Adventure Magazine Issue 221

Cruising & Sailing
When it comes to cruising and sailing, Fiordland is touted
as "the 8th wonder of the world". Comprising of countless
islands and passages, the area presents an exciting
possibility for adventurers seeking an unspoiled watery
wilderness.
Fiordland features a number of fiords, wrongly named
sounds (sounds are created by a flooded river valley and
a fiord by a glacier) of which Milford Sound is the most
famous, though Doubtful Sound is larger and has more, and
longer, branches (but is less accessible).
Fiordland have a few world beaters; Browne Falls and
Sutherland Falls rank among the tallest waterfalls in the
world; and Lake Hauroko, Lake Manapouri, and Lake Te
Anau are New Zealand's three deepest lakes.
Once you have arrived in Fiordland, the best way to see the
fiord in all its glory is by boarding a cruise and getting out
on the water whether for a day, a night, or a week. Cruising
the sounds is a unique experience. The stunning sheer cliffs
surrounding you, the inky blackness of the water and the
frosty alpine peaks looming over it all combine to create a
stunning experience epic of grandeur.
Half day commercial cruises depart every day, giving you
the chance to experience the fiord in all its different guises.
There are several longer options to cruising, for days or
even weeks where you will get to explore those more
remote areas. In the discussions we have had with
operators, it pays to book well in advance, they will also
fit the cruise around what is best for the weather condition
and what the clients really wants to do or see, from diving
and fishing to just laying low in some very remote wildness
paradise.
With so many cruising options on offer it can be daunting,
given the wide range of types of cruises and different
operators to choose from it pays to get the right advice.
There is an extensive range outlined on the Destination
Fiordland website.
If you have your own boat, you can visit the Sounds.
Remember that there are ten marine reserves in the
Fiordland National Park area. This means all marine life is
protected and there are strict rules in terms polluting the
environment.