As a group of six (6) we walked up and asked if there was any room on the jet boat for us. Luck was…read moreon our side as with no booking and a bit of a discount as we were from the cruise ship we were given front row seats on the last ride of the day. Sometimes the best laid plans are no plans. Our jet boat driver was a crack up and a pretty good photographer when it came to taking pics and movies with a gopro. We paid an extra $20 for the digital versions and these were uploaded to a dropbox so we could download them when we got back home. The thrill of 360s was good fun; watching and cheering the bungee jumpers from the bridge was crazy and seeing the harbour from water level was excellent for a change. You will get wet but your laughter will dry you off pretty quickly!

Eleven of us did a thrilling jet boat excursion in the South Island last Christmas and it's…read morereminded me to look into doing this amazing fun activity in my own town. Auckland Jet Boat Tours would be the place I'd book. I passed by their offices at Auckland Viaduct last week and witnessed a boat load of satisfied passengers, grins as proof, stepping off "Ruby Red Lips" the vessel having just been out on the glistening Waitemata Harbour for a ride of a lifetime. Great value if you book the Jet Boat Bungy combo.

People in New Zealand -- the West Pacific -- think that water is "really cold" and requires a…read morewetsuit when it is somewhere in the mid 70s F -- but for me -- that's the perfect temperature. Over here in the East Pacific, we have MUCH chillier water. I brought my own snorkel gear, found a nice family who were not leaving any time soon and deposited my stuff near the non-swimming grandfather to watch, though, being NZ, I had little to worry about. Then - I hopped in the water and swam off to circumnavigate Goat Island, solo and without (gasp!) a PFD or lifeguard. I saw heaps of rays and even some reef sharks. The current between the island and the shore is a bit pushy, so I recommend checking the currents and swimming anticlockwise on an ebbing tide. Total swim was about 2200 meters, and very doable for a strong swimmer. If you're not a strong swimmer - bring a SUP or a kayak and have fun!

The golden beach at Goat Island is the place I completed one of my bucket list items : to skinny…read moredip. It all happened on a sunny afternoon when my boyfriend and I decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of Auckland. We got to Goat Island beach, parked the car and sat on one of the grass patches overlooking the beach and other spectacular views while we munched on some home made goodies. After lunch we decided to walk around, we had no plans to swim as we had dinner plans later on that evening. We walked in the water and soon found ourselves in another area where there is a fountain, I stripped down to my under garments and went in the water. The water was clear, had that green marine colour to it. It wasn't too cold and it felt so good against my skin. Next thing you know I had one less item on my bucket list. Goat island the perfect place to shorten your bucket list, swim, have a picnic and snorkel.

We were heading out for a snorkel at Goat Island Marine Reserve. Mask - check. Flippers - check…read more Wetsuit? Oops... I could have manned up and just battled the cold, but decided instead to drop in at Goat Island Dive and see if I could hire a wetsuit. Of course I could! They were friendly and efficient. Within minutes I was zipped up and for $15 I had the suit for the day. Little sis started chatting to them about doing her Padi. While I slowly melted in the corner, she was given loads of info and advice about their up-coming courses. She got so excited that she booked then and there. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. If you have any questions about snorkeling or diving before heading to Goat Island, it's a good place to stop.

Goat Island Marine Reserve is an absolute diving mecca, so on a good day up there you'll find many…read morehundreds of people of all ages in wet suits and snorkels checking out/marvelling at the local marine life. While some of these folk are pretty hardcore and have their own stuff, you can bet that a fair chunk of them have hired their gear from Goat Island Dive, a snorkel shop which is set up a few minutes up the road from the reserve itself. They have everything you need for a good day in the water, and are full of helpful tips and hints on where to go and what to do - it couldn't be easier. Apparently they also do guided tours out to the outer Gulf which I'm yet to try - certainly on my list of things to do though!

I love the name of this place. If anyone searches a dive shop, well, they'll find it. I did my…read morediver certificate here last year after getting a deal on one of those voucher sites and was thoroughly impressed. It's undoubtedly a pretty scary thing, getting your divers license, and these guys made it really enjoyable. The guy that took us was awesome. He was young and energetic with a great sense of humour, while also being really professional and supportive. We all met at the place each day for two weekends in a row. Each day was started with some paperwork and a bit of theory. The first weekend we spent the afternoons in the pool at New Market and the second we were in Lake Pupuke. We were supposed to be in the sea, but the weather wasn't too flash. We got along really well with most of the other people doing the course and everyone seemed to be having a good time. By the end of the course I felt really good and soon after I went to Fiji on a shark dive and felt super comfortable in the water. Well, as comfortable as you can feel with sharks. We all got great deals on dive gear at the end of the course and are always getting informed about upcoming dive trips. Awesome people, efficient and fun.

From the owner: A Dive Shop for everyone!! Providing all SCUBA diving…read moreactivities - Scuba diving equipment sales - Scuba diving equipment servicing - Air Fills - Dive cylinder testing - Dive trips - Dive Training