Treat yourself to a relaxing evening on a kayak witnessing Auckland's authentic glowing nature. Get kitted out with all the gear you need and then paddle off down the Okura River with your personalised 1-6 ratio (guide-guests) group to witness the sea lights.

Our bioluminescence kayak tour is peaceful, breathtaking, and somewhat other-worldly! Come on an adventure with us to discover bioluminescence up close and personal! Enjoy a most wonderful 2-hour tour with friends or family or come along yourself, our friendly guides will make you feel comfortable and ensure you have a magical evening out on the water.

What in the world is bioluminescence?
There are SIX distinct bioluminescence we look for.

1. “Big Blue”. This is where the surface of the water lights up with amazing blue Plankton.
2. “Galaxy” is seen when you move your hand or paddle just under the surface. The water lights up with tiny bioluminescent stars. It looks like a whole new galaxy underwater.
3. “Iceberg” is a Zoo Plankton called salps. We believe it has eaten so much Phytoplankton that it glows continuously as it floats past you.
4. “Magical Fish”. These small fish are about 10mm to 15mm. They are thought to be eating so much Phytoplankton that they continuously glow. They swim around leaving a super fine trail of bioluminescence. Sometimes, you can even pick them up in your cupped hand, just extraordinary!
5. “Fairy Dust”. An incredibly soft dusting of fine bioluminescence over the surface.
6. “Reef Sparkle”. Described as seeing underwater city lights. This type is found just under the surface of the water around reefs we pass by on tour.

• Watch the sunset slip below the horizon and enjoy an exhilarating
night paddle.
• Be one of the few to see this natural phenomenon.
• We have a 95+ percent chance of seeing at least one of these types of Bioluminescence on every trip however, Iceberg and Magical Fish are very rare (5%). On some extraordinary nights you may be lucky enough to see all of these.

How does bioluminescence occur?
Bioluminescence occurs through a chemical reaction that produces light energy within an organism’s body. For a reaction to occur, a species must contain luciferin, a molecule that when it reacts with oxygen, produces light. In the ocean, bioluminescence is not as rare as you may think. Bioluminescence is found in many marine organisms: bacteria, plankton, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish, and sharks to name just a few. In fish alone, there are about 1,500 known species that luminesce.

Bioluminescent organisms live throughout the world’s oceans, from the surface to the depths of the seafloor, from near the coast to the open ocean. In the depths of the sea, bioluminescence is extremely common, and because the deep sea is so vast, bioluminescence may be the most common form of communication on the planet!