Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

Doubtful Sound Won the Vote

Doubtful Sound came up at a committee meeting one night (Scotty and me), actually, it was more than likely at one of our solitary Happy Hours.  We’d been good at keeping track of our travel budget all year.  Surely it was time to treat ourselves out of what I like to call our ‘Slush Fund’.

Way back when we first hit the road, a fellow traveller raved about his overnight charter on Doubtful Sound and told us which company he had gone with.  He insisted that it was a ‘must-do’ when in the area.

A plan was hatched and put into place.  We happened to mention our plan to our good friends in Auckland.  And wouldn’t yah know – they thought that it was a great idea too.  And so it came to fruition, dates booked and paid for.  Early December was to be the date and they were to join us for the experience.

About Doubtful Sound

How to get there

Doubtful Sound is only accessible by boat.  In order to get there, you need to drive to the town of Manapouri which is approximately 20 minutes from Te Anau (click HERE to read my blog on Out and About in Te Anau).  From Manapouri, you join a cruise that will take you across Lake Manapouri (50 minutes).  It’s then back into another vehicle which transports you over Wilmot Pass and onto Doubtful Sound (45 minutes).

Why Called Doubtful?

As you would expect, Captain Cook arrived here in 1770 and was ‘doubtful’ that it was a good idea to enter what he thought was a harbour.  He named it Doubtful Harbour and continued on his journey around NZ.  Later on, the name was changed to Doubtful Sound by whalers and sealers.  Technically they too got it a bit wrong, as it is actually a fiord, not a sound but I think we can forgive them for getting a bit confused.

Deep Cove Charters

The company who was recommended to us was Deep Cove Charters.  

One of the deciding factors for us is that it is a small, family-owned and operated business.  No matter what activity we do, we try to steer away from the large and impersonal companies.

Their overnight cruise onboard ‘SEAFINN’ consists of no more than 12 passengers at a time.  This makes the experience more personal and friendly.  We wanted something a little less commercialised.

Meeting the Family

Chris and Diane are what you would describe as ‘real locals’ having lived in Manapouri for most of their lives.

Diane handled my initial enquires and assisted with my online booking.  Her communication and instructions were clear and concise

Diane’s husband Chris was our skipper.  He is a wealth of information having spent a large portion of his working life at the Manapouri West Arm Power Station and also in the construction of the 2nd tunnel.  He also has a passion for hunting and fishing (right up Scotty’s alley).  Having spent virtually all of his life in Fiordland, his knowledge was outstanding.

I cannot forget to mention their son Travis, who happened to be our deckhand,  head chef, craypot collector, bait hooker and even table clearer.  His friendly banter and culinary expertise enhanced our onboard experience.  The food was plentiful and cooked perfectly. 

Setting Sail/Cruise

Our caravan was to remain at the Alpine NZMCA Park in Te Anau.  We made sure that we contacted the custodian and noted in the Registration Book that we were going to be absent from the park for the night.

We made the 20-minute drive to Manapouri.  Like Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri had not escaped the deluge of water that had fallen over the past few days.  The Real Journey’s booking office was certainly under threat as the water level lapped up against the lower floor.  Extra scaffolding was in place to ensure we had dry feet to board the boats.

Diane greeted us and guided us onto the correct vessel for our 50-minute boat ride across Lake Manapouri towards the West Arm.

Manapouri Power Station

The boat passed close-by the Manapouri Power Station.  It is hard to imagine the massive construction that largely lies underground.  The underground power station was opened in 1971 and is the largest hydroelectric power station in New Zealand.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to partake in a tour through the underground power station.  Sadly, they do no longer operate the tours.   The tours are currently closed for maintenance and the re-opening date is still to be confirmed. 

West Arm to Deep Cove

 At West Arm, we were met by our guide/skipper/owner – Chris.  We boarded our next mode of transport (mini-van) for our 45-minute drive over the mighty Wilmot Pass.  

Wilmot Pass

The Wilmot Pass Road was specifically constructed during the building of the Manapouri Power Station.  The large wharf was built at Deep Water Cover to cope with supplies that were shipped into Doubtful Sound.  These supplies were trucked over the Main Divide to the site of the power station.

It took two years to carve the road out of mountains and bush (1963-65) and is approximately 20km long.  The highest point of the Pass is 2100 feet.  Nowadays, it is used by tourist and fishing operators, transporting their passengers from West Arm to Deep Cove.

We had some great photo opportunities as we traversed Fiordland National Park.  Although we had some low lying clouds, we still got some glimpses of the steep river valleys, mountain scenery and cascading waterfalls before descending down to Deep Cove.

Our floating home for the night, SEAFINN, was waiting for us, along with a smiling Travis to welcome us aboard.

Cruising the Fiord

We set off and pretty soon it was our first taste of some Bounty of the Sea.  Travis had whipped up a storm in the galley.  To be honest, we were all quietly excited to see the tray full of cooked crayfish tails awaiting us.

Itinerary

Right from the start of our cruise, things were pretty relaxed and our skipper explained that he likes to keep our itinerary flexible.  

