Early this morning (7:00) we went outside The Waterfront Apartments and found a small bus with a trailer for out backpacks. The driver Danis, informend us the we would have a two hour(ish) drive to the start of out overnight boat trip on Doubtful Sound. If anyone needed a bathroom break we should just let him know. After about an hour we took advantage of a short break to get rid of the beverages we had drunk so far. We stopped in a little town called Garson population 109 and allegedly the most inland village.
A bit later we arrived at Lake Manapouri at the visitors center where we met up with our tour group leader Mandy. We took a 50 minute ride on a ferry to the Manapouri Power Station where we took a bus ride with Chris over the Wilmot Pass road to (finally) Doubtful Sound. The Wilmot road cost $80 per square meter to build. Very expensive but described a money well spent.
Boarded the Tutoko II and met our pilot (Sean) and first mate Josh. Pretty cool dudes to say the least - Josh especially. More later.
We found our berths, stowed the backpacks and set sail. Amazing scenery, simply amazing. I thought I was in a Lord of the Rings movie!
Closeup of kayaks and life ring on Tutoko II.
Some sea lions on the Nee Islands
We went all the way to the end of Doubtful Sound and entered the Tasman Sea. It's actually the Pacific Ocean but the entire west coast of the South Island is the Tasman Sea. Since the seas were so calm we got to go past the Shelter Islands and finally even further out the Nee Islands. These outlying islands help to keep the rough ocean waves from pounding Doubtful Sound. There was a colony of Sea Lions on the Nee Islands and we got real close to them.
Turned around and headed back up the Sound to a place where Josh went scuba diving for lobsters and we were fishing for dinner. Josh brought enough lobsters that each of us had 1/2 a lobster each. Richie Steingart caught a really big Blue Cod and it too fed the group for dinner.
Josh scuba dove and got us a bunch of lobsters!
Kayakers heading out in Precipice Cove.
We then went to Precipice Cove where a few went kayaking. We were later joined by 2 huge yachts also came into Precipice Cove - one had TWO helicopters on it!
High above the Doubtful Sound at Wilmot Pass
Closeup of kayaks and life ring on Tutoko II.
Dolphins in a bay
Heading back to Doubtful Sound from The Tasman Sea
Some sea lions on the Nee Islands
Turned around and headed back up the Sound to a place where Josh went scuba diving for lobsters and we were fishing for dinner. Josh brought enough lobsters that each of us had 1/2 a lobster each. Richie Steingart caught a really big Blue Cod and it too fed the group for dinner.
Josh scuba dove and got us a bunch of lobsters!
Our pilot Sean at the helm
Kayakers heading out in Precipice Cove.
Around the dinner table
Josh is a trained chef and at one point was on a New Zealand food show. Needless to say the meals were quite delicious! He is really a pastry chef and he whipped up a angel food cake with merangue frosting. Really good.
After a great dinner we went to sleep for the night.
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