After much deliberation, we chose the Fuller’s Cream Trip. There are many sightseeing boat trips that go out to the famous "Hole in the Rock" and Cathedral Cave - and some are quite adventurous jet boats. However, they don't all visit the islands in the bay. Fuller's Cream Trip is pretty much an all-day affair, so pack your togs, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, water and lunch, and remember the camera!
What a fabulous day we had. It was leisurely paced and we got to visit many islands and see lots of seabirds and fish.
This trip visits the black rocks and is the only one that does - they are fascinating. We also follow the original cream trip, dropping off supplies and mail to island residents - and we wished we could get off with them! We visited the beautiful double bay, two amazingly blue bays separated by a thin strip of sand.
For the game fishing enthusiasts, we stopped off at Zane Grey's fishing base for lunch. There is a canteen, but it is quite expensive and the food is limited. We had our own lunch, so we hiked to the top of the nearest hill and found a picnic spot with an awesome view of the Bay of Islands.
After this stop, we ventured out to he Hole in the Rock - if it is a calm day (and we were luck it was), the boats can motor through the hole. We then scooted around to view the "naked lady" (a natural rock formation that looks like a woman), and the Cathedral Cave. From here we headed to the Cape Brett lighthouse, where apparently trampers can stay overnight. A hammerhead shark came up near the boat. We followed the ocean line back and were fortunate to come across a pod of dolphins. We had a lovely afternoon of tea and scones, while heading home.