It's Doubtful!

We returned to Dunedin on Thursday evening and had to use our time wisely as Craig’s parents were scheduled to fly in on Friday. So, the day and a half (with the exception of work on Friday) were spent unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, and re-packing for the weekend’s overnight Doubtful Sound Cruise. We picked up the visitors from the airport Friday night and went straight to bed. We had an early start Saturday as we had to be in Manapouri by noon to check in for our cruise. We made it with time to spare, had a quick peanut butter sandwich (forgot to pack the jelly) for lunch, and boarded the ferry to cross Lake Manapouri. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day for the 45 minute boat ride.


Sunny day on Lake Manapouri

By the time we crossed, it was clouding over and we boarded a bus to take us up and over Wilmot Pass, stopping for some great views of waterfalls and the sound along the way.


View of Doubtful Sound from Wilmot Pass

We then got off the bus and boarded the Fiordland Navigator, on which we spent the rest of the day, overnight until morning. After a safety briefing, the crew showed us to our tiny 4-person bunk room where we dumped our stuff and then headed back up to begin our sightseeing and eat the free banana chocolate chip muffins, baked fresh.


Our accomodation, the Fiordland Navigator

We spent the rest of Saturday walking back and forth, up and down between decks. The scenery was incredible, and Craig and I got to go much further in the sound than we had previously on our kayak trip. It rained lightly most of the day which made for better waterfalls and didn’t keep us from hanging out on the deck. We took a small motorboat ride with a guide (he was actually the ship’s chef) for some closer views of the cliffs and water in the afternoon, and Craig and Barb took a quick dip in the chilly waters of the sound.


Craig and Barb take a chilly leap!

We were then treated to some soup to warm us up and, later, a fantastic buffet dinner.


Ready for dinner!

Before dinner, we made it out into the Tasman Sea where the boat was rocking tons with the huge rolling waves. Out there, we saw penguins (yellow crested and blue) swimming and on an island. We also saw an island full of sea lions. Very exciting! We then all ate far too much (to the point of stomach pains) for dinner, forced in more at the dessert buffet, and it was an effort to make it through the very interesting and informative presentation given by the on-board marine biologist. This ended our evening and we retired to our bunks where some of us slept better than others due to some heavy snoring. All was forgiven in the morning though after another yummy breakfast and even better waterfalls from the rain that had fallen all night. We made our way back into Deep Cove where we were picked up to be bussed back over the Pass. Our bus was an old one on a “test run” and kept stalling on the steeps which made things exciting. Eventually we made it back to the ferry and across the lake to Manapouri. It was an amazing trip!


Trying to keep balanced on rolling Tasman Seas

That afternoon, we headed over to Te Anau, took a walk on part of the Kepler Track through rainforest, and checked into our cabin. Craig and I opted for the nap option while Barb and Gary headed into town for some souvenir shopping. When we woke up, we went to see a “movie” about the Fiordlands. The movie was 30 minutes of video footage of the fiordlands put to music, no commentary. It was really well done and showcased much of the area’s beauty. Then it was time to cook some dinner back at camp, take some nice, hot showers, and retire for the night.

3 stooges on the Kepler Track

Monday was Labour Day so no work but another early start. We began our drive to Milford Sound by 7.30am. Craig and I again napped (I’m seeing a pattern here), this time in the car, while our elders took the Milford Sound Cruise. On the way back, we stopped frequently along the way to take pics of the snow, avalanches, and waterfalls. It was snowing like crazy when we came through the tunnel at the top of the mountain, which was really pretty. One more stop back in Te Anau at a bird conservation area to see some unusual birds and then back on the road for the trek back to Dunedin.


Of course we stopped!

Craig and I had to work all week so we sent the Wassingers to Mt Cook for a couple of days. They reported nice weather and lots of snow on the mountain, and brought back our requested fresh salmon for dinner. On Friday evening, we took a ride out on the peninsula to see albatross (and we saw lots of them!) and Lovers Leap. Unfortunately, we were greeted at the Leap by a sign stating "Closed for Lambing." A lot of the walks here go through farm fields and often are closed for September and October to prevent people from disturbing the baby lambs (which are adorable by the way).



The weekend was another busy one, beginning with the Farmers Market Saturday morning where we purchased some fresh fruit pies and Barb enjoyed her first bacon butte. Then we headed over to Queenstown with stops for tastings at 4 wineries, and a "trust the chef" lunch at Amisfield Winery. The lunch was phenomenal, with multiple dishes over 4 courses. We had a glass of sparkling wine and pheasant spread with plum sauce topping on freshly grilled sourdough bread for an appetizer. Next up was salad green with grilled asparagus and chicken risotto. That was followed by Pork Belly and potatoes, Beef Ribeye that melted in our mouths and another green salad, and then dessert. We got 4 different desserts to share: pistachio cake, lemon brulee, chocolate cake, and almond pudding with prunes (surprisingly tasty!). We didn't choose any of it but loved all of it!


Enjoying some wine


Sunset in Queenstown

After we were sufficiently stuffed, we were off to Queenstown where we spent the evening and following day wandering around, enjoying the nice weather. Barb and Gary checked out the skyline gondola while Craig and I lounged lakeside. Then it was time to head home with some stops at a few scenic viewpoints.


Horsin' around at a scenery stop

Yesterday was back to work for us and a trip to Moeraki and the lighthouse to see the penguins and seals. Always a great place to visit!


Karate Craig


This way please

Fiordlands Pics

More Pics

The Wassingers leave in 2 days so we're packing in as much as possible and enjoying their company until then. After that, the countdown to our States return begins!