New Zealand
Malaspina Reach

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    • Day 18

      Doubtful Sound

      March 3, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

      Nach einem frühen Frühstück haben wir uns noch vor Sonnenaufgang auf den Weg gemacht, um mit Wassertaxi, Bus und Boot den Doubtful Sound zu besichtigen . Es war ein atemberaubender Einblick in das Fjordland und wir durften erneut Delphine und Seelöwen beobachten! 🦭🐬 Der Wellengang war so krass, dass nicht nur aus den Getränken die Flüssigkeiten schwappten. 🤢
      Glück auf… Keiner von uns ist seekrank 😂
      Lieber hätten wir natürlich eine Kajaktour gemacht, mussten vor 2 Wochen jedoch feststellen, dass wir besser schon in Deutschland einen Termin reservieren hätten müssen. 🙈 🥲
      @ Chrissy dich hätte der Anblick von uns vier Damen auf der Kaffeefahrt sehr amüsiert. Es war wohl doch eher eine Wallfahrt 😂😅
      Nach einer leckeren Pizza im Restaurant (das erste Mal Essen gehen) hatten wir leichte Probleme bei der Campingplatzsuche. 🔍 Nachdem Nora die Toilette als unzumutbar befunden hatte, fiel uns allen die Entscheidung leicht, den nächsten Platz anzufahren. Dieser war jedoch aufgrund von Straßenschäden gesperrt, weshalb wir auf einen dritten (cascade creek campside) ausgewichen sind. Zum Glück musste auch hier nur eine Nacht überstanden werden, da auch diese Toiletten nicht wirklich überzeugend waren. 😝 Wer hätte gedacht, dass wir Spültoiletten so sehr schätzen lernen. 😍
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    • Day 47

      Croisière doubtful sound

      February 25, 2020 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      Le milford, ainsi que ses abords, étant totalement fermés, nous optons pour faire au moins la croisière dans les Doubtful. Départ très matinal, nous sommes sur le seul bateau naviguant en matinée.
      Entre-temps le milford a réouvert mais uniquement aux bus touristiques et vu les convois, les lieux s'annoncent blindés..
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    • Day 240

      Kajaken im Doubtful Sound

      April 7, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

      Doubtful Sound, Malborough Sound, Milford Sound ... "Was ist eigentzlich dieser Sound und hat es etwas mit Musik zu tun?" Es ist das Zusammenspiel von Fjord (Meeresarm) und sehr hohen Bergen ... den Gesang muss man bei kajaken selbst liefern :-)

      Es war einer der wundervollsten Ausflüge: Stille, Einsamkeit, der Natur super nah!
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    • Day 24

      Doubtful Sound

      March 23, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

      Today it was time for the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise.
      The boat left at 8am and it took us around 40 mins to cross Lake Manapouri. Once we got to the wharf on the other side a bus brought us to Deep Cove via Wilmot Pass (that took about 30 mins). Once there, we went onto the boat for the tour of the Sound.

      It is a vast and unspoilt Wilderness and I was feeling grateful for having chosen to see this - more remote - Sound instead of the more touristy Milford Sound.

      At some point during the cruise the skipper shut down the motor and generators and asked everyone to be still for about 10 mins so that everyone can enjoy the absolute silence. It was quite something to experience! ⛴💖
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    • Day 22

      To Doubtful Sound

      November 12, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      Thursday 10th November
      We checked out of Peppers Beacon for one night as we are going on an overnight cruise along Doubtful Sound in a schooner. We are only allowed one small bag, as usual I took far too much and consequently my bag was very heavy - I do need to work on my travelling light method. The coach picked us up from outside the hotel, and from there it was a 3½ hour drive to the ferry which was to take us across Lake Manapouri. Another coach was waiting for us as we docked and drove us a further hour to the head of Doubtful Sound where we boarded our schooner. We had our own cabins on the upper deck which were surprisingly spacious with en-suite facilities. A lot of others were sharing quad cabins which sounded rather basic bunk bed facilities separated by curtains in the lower deck of the boat. The boat dropped anchor about 45minutes after we had set sail; there were various water based activities on offer. Peter decided to join the kayaking activity, about 24 in total went out. It looked very tiring as they kayaked around the Fiord. Janet and I preferred to join one of the smaller boats that went out to explore the surrounding flora and fauna. Once everyone was back on board there was the opportunity to go swimming in the Sound. The water is both fresh water and salt, the salt water being heavier sinks below the fresh which sits on top. It is also coloured a rich brown by all the tannins washed into the water from the surrounding mountains and trees. Quite a lot of people went in, some slipped in from the landing stage for the kayaks whilst some climbed a ladder and jumped from the first floor! Even the crew joined in, jumping and diving in. Everyone said it was very cold, but seemed to enjoy it as many went in for more.

