 10 per cent of our income to local environmental charities and providing opportunities for local children to experience the marine environment and to inspire them to become marine kaitiaki.

Our island and wildlife day cruise creates a place for guests to connect with nature and inspire them to make a real difference in protecting our precious environment. Our guests sail the Bay of Islands, enjoy watching penguins and seabirds, stop at a scenic island reserve, snorkel at subtropical reefs and have a chance to view wild marine mammals in their natural habitat.

Our guests love our passion and stories about marine wildlife. I am always asked, “How do you know the dolphins by name?” and I explain that I have been skippering Carino NZ for more than 28 years and have watched baby dolphins being born; seen them learn to jump, catch a fish, find their own pod and have babies. They are just like family to us.

Dolphins frolicking in the Bay of Islands. Photo / Getty Images

Carino guests are also encouraged to help with data research, like counting penguins, gannets or dolphins, whatever wildlife is seen, and that data is used by DoC to improve wildlife management.

Most guests don’t know that every person that cruises with us contributes directly to marine mammal research and education and a portion of their fare is gifted to our charity Carino Marine Explorers Trust, which supports local children’s marine education programmes. This allows every guest to give back to our local community.

As for those keen on joining us on a day trip one day soon, the biggest tip I have for cruising is this – put down the camera and take in the wildlife.

To learn more about Carino Wildlife Cruises and to book a trip, visit wildlifecruises.co.nz