Doubtful Sound


Advertisement
Published: April 15th 2006
Edit Blog Post

Doubtful SoundDoubtful SoundDoubtful Sound

We paddle out past the islands
Well today I'm in Te Anau... not Queenstown as originally intended. That is why you didn't get any pictures today... I'm sorry. I can't upload pics from anyplace in town.

But I did catch up the blogs. I may go back tomorrow and upload pics. It depends on what time I get out of here. I have to be in Picton on Saturday morning and its 17-18 hours away.
Oh and if you are reading this, you should know that I've typed like 6 blogs today, so you read them all if you want... the first one I typed today is "The Big Green Hookup".

I stayed in Te Anau for a wild variety of reasons, all of which involve last night and the way I feel today.
But that is neither here nor there.

I got back yesterday from a 3 day Sea kayaking trip to Doubtful sound.
Very remote... and very beautiful. Doubtful sound may not be as strikingly spectacular as Milford... but it is no less beautiful and special.

On two of the days we paddled through pods of dolphins. I've seen dolphins alot so I didn't start the trip caring about dolphins. But to be down at their level is something else. There also were times I was sure I could just reach out and touch them... unreal.

Because of all the recent rain.. the waterfalls in Doubtful were just going off, and many of the falls don't last very long. Literally at lunch we practically watched one turn off. There just isn't any soil anywhere. So when it rains the water just flows off the mountain tops, wherever, and everywhere. Its almost like the whole sides of the fjord is one big waterfall.

And you can drink this water. Just scoop your water bottle into the stream and its good to go.... amazing, oh and cold water at that.
Of course I did bust my ass and fall into the stream when I was rock hopping trying to go upstream and make sure I was out of the tidal flow. Everyone had a good laugh at that.

Oh yes and there were sand flies everywhere again. man are they vicious!!!!

This trip was truely amazing though. I can't wait to show the pics... if they are any good... once again cloud cover.
Today is actually the first blue bird day, I've had in over 2 weeks. Other than a couple of days of bad rain the weather hasn't been awful, just lots of clouds and light showers... but that really can't hide the beauty of this reagion. Te Anau is beautiful with fresh snow tipped mountains off in the distance.

Really words can't describe the Fiordland area, I hope the pictures can.

Well, I'm off to go grocery shopping and nurse this hangover before I go back out tonight.
Wish me luck, I need it 😉


Doubtful Sound Pictures

Advertisement



15th April 2006

I wish I was there. The pics are amazing. Enjoy enough for all of us - sounds like you are at night at least.

Tot: 0.575s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 20; qc: 78; dbt: 0.4327s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb