Trip Details

This trip is simply dedicated to taking photography. Cruise through Paterson Inlet to Foveaux Straits and to nearby islands. Look out for and view seabirds including majestic albatross, petrels, prion, shearwater, skua, penguins and cormorants. Your Skipper / Guide will try to maximise your photo opportunities by finding birds and pointing out interesting subject matter, along with assisting with bird identification.

Important:

  • This trip will only operate in suitable weather.  
  • Where we do not have minimum numbers, but suitable weather, we may offer our Paterson Inlet Wildlife Cruise, with a focus on photography. 
LOCATION

Paterson Inlet and nearby Islands out from Halfmoon Bay, in Foveaux Straits.

BIRDS SEEN

Birds commonly seen in the area include:

Southern royal albatross, white-capped mollymawk, Buller's mollymawk, Salvin's mollymawk, northern giant petrel, skua, sooty shearwater, common diving petrel, cape pigeon, white-fronted tern, black-fronted tern, fairy prion, little blue penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, Fiordland crested penguin, Stewart Island shag, spotted shag, pied shag, little black shag, pied and variable oystercatchers.

WILDLIFE SEEN

We see New Zealand fur seals and sea lions. Occasionally we may see bottle-nosed dolphins.

Testimonial

"...we had a wonderful 3 hours with the Mollyhawks. Our photographer friend was in photographers heaven. We saw little blue penguins, a glimpse of an elusive yellow eyed penguin, cormorants and more..."

Itinerary

  • What we do

    We pick you up from your accommodation, take you to Golden Bay Wharf. Embark our boat for your trip.

    Your skipper will make you comfortable, show you where we are going and take you on our leisurely and informative cruise. 

    We travel past Halfmoon Bay, towards nearby Whero Rock and Bench Island. Occasionally we may visit nearby Muttonbird Islands.

    We return to Golden Bay Wharf or Halfmoon Bay Wharf depending on schedules.

PIWC NZ 2015 64 3
Ruggedy Range™
Spotted shag

Pricing & Info

Adult

NZ $240.00

Includes

Photography tour, transfers to and from Golden Bay Wharf, admin costs.

Min persons

6 persons

Important: If your booking is for less than the minimum, check to see if we have achieved the minimum or, we can reserve spaces, whilst we await further bookings.

Max persons

7 persons

Duration

3 hours

Time

Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
9.00 am to 12.00 noon or 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm

Important: May operate morning or afternoon subject to weather / sea conditions / tides or slightly adjusted time.

 

Start/End

Golden Bay Wharf

Suitable for

Reasonable fitness and agility.

Departure Dates

Prior bookings are essential.  
Additional dates (including off-season) may be available subject to feasibility and staff availability.  Note: we are hoping to run regular weekly tours for the 2020-2021 Season.  Details yet to be finalised.  
Please 
contact us.

 MONTH DATES 
MAY TO SEPTEMBER Please enquire
OCTOBER 2022 To be published
NOVEMBER 2022 To be published
DECEMBER 2022 To be published
JANUARY 2023 To be published
FEBRUARY 2023 To be published
MARCH 2023 7th or 8th 
APRIL 2023 Please enquire