Some of the activities we offer are land based, some take place on the river and some out on the sea.
Our base for all activities is the waterside heritage home in Opotiki known as 'The Wharf Hub'.
Whether you are a specialist sports fisher or just interested in the marine world, our goal is to enthrall you with a suited marine activity.
Some of the range of Marine Life Tours options are as follows. Clicking on any Option will give more more details and costs.
FREE: Our Opotiki Community Reef photo board.
Option 1. Reef Building 101 (1 hour)
Option 2. Reef Builder Experience (1or 2 days)
Option 3. Opotiki Harbour Tours (1 hour)
Option 4. Blue-green Fishing (3 - 4 hours)
Option 5. Open Ocean Aquaculture and Kingies (2 - 3 hours)
Option 6. Kayak Opotiki (1- 6 hours)
Option 7. Guided Beach Walks (As long as you'd like)
Option 8. Specialised river fishing.
Option 9. Family and Memory Reefs
Option 10. Sponsored Environment Reefs
FREE: The Opotiki Water Park (Summer months)
More detailed information below:
FREE: Our Opotiki Community Reef photo board.
Outside our Opotiki based 'Wharf Hub' is a fun reef picture photo board where you are welcome to take your own pictures. If you later go to FaceBook, search 'Opotiki Community Reef' and 'Like' it, you can then post and tag this picture in our Memory Pyramid pictures folder to go into our next Memory Reef to be deployed. We will let you know when and where your picture is deployed. Have fun with this one. Suits all ages.
Option 1. Reef Building 101
(1 hour at the Wharf Hub) Week days 10.30am and 1.30pm or at other times by arrangement. Suitable for all.
This abridged course in 'reef initiation' examines the background to reef building around the World and introduces some unique elements including Maori kaitiakitanga concepts.
Toward the end you make a personalised 'seadisc' reef module that is used in to help in building the Opotiki Community Reef.
Ordinary clothing is fine. All materials provided. Register as a friend of the 'Opotiki Community Reef'.
Cost $40 per person, $30 school age kids.
Option 2. Reef Builder Experience (Allow for 5 hour days, 10 am to 3 pm)
This 1, 2 day or longer experience starts with the foundation Reef Building 101 and moves into practical reef building, an examination of how to create sustainable fisheries, and lots more depending on the time available.
If sea conditions are good it can include boat deployment work (and usually catching a few fish for tea).
Casual wear that you can do concrete work in is recommended. Refreshments and simple luncheon included. All materials included. Modules constructed are donated to the Opotiki Community Reef.
Cost $180 per person per day. $300 2 days. Groups 2 to 10.
Option 3. Opotiki Harbour Tours (1 hour)
Allow an hour to be taken up and down Opotiki's two joining rivers, hear of early history and view our local bird life. See where new Harbour Groynes are planned to be built. $40 pp. Groups up to 5.
Available on request. Suitable for all tides.
Option 4. Blue-green Fishing on Opotiki Community Reef (3 - 4 hours)
Our fishing is as about green as it gets. We help to grow the fish we catch, use stone sinkers, circle hooks and more. Don't underestimate the power of reefs to produce good fish or you will be blue. Bring a chilli bin to take fish home in.
The reef is just a few kilometers out but river bar crossing and tide constraints mean we fish hard and fast to get back in time. Although many find the bar crossing a really thrilling aspect of the day, safety is our first concern and we only use the bar on days deemed 'workable' by the Harbour Master.
If sea conditions are not good or if you get a bit queezy on the sea, then surfcasting or longline fishing off the local beaches provides an excellent back up plan. Specialist rods, tuition and guide provided at the same price. Swim gear, a change of clothes, towel and wind breaker are good to bring.
The generally more productive early morning or evening fishing times can be accommodated on request.
$120 per person includes bait, rods and tuition as needed.
Option 5. Open Ocean Aquaculture and Kingies (2-3 hours)
With the recent deployment of open ocean greenlip mussel aquaculture going ahead in Opotiki, we can now take you to see the lines with an underwater drop camera. If tides and seas permit, a time for jig fishing of kingfish resident in the area should add to the action. A 20 kilometer round trip. Allow 2-3 hours.
$140 per person includes rod and specialised lures. Lost tackle is chargeable.
Option 6. Kayak Opotiki (1-8 hours)
New in 2009. Be dropped off 10km upstream on the Waioeka River, ranked one of the top 10 rivers in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Grade 1-2. Allow 2-3 hours.
If you are new to kayaking, get your confidence by kayaking in the Opotiki Estuary and out to the sea. Take a picnic snack and land on the sandy headlands.
Be prepared to get wet. Swim wear, towel required.
First hour (on the water) $30
2 hrs hire $40
3 hrs to half a day $50
Full day hire $80
Family or group rate - less 25%
Drop off up river $10
Guided Harbour Tours $60 per person, allow 2 hours (Min 2) Other extras available include hot shower and fresh towel. FREE photo Certificate.
Option 7. Guided Beach Walks (As long as you'd like)
Opotiki is blessed with long, expansive and quite deserted ocean beaches. These are easy to access and open to all but if you'd like a bird and marine wildlife guide on your walks then we offer this service.
Option 8. Specialised river fishing.
Opotiki locals are often found fishing from the historic wharf for sprats (yellow eyed herrings) and kahawai (sea trout).
We offer specialised river fishing using appropriate gear. Some of the species we target include eels, kahawai, whitebait and flounder.
Snorkel diving in front of the Wharf Hub for pacific oysters is also possible.
Cost depends on other MLT Options being accessed, tuition required and guide services.
Option 9. Family and Memory Reefs
Get involved in building a special reef for your whanau (family) or in commeration of a loved one.
Each module can be made with family members names inset.
The coordinates of the reef can be kept private. It all helps grow more fish in the Community Reef, so others benefit too.
Contact us for pricing and more details. See also www.memoryreefs.com
Option 10. Sponsored Environment Reefs
If you are an educational body, a city, a country or corporation, then progressively building up a reef over time is possible.
AFS students from around the World come each year to the Eastern Bay of Plenty and add more modules to their sponsored reef.
You get to build the modules, name them, deploy them in close proximity to each other and have the naming rights to the entire reef built.
We can display the reef name on appropriate web sites. You can use for any publicity purposes.
Contact us to discuss this option in more detail.
FREE: The Opotiki Water Park (Summer months)
The Opotiki Council has recently erected a Water Park right outside 'The Wharf Hub' . With its water slide, swinging ropes and dive platform it is a load of fun and presents a challenge for many. Clean fresh river swimming at its best. As a client you can use the outdoor solar shower and get changed at the Wharf Hub.
Marine Life Tours will appeal to anyone with an interest in fishing, marine life and/or the environment in general.
Spending time with Marine Life Tours allows you to develop a deeper understanding of marine life and strengthen your connection with it.
We are a hands on operation that helps people give back to the ocean in real ways. Wearing comfortable casual clothing is fine.
Marine Life Tours operates most all year round.
Prior bookings avoids disappointments.
Disclaimer: Water activities always have a higher inherent risk factor attached to them. Marine Life Tours takes all due care and promotes safe boating and shore fishing practices but accepts no responsibility in the event of any mishap.
