New Zealand Tall Ship Cruises

Tallship Soren Larsen

• From her Auckland base, Tallship Soren Larsen makes four- to five-day summer cruises, November to May, around the Hauraki Gulf and north to the Bay of Islands. In the New Zealand winter, she goes farther afield, to South Pacific destinations such as Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. Soren Larsen has 12 crew and 22 'voyage crew.' The permanent crew allows you to find a level of participation that suits you, and does not require previous experience. On boarding, the voyage crew find berths and undergo orientation of routines, safety procedures and the watch system, which involves everyone. The Soren Larsen crew promises some hard sailing between anchorages and allows willing volunteers to go aloft. Cruises through the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park give everyone a chance to experience the marine wildlife. The shortest cruise is three days around the gulf at Easter, and the longest (in 2010) is 22 days, to Tonga and the rarely visited Kermadec Islands.

  Tallship Soren Larsen
  Bridgewater Chartering Ltd
  P.O.Box 60-660
  Titirangi
  Auckland 0612
  New Zealand
  011-64-9-817- 8799
  Skype - tallship.soren.larsen

R Tucker Thompson

• This family-owned enterprise pays tribute to ex-pat Californian Robert Tucker Thompson, who brought his young family to New Zealand and passed on his love of the sea. The R.Tucker Thompson, which he started to restore, runs out of Russell in the Bay of Islands. The owner, Tucker's son Tod, offers day-sails, three-day cruises with a strong environmental flavor, a five-day tour of Northland with ten berths available, short trips around the Bay of Islands for school groups and seven-day voyages for youth-training. Thompson says a sailor from 1890 would be quite at home. Seagoing capacity is 15, with 11 in single bunks and two double cabins. The website notes the ship is designed along the lines of a North American Halibut schooner.

  R.Tucker Thompson
  P O Box 42,
  Opua 0241
  Bay of Islands
  New Zealand
  Opua Wharf
  011-64-14-9-402-8430
  tucker.co.nz

Spirit of Adventure Trust

• Any young person, 15 to 19, may apply for a voyage on the tall ship Spirit of Adventure, either directly or through their school, for one of the 10-day voyages that teach team work and independence. A trust runs the onboard youth development program, part of the New Zealand scene since 1980. A permanent crew of five, and as many 'watch captains," runs the cruises and the trust subsidizes the cost of the 10-day courses.

  Spirit of Adventure Trust
  Cnr Quay St and Viaduct Auckland
  PO Box 2276 Auckland New Zealand
  011-64-9-373-2060
  spiritofadventure.org.nz