Besides catching up with my dear friend Kelly...this was the HIGHLIGHT of my NZ adventure!!!
Glaciers created this natural spectacle of beauty! This place is one reason why I LOVE nature!!
The Doubtful Sound is in a quite remote location. To get there: First by boat for 45-minutes across Lake Manapouri to the Power Station. Then picked up from there by coach for a 30-minute ride along a the 2 million dollar Wilmot Pass to arrive at the dock of the Doubtful Sound!
This overnight excursion is one that should NOT be missed on a trip to New Zealand! And the company Real Journey's is FANTASTIC!! The crew works so hard to deliver a memorable journey! The meals were outstanding...one of the passengers said, "I can't cook this well in my own kitchen, let alone on a boat!"
First activity: kayaking on the Doubtful Sound! Oh!! That was immensely liberating!! To see how small I was against the cliff faces that surrounded me is an experience that will I NEVER forget. I kayaked along the Fiordlands walls and in the spray of the waterfalls!
Second activity: swimming in the Doubtful Sound!! So while kayaking I put my hand in the water and it felt warm, so I thought great it's not going to be be too cold after all. I was too excited to go in more than ever!! So I took a leap off the stern of the boat and hit the water...the ice cold water!!!! BRRRRRRR!!! is an understatement. I really think my heart stopped and my body turned blue. So I flailed my arms around a bit in the water and called it a swim! It was FANTASTIC!! And I'd do it all over again!!! Maybe next time with a wet-suit ;)
Aboard the boat I had the pleasure of meeting three wonderful people!! Karen, Christine and Collin are from Australia. They befriended me while on the cruise and that just made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. They were so kind to me and took my photo when I requested without hesitation. We shared stories, food and drinks! Karen I'm still working off all that dessert! Cheers to my new friends! I will be over for a visit!!
The animal highlight of this cruise were dolphins...bottlenose dolphis and we saw them FOUR times!!! The crew said that was unusual to see them so many times. Usually they see them once! These characters were just as exciting as the Hector's Dolphins in Akaroa. It seems as if they even put on a little dance show for us! FANTASTIC!!!
So besides the activities, the food, the friends and the dolphins; the scenery was just amazing!! Extremely beautiful waterfalls and shear cliff faces!! We had the best weather!! A little overcast at times, rain at times and the sunshine at times!! All the weather changes made you see the Sound in many different lights.
The best part: The skipper stops in the middle of the sound on a really calm part and cuts the engine. He asks everyone to go outside and just be silent and enjoy the sounds of The Doubtful Sound. That was just AMAZING!! Very peaceful and calming...(sigh).
