GISBORNE

Teal Motor Lodge

This four star motel consists of 20 self contained motel apartments and is situated within walking distance to the city centre. The centrally located motel has everything you could possibly want, including a large salt-water swimming pool, liquor licensed premises (a vending machine which serves alcohol!), PlayStation hire, Baby sitting services, high-speed wireless Internet, cooked and continental breakfast and scooter hire.



I took advantage of their scooters and cruised all over Gisborne in style. After Stewart gave me the low down on how to work the scooter and I did a few practice rides around the motel, I set off on my adventure. It really is a great way to see the town.




There is a range of accommodation available from studio units to a two bedroom apartment. Our one bedroom spacious and modern apartment featured a fully self-contained kitchen, stylish bathroom, a dinning table with chairs, a lounge and a plasma screen TV.





Stewart was a great host, extremely friendly and helpful. Teal Motor Lodge provides an ideal platform to enjoy Gisborne's diverse landscape and other natural attractions, including renowned surfing breaks.

Prices start from $125. For more information visit their website: www.teal.co.nz

Dive Tatapouri

The base is situated on the water front at Tatapouri in Gisborne and features magnificent views across the Tatapouri Reef. Dive Tatapouri offers a range of marine experiences including, the Reef Ecology Tour, Shark Cage Diving, and the Rere Rockslide, Fishing Charters, Dive Charters, and Snorkel Tours. They also provide backpacker style accommodation, which is popular with kiwi experience and magic buses. The activities can be packaged in with the accommodation.

Reef Ecology Tour

The half an hour drive from Gisborne to Tatapouri is along some of the best surfing beaches in New Zealand. After we met everyone else who was doing the tour and had some complimentary tea, our guide Steve provided us with waders and a a large bamboo stick. Waders are boots and waterproof pants sewn together and miraculously keep you completely dry underneath! These stylish pants are sure to be seen on the Victoria Secret runway very soon.



Steve gave a run through on the safety breach and explained the types of species we will be encountering on our reef experience. He also told us that the species of sting rays we will be feeding is the species that killed Steve Irwin- GREAT.

Before we walked out across the reef at low tide, Johan waded out and brought in the stingrays using bait fish. By the time we got out their and formed our guard with the bamboo poles there was about 3 eagle ray stingrays (the smaller ones). The bamboo poles are used to stop the sting rays crawling up your legs, quite a daunting concept but it didn't happen to anyone on my tour.





After everyone felt a bit more comfortable with the eagle stingrays it was our turn to feed them. Just as it was my turn to feed the stingrays Steve announced “OO here come the big ones”. Just my luck. As I hesitantly held the frozen fish away from my body, a stingray that was at least 2 metres wide glided onto my arm and sucked up the fish.






Shark Cage Diving

An early start for myself and Amanda, we arrived at Dive Tatapouri at 6.30am. Complimentary breakfast, tea and coffee were provided as we all relaxed and watched the sunrise. Our guide today was Dean who is the creator of Dive Tatapouri with his partner Chris. We put our wetsuits and booties on and then boarded the boat.






For the more adventurous people, this was the ultimate adventure. On the way out to the sharks take in the marine wildlife, observe the albatross and other bird species flying over head, and breathe in the fresh salt air of the ocean.

We anchored a few miles out from the shore. Once Dean put the bait buckets and a couple of fish heads out, he cranked up the radio and put out a few fishing lines for us to use. This is not only for entertainment but also helps attract the predators down below. After about an hour of fishing, singing along to the music and soaking in the sun our first shark arrived- time to get into the cage.





The ability to view wild sharks so close but from the safety of an underwater enclosure is seriously cool. You feel utterly safe yet the shark is eye level with you and less than a metre away. It really was an amazing experience.





For more information on the activities and tours with Dive Tatapouri please visit their website at: www.divetatapouri.com