Doubtful Cruise

I’ve always held the view, rightly or wrongly, that cruises were the preserve of the über rich or the retired and on that basis they weren’t for me. But plans change and so, with the intention to give up regular paid employment on the horizon, I arguably fall into the latter category. 

So maybe, that is how I found myself onboard a vessel in Deep Cove dock in Doubtful Sound about to set sail on an overnight trip through Fiordland.

For those unfamiliar with the geography of New Zealand, Fiordland is a national park located on the southwestern coast of the South Island. Fiordland National Paek was created in 1952 and covering 4,868 square miles is by far the largest in New Zealand..

There are fourteen sounds within Fiordland and whilst at 25 miles long Doubtful Sound is not the longest, it is the deepest. At over 420m deep, be mindful not to drop your mobile phone because it’ll be a struggle to get it back.

Ahh, I know what you’re wondering….why is it called Doubtful Sound when it’s in Fiordland? That’s a really good question. Well, Doubtful Sound is actually a Fjord so it should really be called Doubtful Fjord. Why? Whilst a sound is usually formed by the action of the sea flooding a river valley, a fjord is formed by the action of a glacier - and that is what we have here. Or so we were told.. 

And why Doubtful. Like a lot of things around New Zealand, Captain James Cook had an influence in the name, or rather re-naming because it already has a name but that wasn’t European enough for the celebrated explorer. On his journey around the western coastline of the southern island of New Zealand, sometime around 1770, he observed what appeared to be a passage into the interior. As the prevailing wind direction was westerly, he determined that whilst he could sail the ship into the passage, he was doubtful he would be able to get back out again. The opportunity to explore inland was passed and the name Doubtful Sound allocated to the inlet. So there you go.

Righty-ho, back to the trip. It’s fair to say Doubtful Sound is not that easy to get to. Compared to the most popular excursion in Fiordland, Milford Sound, where a road takes travellers right to the dockside, Doubtful is a little trickier. First up you have to drive to the oddly named Pearl Harbour on the shore of Lake Manapouri. From there a ferry will take you across the lake to the imaginatively named Western Arm. This 45 minute trip would be worth the entrance fee alone. Surrounded by snowcapped mountains and deep green forest, the lake crossing is breathtaking. 

Once docked, it’s another hour by an unsealed road over Wilmott Pass to Deep Cove dock. Finally we’re in Doubtful Sound. And of course, you get to do it all again on the way back. At least it can be accessed by the general public. There are many others that are so remote that can be accessed only from the sea -  no roads or even footpaths So, with the amount of effort it takes, it’s no surprise that this is an overnight cruise. 

Not wanting to share with other people, we’ve got a private cabin for the trip. A lovely refuge from the hubbub with a private, albeit small, bathroom. And a great view of the outside world. We could, should the need arise, sit in our little space and watch the world go by. But where would the fun be in that - we’d miss the chance to take in the spectacular panaoramas and remark on just how odd other people are! Not like us, we’re normal!

The cruise is amazing, and definitely worth the effort in getting here, even if that is part of the fun. The remoteness means that there is less boat traffic and that in turn means there is less noise. And with it being overnight, there is no rush. After an hour or so we were at the Tasman Sea. Just in time to watch some seals lazing on a rock, and then turn around and head back to explore some more. For a place with the highest annual rainfall in New Zealand, we were treated to bright sunshine and calm seas. Wow!

We anchored overnight in Precipice Bay, enjoyed a three course meal before heading to our cabin.

Waking up in such a unique location was something special. Although the weather has changed to that more keeping with the region - yes it was raining - the fjords took had taken on a more gloomy but magnetic look. After another fabulous meal, we lifted anchor and started our journey back to Deep Cove.

There was just time for perhaps the highlight of the trip. The sound of silence. For a few moments, the ship engines were silenced and we just drifted down the fjord. The only sound was that of the waterfalls, the wind in the trees and morning birdsong. Words fail to describe the feeling. 

A few hours later we were docked back a Deep Cove and began our return journey to the main land. What an unforgettable trip with memories that are unlikely to be dimmed by the passing of time -  that would be impossible given the amount of photographs I took.