Swimming with dolphins in their natural marine environment is high on the wish lists of many who visit New Zealand. Tauranga is a good place to fulfill this ambition, as the Bay of Plenty is frequented by large pods of dolphins. With more than a

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Swimming with dolphins in their natural marine environment is high on the wish lists of many who visit New Zealand. Tauranga is a good place to fulfill this ambition, as the Bay of Plenty is frequented by large pods of dolphins. With more than a decade of experience, the skipper of the Gemini Galaxsea, Butler, is a good choice of guide. Family members who want to get in the water with the dolphins can either free-swim and snorkel with them or make use of the boat's swim bar (particularly useful when the dolphins are moving fast). Pod size varies considerably: With common dolphins, it can range from ten to 200, while for bottlenose dolphins, ten to 30 is more usual. Once they have arrived near the boat, though, both types of dolphins tend to stay for about an hour, providing plenty of photo and swimming opportunities. Other wildlife that passengers may well spot from Gemini Galaxsea includes orcas, pilot whales, little blue penguins, and various seabirds.

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