Off to the SOUNDS

It was an early start to the day,leaving our motel in Queenstown for the 150kms drive to Manapouri where we were booked on the ferry for a full day's trip to see the sights of Lake Manapouri & Doubtful Sound. Contrary to the weather predictions the sun continued to shine on us and New Zealand in general. The journey took us exactly 2 hours and not one other vehicle overtook in that time. It was some 57kms before we saw another car travelling in the same direction as us and about 135kms before we had a vehicle behind us. It really is a joy to drive on South Island. Whilst waiting to board the ferry on the shores of lake Manapouri we got talking to three Americans who were also doing the trip to Doubtful Sound. Twin sisters Joan and Jane along with Jane's husband Todd. We were to spend most of the day in their company and by the end of the day felt like we had known them a lifetime. Definitely an added bonus to the day out for us. We cast off for the 60 minute trip to the Southern end of the lake where there was an underground hydro electric power station. We disembarked there and boarded a bus that would take us over the mountain (on the only accessible road) via Wilmot Pass and down to the shores of Deep Cove on Doubtful Sound. At Deep Cove we boarded a larger boat for the journey down Doubtful sound and out into the Tasman Sea Beautiful Beautiful scenery all the way. These pictures cannot begin to convey it's true beauty. On entering the Tasman sea we came across a colony of fur seals on a deserted island. After the wonderful experience of the Tasman Sea we headed back up into Doubtful Sound to reverse the trip back to Deep Cove via a detour halfway up one of the off shoots of the Sound called Crooked Arm. Absolute peace and tranquillity when when EVERYTHING was shut down on the boat. We arrived back at the top of Lake Manapouri at 6 o'clock, just in time to say our goodbyes to Joan, Jane & Todd & drive to the town of Te Anau to check into our motel for the next 2 nights. That done, it was off to Churh for the Vigil Mass at 7pm. St. Bernards. This was he most modern Church we have come across in NZ. The pictures that follow are of the rest of the day spent in Te Anau. Enjoy.