Bay of Islands kayaking

Wondering if anyone has done this (whether private or ship excursion) and can give me an idea of how much beach/sand needs to be covered on foot to get to the kayak launch site - or even just anyone familiar with the area?

I'm interested in doing the excursion - would book through the ship rather than privately as me being a wheelchair user and BoI being a tender port I've no guarantee I'll actually be able to disembark (and with Princess, I can reserve the shore ex without payment, and be able to cancel up til whatever the closing window is - I think 4 or 5 days before the excursion date on past experience). I'd hoped to be able to communicate with the tour operator directly myself, so contacted Princess to see if I could find out who it might be - partly to find out about access, partly about wheelchair storage, partly to find out whether tour op themselves had any concerns about taking out someone with a disability.

Access Dept came back - wouldn't give me tour op's name, said no concerns with storage, no concerns taking me out, but that there's "lots of sand" (it's a beachfront...I'd figured out for myself there'd be sand...) So - after that wee ramble, anyone know how much is "lots of sand"? Going to reserve anyway and chat to shore ex office once I'm on board - I've got a strapping 6' something baby brother and worst comes to worst I do a very effective bum shuffle :D;):eek: - but I find knowing what I've got to work around well in advance usually means I -can- find a workaround.

TIA

Laura

Wondering if anyone has done this (whether private or ship excursion) and can give me an idea of how much beach/sand needs to be covered on foot to get to the kayak launch site - or even just anyone familiar with the area?

 

I'm interested in doing the excursion - would book through the ship rather than privately as me being a wheelchair user and BoI being a tender port I've no guarantee I'll actually be able to disembark (and with Princess, I can reserve the shore ex without payment, and be able to cancel up til whatever the closing window is - I think 4 or 5 days before the excursion date on past experience). I'd hoped to be able to communicate with the tour operator directly myself, so contacted Princess to see if I could find out who it might be - partly to find out about access, partly about wheelchair storage, partly to find out whether tour op themselves had any concerns about taking out someone with a disability.

 

Access Dept came back - wouldn't give me tour op's name, said no concerns with storage, no concerns taking me out, but that there's "lots of sand" (it's a beachfront...I'd figured out for myself there'd be sand...) So - after that wee ramble, anyone know how much is "lots of sand"? Going to reserve anyway and chat to shore ex office once I'm on board - I've got a strapping 6' something baby brother and worst comes to worst I do a very effective bum shuffle :D;):eek: - but I find knowing what I've got to work around well in advance usually means I -can- find a workaround.

 

TIA

 

Laura

spent my childhood in the Bay of Islands so if you find out some details and want further information just ask, but i just googled kayaking excursions bay of islands and came up with a couple of companies. Maybe its worthwhile emailing them and finding out if they are they companies involved. From what it seems they either leave from Ti Bay, (which was where we lived incidentally) which is a very large and long beach or Paihia Beach is is smaller but still a beautiful beach.

regards Roscoe