Dunedin and Sounds

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Dunedin and the Sounds

Our final stop in New Zealand was the Scottish town of Dunedin. We docked about 10 miles away in Port Chalmers and took a shuttle bus to Dunedin. The town, instead of having a town square, has an octagon-shaped center. The park is surrounded by small cafes and shops as well as a large town hall building. We walked around the downtown area and stopped for lunch at one of the cafes recommended to us by the friendly shop keepers who sold us sweaters that were actually made in New Zealand of New Zealand wool and possum. Some people bought hats made in China!

There was not a whole lot to see in town, but the people were happy to see our ship and all the potential customers for their wares. It was the first time a Holland America ship has docked there and I’m sure they hope there will be many more. We’ve found the Kiwis very friendly people, eager to help with directions or suggestions or just chat with us. They are quite concerned about the environment and protecting the natural forests and parks in the country. All of the cities were very clean. It is still an unspoiled country with so much natural beauty. Don’t know how long that will last as tourists come by the shiploads.

We sailed from Dunedin around the tip of the south island and headed toward the famous Sounds, arriving in Dusky Sound about 8 the next morning. This was just a teaser for the next two areas. We cruised into the sound for about an hour quietly admiring the huge cliffs and hills before exiting for Doubtful Sound, and even more beautiful area. Then, the shining star, Milford Sound. I am so sorry I can only show one or maybe two pictures, and they don’t do justice to the awesome scenery we viewed almost all day. These fjords are a protected international UNESCO Heritage Site. There is a road that leads into Milford Sound and a landing pier with some limited facilities allowing tour boat access from inland. Basically, the area is still pristine and, hopefully, will stay that way. We saw lots of seals and many waterfalls in addition to the peaks and cliffs dropping dramatically into the water.

Sadly, the day ended and we had to leave this gorgeous place and head to Australia across the Tasman Sea.

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