      Soup and a roll was served afterwards at about 5pm, but I didn’t fancy any, it was too soon after lunch for me. The boat then sailed on the length of the Sound to a fur seal colony at the mouth. We moved to the front of the top deck to try to get a good view. It was really windy and cold, luckily we had zipped back to our cabins to put on an extra layer before venturing up there. A large rock rose from the sea and all over it basked seals, some pups were playing, chasing each other around on the rock watched by their mothers whilst the large bulls kept an eye on their cows to make sure they didn’t stray. Moving away from the seals the boat sailed towards the edge of the shore where some yellow eyed penguins were spotted. Onwards the boat continued into the open ocean, the Tasmin Sea where there are some of the roughest waters in the world. The crew said the waters were quite calm but to us as we pitched up and down, tossed in the waves, it seemed anything but. I should have taken Janet’s offer of one of her accustraps which she swears prevents seasickness. Everyone was alert, looking for whales, but alas once more they evaded us, no sign of them at all. Eventually our little boat turned its prow back towards calmer waters and we sailed from the turbulent sea into the relative calm of the Sound. Our fingers and noses were quite numb by now so we decided to go back inside. Dinner was a delicious buffet affair. After dinner there was an optional talk on New Zealand flora. The boat was at anchor and it was very peaceful outside. Janet and I walked around on the deck in the dark, it was amazing how many noises we could hear coming from the forests on shore. Many birds we could not identify as well as many other noises from unknown creatures. The stars twinkled in the sky above and I saw a shooting star and what I think was a satellite, either that or it was an alien, but I think the satellite is more likely. It was very peaceful and serene.
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    • Day 14

      Doubtful Sound, World Heritage Site

      February 15, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

      “This is fine country for the waterproof explorer” — Richard Henry, 1896

      This was an amazing day! We are so glad it rained today because Doubtful Sound, actually a fjord (glacially carved and flooded by the sea -- vs river carved), is full of waterfalls when it rains. Only two waterfalls are present when it's not raining. Our boat guide said the temporary waterfalls will dry up within 30 minutes of the rain stopping.

      It took some time and logistics getting here from Queenstown -- we boarded a comfy coach bus for a 2 hour trip to Lake Manapouri, then a catamaran took us across the lake for an hour, then another bus drove us an hour to the dock at Doubtful Sound. All of the views along the way made the various legs of the trip worthwhile, and the 3 hours spent cruising down the sound to the sea and back were spectacular.

      We saw a colony of fur seals from afar, but did not see the pod of bottlenose dolphins that come into the sound, nor did we get to see the penguins, who have moved on during this season.

      A serious feat of engineering took place in the 1960s (idea conceived as early as 1904) -- a hydroelectric plant was built under Lake Manapouri. The plant supplies electricity to all of the south part of the South Island, but mostly to an aluminum smelting plant. Public outcry over the original plans to raise the lake level by 100 feet caused a revision of the plans. Today, the lake level is maintained with a 'habitable zone,' rising or lowering within normal historical limits to protect the shoreline life.
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    • Day 133

      Doubtful Sound

      January 7, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      Um sieben Uhr morgens wurde ich im YHA abgeholt und nach Manapouri gefahren. Etwa eine Stunde lang fuhren wir über den Lake Manapouri, bevor es im Bus Richtung Doubtful Sound weiterging. Dort angekommen stiegen wir wieder auf ein Schiff um und fuhren bis auf die Tasmansee hinaus. Der Nebel und der leichte Regen liess die steilen Berge rundherum mysteriös, fast schon traumhaft wirken. Für ein paar Minuten stellte der Kapitän der Motor ab und alle - ausser den Seelöwen - wurden gebeten still zu sein. Inmitten von waldbewachsenen Felsen schaukelte unser "kleines" Boot sanft hin und her. Wasserfälle rauschten, eine Möwe kreischte und die Seelöwen schienen eine wichtige Debatte zu haben.Read more

    • Day 33

      Doubtful Sound

      January 29, 2017 in New Zealand ⋅ 13 °C

      Ein perfekter Tag für eine Fahrt zum Doubtful Sound. Insgesamt haut mich das Ganze jetzt nicht vom Hocker. Aber nach dem gestrigen Tag die Beine hochlegen ist angebracht. Und wir schippern den ganzen Tag herum.Read more

    • Day 8

      Doubtful Sound

      February 22, 2020 in New Zealand

      Auch beim Doubtful Sound war das Wetter trüb. Die schöne Natur zeigte sich nicht von der besten Seite und so vergingen wir uns am Kuchenbuffet, während die meisten Passagiere hinter den Scheiben nach draussen schauten.Read more

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    Malaspina Reach

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