Doubtful sound

 Today's excursion was very different from yesterday because (a) the weather was awful and (b) the journey involved 2 coaches and two boats. Destination Doubtful Sound

At 6.45am coach number one picked us up outside the reception of the Top 10-holiday park for the first leg of the journey and a further 12 others collected from Motels around Te Anau.

The rainbow could be seen nearly all the way to Manapouri

  The second leg was by boat from lake Manapouri and we were joined by another 30 or so people for the 30-minute cruise to the West Arm of Lake Manapouri.  

Manapouri Power Station on the left

The third leg was by coach over the Wilmot Pass, more of a dirt track with hairpin bends and long drops on one side. No other vehicles can make it to Deep Cove because of the dense forests, so it is only a barge that brings over supplies for the power station. Occasionally groups come over by car or camper van, but they need to brave enough to stay and contend with the thousands of biting sandflies which invade the backpacker's huts with the long drops and once that boat leaves, that's it, you're there for the week! The chances therefore of the coaches meeting oncoming traffic were slim.

Deep Cove

 At Deep Cove, the fourth leg of the journey, the Catamaran waiting which was to take us on the cruise around Doubtful Sound. By now the weather had really deteriorated and visibility was poor but the scenery was still amazing. Trying to stand at the front on the top deck was almost impossible what with the wind and spray so for most of the journey we kept undercover on the second deck.

Really shocking weather.

The cruise was for three hours and by far the better of the two 'sound' excursions. Milford sound had the fabulous scenery, granted, but a much smaller area to cruise whereas Doubtful was way better in the fact that the many 'arms' could be explored and with the cruise being longer, took us out into the Tasman Sea to view the seals.

The weather had improved greatly as the afternoon wore on

It was a long day but worth every penny and if only one of the sounds can be done, my recommendation is to do Doubtful rather than Milford.

And seen in the Ladies loo (no I don't usually take my camera into the toilets but when I saw these, just had to go back and fetch it.)