These full day tours usually depart just after sunrise and return to Tutukaka late afternoon, which usually gives us about 9 to 10 hours out on the water, which is plenty of time to enjoy the stunning seabirds.

The Petrel Station location, out on the shelf edge, is approx 40km offshore, and usually takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to get out there depending on conditions, and how often we stop along the way.

The tours usually depart just after sunrise. As sunrise time differs throughout the year the exact departure time will be confirmed closer to the tour date. Very occasionally the weather conditions may dictate that we depart a bit later than sunrise.

Exact departure time is confirmed closer to the the tour date.

We'll return to Tutukaka mid to late afternoon, which usually gives us about 9 to 10 hours out on the water, which is plenty of time to enjoy the stunning seabirds.

You will need to ensure you arrive by the specified departure time as the boat will leave at that time regardless. There are no refunds if you are late and the boat has already departed.

The tours depart from the Tutukaka Marina. Tutukaka is in Northland, New Zealand and is approx half an hour from Whangarei, and 2.5 hours north of Auckland, New Zealand.

There is plenty of all day, free parking available at the marina.

If you're booking domestic flights within NZ to get up here then we’d recommend using the 'Flexi-fare' option just in case the tour gets cancelled.

We have a limit of one bag per person to ensure there's plenty of room onboard to move about the boat.

You’ll need to provide your own food, drink and other supplies for the tour. Please don’t bring alcohol onboard.

New Zealand's sun can be pretty harsh (including sun rays reflected off the ocean surface), so sunblock and a hat are a necessity. Sunglasses are useful too.

A camera (with charged batteries) and binoculars will both enhance your day and leave you with lasting memories too.

For clothing on the day be sure to dress for the conditions for the season you are going out in, and remember weather conditions can change quickly at sea. In summer it is generally pretty warm but can still get wet. In winter it can get very cold (especially if we get a cold southerly wind blasting through) so plenty of warm layers is recommended. Spring and autumn days can be a mixed bag depending on weather so be prepared for any conditions during these seasons. When we’re motoring there can be sea spray/splashes or rain, and mixed with the wind it can get wet/cold. Wet weather gear is recommended at any time of year. Gumboots / waterproof shoes are very useful for the cooler months – and ensure all footwear has good grip to avoid slipping on the deck. Please note that we don't provide any wet weather gear on the tours so you'll need to ensure your own wet weather gear is appropriate for the conditions we could encounter out on the open ocean.

If you have a medical conditions please ensure you bring required supplies onboard, and we request you let us know of any medical conditions in advance.

As we are venturing into an ocean environment you need to take extra care of any items you bring onboard, (including your optical equipment) and these items are your responsibility for the entirety of the tour. Care should be taken with your equipment to ensure it’s well protected while we are moving and out at various stops during the day. As well as the boat moving about, there is also potential for sea spray/sea splashes and rain on the tours.

Also bring along a sense of fun, adventure and discovery :)

These tours are fantastic for upclose viewing of our stunning seabirds – and you’re going to want to take some photos. Make sure your batteries are fully charged before you come and that you’ve got lots of space on your memory card as most people take a LOT of photos during the day. When considering focal length on your camera it’s helpful to know that often the seabirds come in right by the boat, or can be flying around quite close as well.

Binoculars will greatly enhance your day as well for picking up the birds at a distance, and overall observation of their features and behaviour.

As we are venturing into an ocean environment you need to take extra care of your optical equipment. All camera equipment and binoculars are the responsibility of the owner for the entirety of the tour and all care should be taken with your equipment to ensure it’s well protected while we are moving, and when we’re stopped at various locations during the day. There is potential for sea spray/splashes and rain on the tours.

Please don’t bring the following onboard:

• ‘Tripods or Scopes’ as they take up too much room on the boat and are basically useless as even when stationary the boat will be moving due to swell and wind.

• The use of ‘Drones’ on the tour by participants is not permitted.

There’s lots of accommodation and food options locally in Tutukaka and Ngunguru (a nearby coastal village).

It’s recommended you check out the cancellation policies with any accomomdation providers, just in case the tour gets cancelled.

Check out the Tutukaka Coast Info page for more details.

The boat we use has fantastic all round viewing for exceptional seabird spotting and photography opportunities. When we’ve stopped motoring you can walk completely around the boat so you can easily see and track the seabirds as they fly around the boat.

The boat is 30.5 feet long x 10 feet wide, and fairly stable – we also use a drogue (sea parachute) which stabilises the boat further when we are out over deep water. The boat viewing area is nice and low to the water and has 1 metre high side walls all around which are perfect to lean against for stability – this makes for great viewing and photo opportunities of the seabirds which are often within metres of us, either flying around or settled on the water next to us.

The boat is pretty basic in terms of facilities. For seating there are a couple of benches and a few big chilly bins (so there can be a bit of standing involved). An overhead canopy offers shade when it's sunny, and there's pull down plastic sides to shelter behind if the weather gets a bit wet. Lifejackets are available for all onboard. There’s also a small basic marine toilet onboard – there’s a couple of steps down into the enclosed toilet area so care must be taken when entering to avoid falling as the boat moves about.