Welcome to Banks Peninsula, home of The Hector’s dolphins and eco-tourism pioneers Black Cat Cruises

Category Archives: Hector’s Dolphins

TOURISM OPERATOR TALKS TO DOLPHINS

Dolphi Chat BCC2 April 12 Amazing technology previously only available in the scientific community that allows humans to talk to dolphins is being launched by leading New Zealand tourism operator Black Cat Cruises. New analysis of results from a 1970s experiment found that Dolphins ‘talk’ to each other using the same process to make their high-pitched […]

SWIMMING WITH WILD DOLPHINS

By Deneice Athurston I admit it – I’m a dolphin swim junkie and probably nowhere on the planet can I indulge this passion as much as in New Zealand. What makes New Zealand so special with regards to swimming with wild dolphins is that there are so many companies to choose from and each offer […]

TOP 10 PLACES: WHERE TO SWIM WITH DOLPHINS

New Zealand is home to 11 types of dolphins, and there are a handful of places in the country where you can swim with the playful creatures.  Have you ever wondered where else in the world you can swim with dolphins?  We have!  We did a little research and came up with this round-up of […]

Help Protect our Friendliest Dolphin

Hector’s dolphins are the highlight of many Black Cat cruises, and rightfully so.  Known to be the smallest and friendliest dolphin species, Hector’s are found only in New Zealand.  Aside from their playful dispositions, the dolphins are notable for their rounded dorsal fins and short snouts. Our mission When Black Cat was established in 1985, […]

Top 10 Things to do in New Zealand

CD Traveller.com based in the UK has also named swimming with dolphins in Akaroa as one of their top 10 things to do in New Zealand.   Swimming with dolphins in Akaroa   Whale watch tours in Kaikoura   Tucking into a Maori meal and cultural tour   Partying up a storm in Wellington   […]

One in a Million Experience Swimming with Dolphins

Black Cat Cruises guide Laura Hansen captured this amazing photo of a dolphin ‘spy-hopping’ in Akaroa Harbour. Jason Hagedorn, from Chicago, was swimming with dolphins when the dolphin raised vertically out of the water for an eye to eye encounter. Spy-hopping is the term given to a dolphin or whale raising its head vertically out […]

Christmas Cruising Schedule

Our Xmas day schedule is as follows: Akaroa Harbour Cruises, 11.00am $85/$35 Dolphin swimming 0900, 1200 $174/$144 (watching $144/$44). Christchurch Wildlife Cruise (Lyttelton) 130pm $85/$35 (includes free shuttle) and the Diamond Harbour Ferry is a normal Saturday timetable with nothing after 6pm.

Wonderful Trip Swimming with Dolphins

I just wanted to pass on a big thank you to Hamish and Julian for a wonderful trip swimming with the amazing Hector’s dolphins on Sunday. It was a truly incredible experience made even better by their shared knowledge and enthusiasm which was inspiring. I ended up with some pretty good pics so thought I […]

Will I see dolphins?

This is the question most on people’s lips when they come for a cruise. For the last 4 years every cruise we have taken out on Akaroa harbour has recorded how often we have seen dolphins and the results are as follows. We asked crew to rate the encounters on a scale of Very good […]

THE MONEY SHOT

Every year we take literally thousands of pictures of people swimming with dolphins. This year we held a competition for the best shot and here is the result. Competition winner was swim guide Georgie Shadbolt whose winning picture actually featured another team member, Charlotte White. Georgie won a digital camera for her winning photo. “It […]