Day 6 (Mar 11, 2013): Overnight to Doubtful Sound

The Quick Facts:

* Booked with Tour Operator (Real Journeys) to go on an overnight boat trip to Doubtful Sound

The Good:

* Everything

The Bad:

* Nothing

Don’t think that’s helpful?  Well, go on this trip and you will know that’s the only way to sum it all up.  In the movie “Contact”, when Jodie Foster’s character (a scientist) finally makes it to outer space, she says it’s so beautiful they should have sent a poet, because she had no words to describe the experience she was having.  And so it is with Doubtful Sound.  I will just let the pictures tell you about our journey, which included kayaking in the water with a seal, a spectacular swimming display by dusky dolphins, bottle nose dolphins, and blue penguins.  Also not pictured, the stars we saw once we dropped anchor for the night were so bright and plentiful, and the milky way crystal clear, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

Quickly, Doubtful Sound is part of Fiordland National Park in New Zealand, and is actually not a sound but a fjord.  It was first discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770, but he never went into the sound (or harbor) because he didn’t think (or “doubted”) the westward winds would change and allow him to get back out.  An astute sailor, he was right, as the winds only blow easterly from the Tasman Sea about once a month. The sound is so remote, you must take a boat across Lake Manipouri to another bus that traverses Wilmot Pass just to get to Deep Cove, the access point to Doubtful Sound.  As you can see, it is well worth the trip…

This is at the top of Wilmot Pass, which is the final step before getting to Deep Cove, the entry point to Doubtful Sound

And this is Doubtful Sound

And here are some dolphins and seals we saw!

These pictures don’t do the experience justice.  If you ever get to New Zealand, this is an absolute must – worth every minute and every New Zealand penny.

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