Today's blog sponsored by Cheal Consultants, Taupo

 Friday, anchor up at 9am, flat calm, rain, cold and with limited visibility we set off to explore Cook Channel, poked our nose into Fanny Bay, photographed numerous water falls cascading from vertical cliff faces.  After being surrounded by bird life, we noted there were no sea birds to speak of inside the Sounds.  


















Dusky Sounds extends 44km inland and Doubtful Sounds, second longest of 40kms.  Saw the little blue penguins, mollyhawks, terns.  Majestic country, deep water, over 100m deep. Heavy mist down low, squalls of torrential rain, sighted a couple of tourist boats in the distance.  Podocarp forest growing right to the water with visible slips. Towering rimus, beech, totara, punga.








Cascade Waterfall










2.30pm could see a very slight tinge of watery blue in the skies.  Entered Bowen Channel and then motored carefully into Sportsmans Cove. 






Sportsman Cove

A narrow inlet of water, deep sided channel, brackish water, heavily flowing waterfalls. 











Beautiful frothy patterns in the water coming from the waterfall torrents.













Picked up a mooring buoy, but advised a bit later on that the launch Pembroke required the buoy for the night.  Simon and Raewyn off in the dinghy fishing. Anchored out, then drinks onboard the Pembroke along with chocolate cake. The Skipper advised that with the winds forecasted, triple the wind strength.  Expecting 30 knots of wind, plan for 90 knots.

Simon and Raewyn off in the dinghy to fish.





Excerpt from the book Fjordland/Fiordland

By Dr Archibald Menzies, surgeon and botanist on board SV Vancouver 1791

“We went into Sportsmans Cove, an enchanting spot.  Here we made a fire, cooked some fish and game and enjoyed a rural repast”

Encompassed by tall rimu trees, this secluded sanctuary is still an “enchanting spot”. 

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