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TRAVEL
STORY BY SUSIE WILLIAMS
BY SUSIE WILLIAMS & WILDERNESS GUIDES MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS
The Breathtaking Beauty
of the Marlborough Sounds
There is no better way to soak up the tranquillity of the Marlborough Sounds than by kayak. Looking up to the hills
covered in native bushland, down the length of the Queen Charlotte Sound and feeling like explorers on water,
kayaking is an unbelievable way to soak up the sights and feel of the Marlborough Sounds.
My girls and I were lucky enough to
be invited by Juliet and Steve and the
Wilderness Guides Marlborough Sounds
Team out on their half day Queen Charlotte
Sound Guided Kayak Tour. Along with six
other tourists from around the globe, we
headed out to Ngakuta Bay with our two
guides by van with the kayak’s in tow.
As anyone who has travelled the Queen
Charlotte Drive knows, this scenic road is
a sight to be seen in itself! At Ngakuta Bay
our kayaks were unloaded and our guides
fitted us with our wet weather gear and a
safety briefing….then out into the sounds
we went.
The morning was over-cast and the water
was glassy. I spend many hours on the
water for sport and pleasure…and glassy
is just a dream to kayak on. The kids were
happy too, we explored the bay and our
knowledgeable guides explained the tree
life we could see from our kayaks. As a
group we were already relaxed and soaking
up the serenity of floating on the water,
soaking up nature. We kayaked snuggly
along the coast line to the tip of the
bay, where we all sat in awe of the view
down the Queen Charlotte Sounds. Just
breathtaking!
It was then time for us to do our exercise
for the day, and as a group paddled across
Grove Arm to Bottle Bay. Most of us had
paddled before, but even those newbies
among us had no problem keeping up. No
pressure on anyone, resting was just fine,
while our friendly guides chatted to each
of us along the way. We even got to marvel
at Australasian Gannets (Morus serrator)
plummeting into the water as they were
fishing in Grove Arm.
Once at Bottle Bay we floated about
together while our guides educated us
about the birds and plant life we saw. They
told us local stories and about local Māori
culture, all extremely interesting. There
were a few moments where we were all
silent, each of us soaking up the feeling of
tranquillity and realising how lucky we all
were to experience this special place while
the Bell Birds and Tui’s sang to us. We had
a stingray sit long enough for each kayak to
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get up close and marvel at the wonderful
sea creature. We paddled along the shore
admiring the trees and birds around to
the edge of Umungata Bay where we saw
a colony of Spotted Shag (Stictocarbo
punctatus). Some of the adults had babies
they were feeding, they were so fluffy and
had a distinct baby sounding call. We were
entertained by the birds either bringing
home grass and sticks to do some home
building, or by them flying down from their
nesting rock where they would land on
the water in front of us, turn, then fly off
skimming along the water. I think we all
could have watched them for hours.
The morning was fast disappearing from
us, so it was time to head across the Arm
back towards Ngakuta Bay. The breeze was
picking up, so a few more muscles were
needed to get back home. Any tiredness
and hunger was ignored for a little longer
as we spotted a New Zealand Fur Seal
swimming by. Disappointingly it was not
keen to hang around and play, it was
obviously on a mission to go fishing! Still,
the excitement helped cope with the side
wind moving in. Before we knew it, we
were on the last section with the wind now
directly behind us, pushing us into the bay.
It was a sensational way to spend a
morning. Kayaking is my favourite way to
get back into nature and relax. It’s easy
to feel as though you are the only people
out on the water. I think that’s one of the
extra special things about the Marlborough
Sounds – you can always find a secluded
piece of waterway that is out of the sea
breeze.
Back in our van heading for Picton, it was
obvious we all felt tired, hungry but most
of all admiration of this breathtaking
beauty called the Marlborough Sounds.
Susie x