NZ Day 17 – The Doubtful Sound of rain

We woke up loads of times to the sound of pelting rain throughout the night. Poor Emma and James were in their tent so were paranoid they would be flooded out. The full day cruise to Doubtful Sound started early so another working day alarm. Real Journeys was the tour operator which consisted of a lake ferry, a coach ride and the main cruise through Doubtful Sound. The first lake we’d seen the day before and apparently was named incorrectly due to a map-maker’s mistake. It was also named after an old Maori name meaning ‘rainy lake’. Bit of an understatement really as not surprising that 2 out of 3 days it rains here. The coach journey on the country’s most expensive road revealed high altitude moss covered trees but the mists had covered the supposedly excellent views of waterfalls etc.

The cold rain didn’t let up for the actual cruise which put off the wildlife to exhibit themselves. Only saw the one seal in the distance and no penguins on Penguin Island. The landscape was beautiful mind though going as far to the Sound’s entrance was very choppy so poor Kerry had to be looked after until the motion sickness went away. The tour was feeling an expensive waste of time at this point until the dolphins turned up and everyone rushed to the side of the boat. It was quite exciting for a few minutes and when the cruise boat sped off everyone went back into the dry. What they didn’t know was the dolphins love playing on the wake and jumped out of the water for the patient few. Another highlight of the cruise was the one minute’s silence next to some the tallest waterfalls. The captain turned off all engines and floated freely listening to the water crash into the lake.

Back on the coach and the mists finally cleared and the chilled rain turned into snow on the higher parts of the road. Finally, before boarding the last ferry, we drove down the 1.5 km tunnel to the underground hydro-power station. The viewing platform looked like a James Bond film set or even Metal Gear Solid feel with generators and overhead cranes. The ferry ride back was talking to an Aussie family who’s dad seemed obsessed with boar hunting and English taxes.

James and Emma met us at the jetty to report that the road to Milford Sound was closed due to 20cm of snow! With no way of getting there we chose to share a mock-chalet in Manapouri (with their tent so wet) then drive back to Queenstown the next day. The collection of Morris Minors in the grounds and German flags and military uniforms gave us the feeling something wasn’t quite right with our campsite hosts. The co-owner was an American refugee (since Vietnam) and loved to bitch about Bush. The reception also had German LOTR posters and 3rd Reich paraphernalia. The local café/newsagent/chip shop supplied us with found before they shut at 6:30pm. Amongst the local papers and fishing magazines was The Scot magazine, for people who love Scotland.