After such an amazing day on Milford Sound yesterday I was very much in two minds about paying for the whole day Doubtful Sound cruise today. Weather looked perfect but would it prove a too hard act to follow? Would I get stressed out about being in a "tourist coach party" type set-up?
On the logic that I might only get one chance to see Doubtful Sound I went for it. Drove down to the jetty, paid for my ticket, bought some stuff for lunch and waited in line.
I needn't have worried. The cruise across Lake Manapouri, bus transfer over the pass and 4 hour cruise out on the Doubtful Sound to the Tasman Sea and back proved to be an unforgettable trip. Amazing scenery, great guides, seals, dolphins and loads of room on the boat to look around and find quiet spots for taking pictures.
Here are a few of the best...
Back in Manapouri at just after 6pm I then had a 3 hour drive, including some photo stops and a break for fish & chips by the harbour at Riverton, along the south coast to Bluff. Amazing to think when you look out to sea that there's nothing until Antarctica!
Stopped off at Gemstone Beach, near which I guess it was easy to guess where the prevailing winds blew from!
Then finally I drove through Invercargill, where most of the streets seem to be named after Scottish rivers, towards Bluff (which used to be called Campbelltown). My final destination was clearly illuminated by a stunning natural light effect.
Once checked in to the Bluff Lodge, an old post office built in 1900, I then popped along to a local pub for a beer and was soon invited in to the company of the group of 6 (family of 6 it turned out to be) for a few more beers and a load of laughs. A fun end to another mind blowing day.
Today's "panorama of the day" comes of course from Doubtful Sound.
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