My name is Pete - myself, wife Takutai and son Tane run Myths & Legends Eco-Tours in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. We are a Maori Family who operate personalized Eco-Tours on a 75 yr old Kauri planked classic launch called "Tutanekai" that has a character and charm that makes people feel comfortable and relaxed.
We visit remote bays & inlets far from the usual tourist beat, using local knowledge we visit dolphins, seals, bird colonies a shipwreck, Island bird Sanctuary, Wildlife Sanctuary, Derelict Whaling Station, Captain Cooks Monument, (the lonely Planet have stated that Ship cove is so beautiful that it is one of the 6 must see tourism destinations in the world) & Guided Bush walks through native forests.
Our cruise is very educational, an opportunity for tourists to interact with Maori, learn about our culture, our history, & learn about the Maori world view regarding the environment.
Our kaupapa is to keep the lost art of story telling alive, the old people say that stories stimulate dreams & if we lose the ability to dream our spirits will die. We connect with people at spirit level, one lady told us that our stories had left footprints on her heart!
We can introduce you to friends of ours that live in remote bays, it is often the meeting of these interesting characters that leave lasting memories.
Have a beachcomb, a paddle or swim at a secluded beach & relax & unwind. If you are travel weary Takutai will put soft cushions under you, wrap you in a warm duvet, and let the ocean waves rock you off to sleep. This is pure relaxation.
One of the great attributes of the Marlborough Sounds is that it is a sheltered inland waterway, so for those of you who worry about seasickness, Don’t. Nobody has ever been seasick on our trips inside the Sounds. If chilly, Takutai will serve up some homemade soup & make some hot Maori bread. If the tides are right,she will gather you some green lipped mussels off the rocks or get you to wade out and collect some cockles, which go down well with a bottle of Marlborough Wine.