Your hosts of Black Pearl Charters, Mike and Mere Tekotia, are a friendly husband and wife team who have been operating this small charter business since 2005. Mike and Mere were joined by Leo Daniel with the introduction of the White Pearl in 2014, this boat specialises in lagoon/snorkelling and whale watching tours. Leo Daniel, a local identity, has himself over 25 years’ experience in showing visitors our paradise, both the island and in our lagoon.
Please check out reviews on Trip Advisors for guests’ experiences with our crew.
Mike, who is half Aitutakian, and Mere, part NZ maori, are expat kiwis that have been operating Black Pearl Charters in Aitutaki since 2005. Mike (ex-military) and Mere (a radiographer) both decided on a seachange at the end of Mikes military career. After travelling to Aitutaki for a holiday they decided to swap the undulating, tassocked covered, snowy hills of Waiouru, under Mt Ruapehu, for a coconut tree covered, reef and lagoon surrounded small island in the middle of the South Pacific called Aitutaki. Having always been keen recreational anglers in NZ this was the perfect opportunity to turn a passion into a career and so far its been going great.
Black Pearl Charters has two boats operating, “The Black Pearl”, purposely set up for fishing and “The White Pearl”, set up for snorkelling.
