After finishing our hike along the Milford Track we decided to take advantage of being this far south and booked an overnight cruise on Milford Sound. Thanks to finishing the track a little earlier than expected, we had time to get some real food for lunch and to explore the shore of Milford Sound before we needed to board the boat.
We found the car, that had been relocated for us, and changed into some clean, dry clothes before setting off on the series of board walks that run along the shore of the Sound. The clouds were just high enough for us to get the occasional glimpse of some of the surrounding peaks, and the passing squalls seemed to add to the atmosphere.
Looking out towards Mitre Peak, the most famous landmark in Milford Sound, it looked quite different from when we were here a few years ago at the end of the Hollyford Track. As stunning (and rare) as the blue sky day was back then, the ever-changing views this time were actually quite mesmerising.
By early afternoon, we boarded the boat and after getting settled in our cabin, we made our way out on deck to enjoy the views of Milford Sound. Although far less busy than usual without the international tourists, it was still a good feeling to be the only boat heading out onto the water as the other day tours were returning to port.
The captain did an amazing job of bringing the boat right up under some of the many waterfalls that cascade down the side of the fiord. We also had a nature guide on board that gave us plenty of information about the area as we toured around.
We moored for the night in the sheltered Harrison Cove, tucked away part-way down Milford Sound. Once settled we were able to take some kayaks out onto the water to really explore the bay and get a closer look at the shoreline.
Sitting in a small kayak you really got a sense of scale for the place, looking back towards the boat (a 131 foot boat with sixty cabins), provides a bit of perspective. As the evening started to close in, we really were the only ones out of the water and you could appreciate the peace and quiet….and the lovely calm conditions!
We headed back to the boat for a tasty dinner; the buffet being the perfect end to a day of hiking and kayaking! After a great after dinner talk, we settled into our cabin for the night.
We started to motor out to the mouth of Milford Sound during breakfast the next day. With just the odd fishing boat out on the water, we were joined by a pod of dolphins that often spend the night in the Sound and head out with the early boats to the ocean for some fishing. It was such a fun treat to be able to watch the dolphins playing with the boat as we made our way out to the ocean.
As we reached the mouth of Sound, the crew pointed out Anita Bay on the right. The bay was full of lobster pots as the local fishermen use the bay to store lobster that they catch in the cold waters off Fiordland before selling them when spot prices rise sufficiently! It was quite remarkable to hear how quickly the lobsters can go from sitting in pots in a small bay in this remote corner of New Zealand to being in the fish markets in Asia.
Looking north up the coast, we were able to pick out the area around Martins Bay where we had spent a couple of days at the end of the Hollyford Track.
We were incredibly lucky with the weather and the flat calm conditions, which meant that we were able to spend a bit of time at the mouth of the Sound before returning back towards the dock. We saw a few sea lions slowly waking up on the rocks, although most of them had also taken advantage of the calm conditions to head out early to start fishing.
The overnight rain (and previous wet weather), meant that we got to see many of the waterfalls at their most dramatic. With the steep-sided valley and hard granite bedrock, many of the falls only actually flow for a few hours after heavy rain.
We slowly made our way back to the main boat terminal and visitor centre, making frequent stops at the many named waterfalls, hearing the legends behind each of the names as we passed by. From eternal fountains of youth, to falls named after the plumage of the New Zealand Wood Pigeon, it seemed that each was more unusual than the last.
As we pulled back into the dock, we were able to look down the Arthur Valley that we had walked down the previous day at the end of the Milford Track. Looking up the valley through the layers of clouds, it looked as though it would be another wet day for the trampers making their way towards the end of the track.
After leaving the boat, we set out for the long drive back home. By the time we reached Queenstown the weather had started to clear a little and we were able to walk around the town to stretch our legs and get some lunch at some of our favourite spots in town before continuing on home.