Tatapouri Reef Walk & Stingray Feeding

OVERVIEW

Do something you don’t do every day: wade out onto a rock shelf to watch stingrays, fish and octopuses glide gracefully around the shallow reef. You’ll be driven out from town along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway, past the surfing meccas of Wainui and Okitu Beach and on to where Tatapouri reef sits just off the shore. After an enlightening orientation and the donning of provided wading gear, you’ll walk with your guide out to a rocky reef shelf where the waters usually teem with Down Under’s most iconic marine life. Your guide will bring food to entice a visit from squadrons of gentle, magnificent short-tail stingrays and larger eagle rays to the water around you. These creatures mostly feed on local yellowtail kingfish, which in turn feed on jack-like trevally – silvery, blue-green, and highly sought after by fishermen due to their strong fight when on the line. With luck, you’ll be able to witness this entire underwater menagerie from where you stand – along with other undersea residents that frequent the reef. Afterwards, enjoy some refreshments and hear stories about the Maori who were fishing these waters for trevally long before the first Europeans arrived.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel by coach along the Pacific Coast Highway past premier-grade surf beaches to Tatapouri.
• Wearing supplied waders, take a guided walk out to a shallow shelf surrounded by clear water and reef.
• Watch in wonder as your guide uses food and fish-whispering to attract graceful rays, octopuses and other marine life to where you’re standing.
• Observe these gentle creatures gliding in the shallows so close you could even touch them.
• Post-adventure, enjoy refreshments and hear stories about ancient Maori fishing tricks.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing that can get wet.
• Low-heeled shoes that can get wet and a second dry pair to change into are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.