Queen Charlotte Sound and ex Tropical Cyclone Dovi

Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Fri 25 Feb 2022 02:30

We had come into Waikawa Marina to shelter from strong winds and to get a couple of jobs done including a rigging check as Phil had spotted a broken strand in one of our lower shrouds (wires that hold the mast up) and gearbox oil change. We ended up staying an extra few days to avoid the effects of Ex Tropical Cyclone Dovi, in the marina we did have good shelter but still experienced winds over 50 Knots, in the Cook Strait just a few miles away there was 100 Knots and the ferries between Picton and Wellington were cancelled for a day.

 

Ex tropical cyclone Dovi approaches N Island

 

The forecast for Waikawa

There are a couple of walks locally so we went out to The Snout one afternoon and into Picton on another occasion. It is good to get off the boat sometimes  and stretch our legs, in so many of the anchorages here the land around is private and apart from the foreshore there is nowhere to go. As Desiderata was in the bay we were able to catch up with them and to have a lovely curry meal on board, this was before the weekend winds.

View of Queen Charlotte Sound from the Snout, a 10.5km out and back walk.

Saturday night and Sunday were very wet and windy but Countdown in Blenheim managed to deliver an online grocery order, first time we have tried this method of shopping in New Zealand but it certainly beats the alternative of a 4km walk to Picton and taxi back. Then on Monday we were off again. Waikawa Marina is the largest marina on South island  but they have very few available berths for visitors so we couldn’t have stayed if we wanted to.

We had a very gentle sail down the sound to Double Bay and a peaceful mooring disturbed only by the constant sound of Cicada’s in the bush. There was a brilliant sunset which lit up the hills across the sound in bright orange.

Sunset from Double Cove

Then on Tuesday we moved across to Endeavour Inlet and moored off Punga Cove Resort . The resorts here provide accommodation for the Queen Charlotte Track as well as for less energetic holidays, plus they have moorings available for visiting boats, free if you eat in their restaurants. We were on a combined club mooring but still went ashore for a meal on one night. A short walk form here took us up to Kenepuru Saddle and a view over to Pelorus Sounds where we had been just over a week previously.

We decided that we ought to take the opportunity while we were here to walk The Queen Charlotte Track (next blog), this meant co-ordinating a stay in Picton Marina, available accommodation on the track and good weather, all of which we managed to do for the following week.  Two nights in Kumutoto Bay sheltering again from the wind and we were able to move into the marina.

Waikawa to Picton, 1 Double Bay, 2 Punga Cove, 3 Kumutoto.

 

 

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