Joe Louis transfers a campervan across cook strait
In the 1977 James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me, Agent 007 drives a Lotus Esprit S1 sports car through a long chase in the Italian countryside and eventually plunges the vehicle right into the sea. Without missing a beat, the car astonishingly transforms itself from a sporty roadster into an underwater submarine. Bond steers the amphibious submersible onward and destroys the enemy with attached torpedoes.
Unfortunately our hired campervan was not equipped with the same technology. Instead we needed to find an alternative method to getting it from the South Island of New Zealand to the North Island. Fortunately there are several companies that run ferry services across the Cook Straight and transport vehicles as well as passengers (and even pets). Interislander is probably the most advertised ferry provider, but we actually went with Bluebridge because our campervan rental contract included a discount for ferry transport with them.
The booking process is pretty straightforward, but I would recommend making a reservation at least a week or two in advance to ensure a spot. The ships run several times a day, but availability can be limited especially during high tourist season. The fares vary by size of the van, and cost us over $100 but is still much easier than having to hire a different car on the other island. Look for discounts with your rental company and on other websites.
We drove to the dock in Picton early in the morning an hour before check in to make sure we had plenty of time for check-in. The process was pretty painless, and after waiting 30 minutes in the rain we started to slowly board along with the stream of other vans. If you are traveling with a friend, you may want to use the bathroom before checking in. My friend and I took turns running to the portable toilet while waiting in line.
Once the car was parked on the ship, we went up a few levels and the rest was just a regular ferry ride. After a few hours we arrived in Wellington and drove off into the midday sun.
See what other blogs are saying about transporting campervans across Cook Straight:
“Then we lined up with all the other cars and vans and got ready for the go signal to drive onto the ferry. There were a lot of vehicles and, because we had a giant camper van, we got on near the end. The whole process was very efficient and, once the traffic started moving, took us less than 15 minutes.”
–Taking on the World
“After cruising through the calm waters of the Marlborough Sounds, my seasickness kicked in once crossing the Cook Strait. I tried to nap off the sickness for the remaining journey. While on the deck to calm my stomach, I was able to see see the North Island before returning to my seat to doze off.”
–Angela Travels
