Dusky and Doubtful Sounds
The southwest coast of the South Island of New Zealand is the most remote part of the country. Wave battered cliffs give way to narrow entrances that lead to immense fiords. Nearly untouched by humanity, these pristine areas all fall within the massive Fiordland National Park. Lush forests reach right down to the high tide line, and disappear above into the mist. Add to this some spectacular wildlife and a historic site, and it makes for a perfect day.
Early in the morning we set out to explore the southern entrance, and were rewarded with stunning scenic views. A light mist created some beautiful layers in the green mountains. The forest here really is spectacular in texture and color, with every color of green represented. The wildlife star of the morning certainly was the Fiordland Crested Penguin. This is a very difficult species to see and we were rewarded with views of two stellar adults.
After lunch, it was time for the human history of the area. A visit to Astronomers Point gave us an insight to the spot Captain Cook visited in 1773 on the Resolution. Here, he stayed for two months, not only replenishing his stores, but also doing important observations to test his chronometer. A short walk led to a viewpoint down on the Oceanic Discoverer, certainly a bit more comfortable way to visit this area.
We then poked around in some of the smaller bays seeing numerous birds and seals, but a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins was very curious and playful. Quite a few images of the dolphins were taken, as they were quite cooperative. They were traveling right next to shore that made for a sharp contrast between the brown, tannin filled water and the vibrant, green hillsides.
In the late afternoon we left the shelter of Dusky Sound and headed north. Albatross, shearwaters, and petrels were abundant along this stunning shoreline. During dinner, we entered Doubtful Sound. The sun broke through as the weather was “fining up”. We dropped anchor for the night and a fiery sunset in the fiords left us with dreams of our explorations in Doubtful Sound tomorrow.
