A relaxed breakfast before being picked up at the B&B for our overnight excursion to Doubtful Sound (latterly referred to as 'hell' by one member of the crew). Our hosts kindly allow us the leave the car and luggage there to be picked up tomorrow, even though we are not staying another night. No worries about car parks and luggage in boot.
Initially a coach takes us to Pearl Harbour (not the one bombed by the Japanese). As Doubtful Sound is not accessible by mainland road, we are ferried across Lake Manapouri.
Our bed for the night, The Fiordland Navigator is waiting for us at the dockside.
We settle into cabin number one, and the boat sets sail. Well chugs out really, as it mainly uses engines for propulsion. The sails are only for show as the boat has a tiny keel and would topple over in a strong wind - or capsize if you want to be technical about it.
There is plentiful complimentary tea and coffee as well as a muffin offering to start us off. Carol, our nature, history, landscape and geology guide, gives a running commentary as the boat makes it's way through the sound to the Tasman Sea. Although it is called a sound this isn't really correct, it is a Fjord - formed by glaciation events and flooded with sea water overlain with freshwater from glacial meltwater and rain. There is a lot of rain here, it can be as much as six metres a year, and ten inches in one go is not unusual.
Our first wildlife sighting, Bottlenose Dolphins, surfing the bow wave and leaping out of the water alongside the boat. They stayed with us for a short while and then went on their way.
The weather is not raining but rather dull and blowing a gale. Many people stayed indoors, but not us hardy souls. The air was rather bracing and we were barely able to stand against the breeze, but it was good fun.
We were allowed to go onto the bridge and talk to the skipper, so this was our port of call for a bit of a warm-up between the windy episodes. A great view all round and some interesting instrumentation made for pleasant chatting.
At the entrance to the Fjord there is a New Zealand fur seal colony that we visit next. There are mummy seals feeding the pups.
Returning to slightly more sheltered section we came across the rare Crested Penguins - they were so cute!
Offerings of soup are declined in favour of more wildlife watching.
The boat drives to a sheltered arm of the Fjord to anchor for the night. Those wanting to participate in activities were able to do so now. There was a choice of kayaking or a ride in a tender boat with the nature guide, followed by swimming if you so wished. We didn't take them up on the offer of the latter- 12 degrees water temperature and a cold wind does not offer the sort of encouragement you need for swimming. One of us opted for a ride on the tender, the other decided to stay on board to grab some peace and quiet - it's a Public Holiday weekend here and the boat has its full compliment of seventy odd people, including quite a few children. Bah Humbug.
The tender ride was a little congested but provided examples of local flora, Carol had brought a bucket with some vegetation samples in, and also brought the tender close to the shore so we could look more closely at the living trees, shrubs, ferns and mosses. There were lots of other little tit bits of information as well, which was really good.
Back on board and it was time for the swimming activity - they must be bonkers!
Dinner waited on them finishing their madness. The vegetarian had been concerned enough about what there was going to be to eat that they had packed some edibles, just in case. It turned out there was no need to worry, food was freshly prepared and cooked, plenty of variety and tasted delicious. Incredible how they can cook that well in such a confined space for that many people.
There is an after dinner entertainment - a presentation by the nature guide, luckily not attended by the full compliment of guests, and very interesting. Breakfast is a 7am to 8am sharp apparently! There may be a chance for more dolphin spotting in the morning, they were seen on yesterday's cruise, but at 6:45am. No problems about waking up in time, Captain will start the engines at 6:30. And so to bed...
...Awake at 6 and look out of the window.
Get dressed just in time as the dolphins appear on one side of the boat before we even have breakfast. Totally amazing as they are leaping clear out of the water. On the side of the boat there are some blue penguins floating on the water.
Breakfast was equally tasty as dinner was last night. It had rained in the night but was now clearing as we made our way to another arm of the Fjord. We also see some Scaup, and some more Crested Penguins. Delightful.
The part of the Fjord we are entering now is supposed to be one of the most beautiful. The water is calm and reflects the sides of the Fjord and the clouds magnificently. They switch off the boats engines and generators for five minutes of silence, asking people to stay quietly in one place (tricky for some of the children, but they mostly manage it). Engines restarted we head back to the dock for our return journey.
The bus driver taking us back to our B&B seems to be in no hurry. A very laid back manner and interest in chatting to other bus drivers means that it is an hour later before we can pick up the car for our onward journey. There is a three and a half hour drive ahead until we reach Wanaka (pronounced Wonaka) so we know we should limit our stops. The sun is still shining as we make our way along Lake Wakatipu and past Queenstown pausing only for some brief photo opportunities.
We pass a sign saying the road over the Crown Range mountains is closed, we pull in to an information point and the detour is a long way around. Cars appear to be going along the alpine route so we go back to check the closed sign only to find written in small letters at the bottom that this is to be on Nov 1st. The road is rather dramatic, with even more extreme switchbacks than we have seen before. The scenery is similarly impressive.
It's a long way down.
The switchback road.
Dropping into Cardrona we see another of those bra fences, but this time many of them had been cut away (we later learn that this is by vigilantes!).
We reach Wanaka and book into the accommodation, which has a rather nice outlook over gardens.
Hunger pangs have set in and a meal is in order before we head off to the Cinema Paradiso to see 'Pride'. Good food and a very enjoyable film in a rather unusual cinema.
Google "Paradiso cinema Wanaka" to see the full wierdness.
Coincidentally, we discover a young couple in front of us, who in the intermission turn and say how the film is making them homesick for their adopted homeland -Wales. Not only that, but he has a house in Bridgend whilst she was in college in Swansea and a roommate of a colleague in CCW who lives in the home town.