After a short jaunt from Aukland, we were docked in the port city of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty.

We had a grand plan to venture to Lake Rotoiti, renowned for its crystal-clear water, hot springs, and a glow worm cave that sounded as if it was plucked out of a fairy tale. Or, a fantasy of someone really into worms that glow.

Our bus ride to Lake Rotoiti took us past a large expanse of agriculture. Pop quiz: What do you think these vines are?

If you’re waving your hand in the air, thinking, “Grapes! New Zealand = Wine Country,” you’ve made a great guess. Unfortunately, you are incorrect. These are kiwifruit vines. The lower-level vines are the lady kiwis and the taller vines are the gents. Some birds and bees stuff happens and you end up with kiwifruit.

Arriving at the lake, we were introduced to our vessels for the day: two-person kayaks. For the uninitiated, tandem kayaking is known as one of the leading causes of divorce in the world.

With Kris paddling up front, and me in the back pretending to be the captain of our plastic vessel, we navigated past what seemed like ferns on steroids, aiming for the hot springs.

The hour long paddle was an epic struggle. The first half was into a strong headwind. Then we made a left hand turn so that the waves could wash over the kayak. By the time we got to the hot springs we were tired, wet, and cold. Yeah, that was great fun!

The good news is that Manupirua Hot Springs had a cool little bar – a beacon of hope where we refueled before soaking our weary bones in the geothermal bliss. Refreshed, we then set off to see the glow worm caves. They had been hyped up in our minds for three months.

Glow worms aren’t actually worms, but the larvae of small flying insects. They spin silk threads from which they hang and emit light to attract prey. Small flying insects are drawn to the light, become entwined in the silk threads, and make for a tasty snack. New Zealand is famous for its glow worm caves, where thousands of these creatures can create stunning displays of light. In our cave we saw two! It was like expecting a Bruce Springsteen concert and getting a sidewalk performer. And yes, we still had to paddle an hour back to our starting point!

Despite the adventures and misadventures, back on shore, we found camaraderie with some of our fellow cruise mates and paddlers. We shared stories of survival and splendor on the high seas of Lake Rotoiti. Turns out, nearly three hours of paddling makes for a pretty good workout and great bonding.

As we bid adieu to Tauranga, it’s on to the next port, armed with tales of glow worms, kayak escapades, and the eternal question of why anyone thought tandem kayaks were a good idea.

Catch you at the next port, mates.