Ferry Port to Port’s Cycle the Loop allows cyclists to ride down one side of the harbour via the Peninsula Connection or State Highway 88 shared path, catch the ferry across the harbour to the other side and cycle back to their starting point.
Port to Port owner-operator Rachel McGregor said on a nice day it was common to get about five bookings of one or two cyclists, and cycle group bookings were becoming more popular.
So much so, that she keeps the custom-built bike rack from Otago Polytechnic on the back of MV Sootychaser.
"I didn’t put it on for a long time because I didn’t have enough bikes to put on it, but now the bikes just kind of show up willy-nilly."
The bike rack can hold six bikes, and another six fit on the deck underneath.
There is also room for three extra mountain bikes.
One day, she ferried 53 bikes back and forth across the harbour.
She easily loads all the bikes herself, although e-bikes require a bit more work as they are heavier.
It also costs more to take them on the ferry than a mountain bike, because of their weight.
Word of mouth about the loop had spread around the country, as many New Zealanders were taking advantage of it, she said.
A group from Oamaru even travelled to Dunedin especially for the ride.
They seemed to enjoy cycling the loop, and the ferry ride gave them a bit of a break, she said.
"There’s a few things that cheer me up and one is to see the bikes up there."
Recently, 16 riders from the AOK Shark Bell Riders group cycled the loop.
Group organiser John Fridd said the cyclists enjoyed taking a short cruise in the middle of their 40km ride.
On the way, Ms McGregor pointed out some of the harbour’s interesting features and they got a close look at Quarantine Island, he said.
"I believe the harbour circuit using the boat to cross between Port Chalmers and Portobello is going to become one of Dunedin’s popular tourist attractions — out-of-town visitors are already hiring bikes in Dunedin to tackle the trip."
