Ali lowe the girl with the dolphin tattoo

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It's back on the train for me this morning, but not before I have another of those fantastic bowls of tea, and some breakfast. Bacon and scrambled eggs on thick heavy brown toast. 
Today I'm travelling from Kiakoura to Picton, and again it's far more relaxing on the train than the bus and before you know it I'm in Picton. This is where the ferry goes from to get to the north island, but that's for tomorrow, today I want to explore the queen Charlotte sound, ideally by canoe but I've arrived to late for the afternoon portage so maybe I can get it in tomorrow. Today I settle for a relaxing boat trip.
I sit alone on the back deck of the boat, the spray from the prow swings round and I'm cooled by a fine mist of salty water, the view is fantastic, not as towering as the Milford sound, more open with bays opening out into new bodies of water, the hills are tree covered and the multitude of greens carpet the walls. The water is clear and vibrant blue, the sun warms my little spot and I watch the sound fly by in a state of drowsy contemplation. Our first stop is Motuara island a bird sanctuary where all preditors have been exterminated. The sun is hot as I climb the winding path up the side of this isolated island. I stop at a small pool and watch the birds as they gather, a blackbird like bird with brown wings and a long beak is clearing leaves from the pool, he is very diligent, picking up the individual leaves and walking them out of the pool to drop them resoundly on the rocks, he continues 1 leaf at a time, slowly clearing space, when he thinks he's got enough room he takes a bath, sinking slowly into the now clear space then shaking his feathers to cover them in clear water. I sat and watched lots of birds bath here, until I had to get back to the boat, but only after the black bird had finished his cleaning and moved on did they approach and clean. 
Next we stopped at ships cove, the bay where captain cook stopped and anchored while exploring the world. I can't say I blame him the twin bays are wide and open, a grassed area is backed by tall trees and rising hillside. The plants are tropical and a small fresh water stream burbles into the sea. I paddle in the clear waters and feel at one with history as I'm sure cookie and his crew did much the same, the only difference is my view out over the sound is uninterupted, his would have been blocked by the Endeavour or Resolution but as I gaze out I can almost see the ghostly outline of a rigged ship waving on the calm seas.
From here it's back to picton, after picking up the hikers who have been walking the queen Charlotte track, we call in at bays and resorts to collect these wery travellers. 
The sound has 1 more surprise for me, after my wildlife void of yesterday today is full of dolphins, twice on our trip we are surrounded by these frolicing beasts playing and jumping in our wake, they swim by the side of the boat and if you wanted you could reach out and touch them. Our skipper entices them to play by accelerating and making the wake bigger, they play in the rolling, white water, fins obvious above the surface before the bottlenoses clear the surface and they arch in the sunlight. 
Amazing as it is to see these fantastic mammels i'm a little worried about the change in behaviour this tourist traffic causes, all around I can see boats racing across the lake teasing these animals into action, looking closely at there skin as they leap and frolic you can see scars and marks that could have come from getting to close to those fast moving boats. I'm torn by the excitement of seeing these beautiful creatures up so close and having evident fun, and knowing that there actions are being affected by me. Still they are very beautiful.  
After that my day becomes more mundain, I need clean clothes but tomorrow I'm hopefully going to go sea kayaking maybe I'll get the chance to get even closer to those dolphins.        

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