Doubtful Sound is made up of two other sounds which are Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds.  We got to explore its many arms on the way (Hall Arm and Crooked Arm) out to the Tasman Sea.  The heavy swells on the day meant that we couldn’t poke our nose too far into the Tasman Sea but got to experience where the fiord meets the sea.  

Because of the high rainfall, there is a great spinoff when visiting any sound/fiord.  That is the waterfalls that cascade down some of the vertical drops that surround Doubtful Sound.  They appear from the very top of the cliff, flowing out of what seems mid-air.  Chris positioned the SEAFINN within touching distance of them at times.  I needed to crane my head skywards to watch the steady stream which seemed to be heading straight for me.  Only for the flow to divert at the last minute.  Quite exhilarating to say the least.

Sightings Along the Way

Not only were we fully emersed in nature’s beauty, but we got to share it with wildlife that makes Doubtful Sound their home.  We spotted New Zealand Bottlenose Dolphins (the most common dolphin species found in the NZ and can live for up to 40 years), Fiordland Crested Penguins (whose population has declined steadily over the years),  New Zealand Fur Seals, seagulls (even Chris’ pet one who nearly feeds out of his hand) and a single Albatross.

Being an avid hunter, Chris was constantly scanning the surrounding scrub line for the elusive red deer.  We did spot some sunning themselves in clearings not far from the shoreline.

Fishing – A Very Missed Pasttime

Scotty and I are keen fisherman/woman and we miss being able to throw a line overboard and hauling in some fish.  This was pretty high on our list during our trip.  We weren’t disappointed.

Chris expertly positioned SEAFINN close to some freshwater streams entering the fiord.  We managed to pull in some Blue Cod, Sea Perch and Tarakihi.  These are species that I’m not used to having on the end of my line.  In fact, I did have to ask exactly what it was I had caught.  

We knew that the fish was fresh when it ended up on our dinner table that night.

It was then onto check some of their cray pots that had been set the day before.  Like a scene out of ‘Deadliest Catch’, Travis expertly threw the hook and rope overboard, luckily hooking the line on the first attempt (see video below).  Always a good thing to happen when everyone is watching!!

The bins came up over half full of brightly coloured crayfish.  He took what we needed for our dinner, then lowered them back down for next time.

Time for a Kayak

Chris and Travis lowered a number of kayaks into the water for anyone keen enough to partake in a paddle.  I declined the offer as it seemed that the temperature wasn’t quite to my liking.  

Evening Time

Chris found us a nice sheltered spot, way up one of the many arms of the fiord.  He dropped anchor and we relaxed in the most spectacular surroundings.  We enjoyed a hearty and friendly meal with our fellow guests.  We dined again on crayfish tails, freshly caught fish and wild venison.

There were some interesting shared stories and laughs with our foreign visitors from Singapore and Holland.

We retired to our private cabin which consisted of a double bed on the bottom and single bed on the top of the bunk.  Pecking order states, I got the large double bed on the bottom while Scotty was relegated to the single bunk on the top.  There are shared bathroom facilities.

In the morning we enjoyed a self-service continental breakfast (along with copious amounts of coffee) while cruising back to Deep Cove and on to Manapouri for our journey back.

Milford or Doubtful?

That is a tricky question.  Many people want to know whether one is better than the other.  I’m guessing they ask so as to help them make the decision on which one to visit.

There is no right or wrong answer and my opinion is that they are both worthy of a visit which doesn’t help those that have either limited time or funds.  We have been lucky to have experienced both.

Milford Sound is considerably smaller and feels more imposing than Doubtful Sound with its overhanging cliffs and sheer waterfalls.  It could be because Doubtful Sound is three times longer and ten times larger. It is also the deepest (421m) and second-longest (40km) of the South Island’s fiords.

Although it is more spread out – the scenery in Doubtful Sounds is just breathtaking and I do believe that we did it more justice by spending the night out on the water.  We learnt about the history and quite a bit about geography and got to experience some of its marine life and wildlife.

Cost

The total cost for our overnight charter was $1,550 for the two of us.  Please check out their website for up-to-date prices and availability.

Inclusions:

• meet and greet at Lake Manapouri
• boat transfer to West Arm
• mini-van transfer over Wilmot Pass with photo stops and commentary
• overnight cruise on the custom-made SEAFINN, 6 separate cabins, linen, duvets & towels, shared bathrooms
• Crayfish salad lunch
• afternoon tea treats (tea, coffee, milo & water supplied)
• full trip commentary
• sightseeing and wildlife spotting
• fishing (including bait and gear)
• kayaking (weather permitting)
• hot cooked evening meal
• continental breakfast
• return journey with transfers back to Manapouri

We do have to consider what we spend our travel budget on and we are fortunate to have many ‘life-changing’ moments while full time travelling.  This activity was one of those moments.  We are to have experienced it.  Even more special sharing it with such special friends.

Click on the link below to view a video of our Deep Cove Charter highlights.