You may well ask why would you want to come to the Sounds in the winter, but a typical winter day in the Sounds is not to be missed!  Cool evenings, frosty mornings and calm, clear days are the typical weather in the Sounds for the next few months.  Perfect for walking and biking on the Queen Charlotte Track – so we have dusted off our winter walk and bike packages again.  The hotels are ready and waiting to greet you each day after your walk or bike ride with toasty hotel rooms and delicious simple dinners with a glass of wine each night.

The packages are excellent value for money and a perfect opportunity to escape for a few days from the winter hum drum.

Our Australian friends can enjoy an excellent deal, flying right into Marlborough but you need to be in quick as they are only avaialble for another week on http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/cheap-flights-new-zealand

For sea kayakers, winter can be a stunning time to be out paddling – the wildlife is prolific and you can have the whole place to yourself – a paddlers dream.

We look forward to seeing you here sometime soon and just remember “there is no such thing as bad weather, just a bad choice of clothing”!

It’s great to be back!  After 3 years of guiding in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and the wilderness of Fiordland, completing a carpentry course at polytech in Christchurch and labouring on construction sites in London, I’ve now had 3 weeks to renew my friendship with the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.

It’s nearly 15 years since I arrived at the Portage Hotel in Kenepuru Sound looking for some work for a few months which ended up being two years.  Then another six  years as a guide for Sara and Dave at MSAC.  Now I live in London but it is great to be back for a short visit.  There’s a new office, a brilliant new bunch of staff, the buildings on the Picton foreshore are a couple of stories higher, the old-timers who I used to serve Marlborough Draft at the Portage are slowly drifting away, I’m  wearing yet another MSAC uniform and the packed lunches are a bit posher, but some things haven’t changed.  The seals still loiter with intent at the salmon farm, the school boat still takes the kids to school in Waitaria Bay, the lush Sounds bush still looks Jurassic compared to the stark, barren Scottish coast, the water is still a different shade of green every day, the fishing still “isn’t what it used to be” and Lulu the MSAC dog is still in charge of the office.

It’s hard to believe I was pouring concrete at the Olympic site only 3 weeks ago.  And as I commute home this evening on the water taxi it’ll be even harder to believe I’ll be back sitting on the Tube in a couple of weeks.  It’s made me realise what an utterly wonderful place this is.  And I can thoroughly recommend to anyone gettimg stuck in the Sounds for a while!

The month also saw a fantastic New Years eve party and fireworks on the foreshore, the hosting of another Marlborough Farmers Market and the Picton Maritime festival - celebration of all things maritime, followed by live music and fireworks (again!). Picton really has been the place to be over the summer.  A highlight for January has to be Dave appearing large as life on the front page of the Marlborough Express on our stand-up-paddlle boards – a new edition to our hire fleet.  http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/6215985/Paddle-boardsproving-popular.  He has been getting a suitably hard time about being Picton’s new “pin-up” boy!

February is a busy time for Marlborough residents and visitors with Blues & Brews, the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival early in the month, the Winery Tour visiting on 17 February with Gin Wigmore, Atlantic City and The Muttonbirds playing.  Lots to see and do, mixed with a few days rest and recreation in the Sounds thrown in as well.

So as we rush into February we wish you a very belated happy and properous new year.

The SATW team depart Picton for the Queen Charlotte Track

After a conference in Wellington 19 members and their partners of the Society of American Travel Writers flew into Marlborough to join us for a 4 day walk on the Queen Charlotte Track. Departing Picton with The Cougar Line on Saturday with our guides Ray and Dave, they have spent the days hiking and nights staying at the three hotels on the track, Furneaux Lodge, Punga Cove Resort and Portage Resort Hotel.   Some have even managed to squeeze in an afternoon sea kayak in the Kenepuru Sound and the collection and boiling of some fresh green-lipped mussels.  There will be no doubt some great stories and images coming from the trip so we look forward to hearing and seeing the tales of their journey over the next few months.

Amatya is on a spontaneous trip to New Zealand after spending a few months working in Bangalore, India. Originally from Switzerland, the 24yr old made the most of the sunshine earlier this week & spent a half day kayaking with Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co. “Back to nature after a few crazy months in India!”

Equipped with an MSAC/Ozone Cuppucino,  I headed off to Ngakuta Bay with my guide, Blair, & several other adventurers. After lowering the kayaks from the trailer onto the beach we received all the paddle, drybag and life-jacket instructions (‘In case of emergency you will find the next exit located to your left and right.’) We then headed off to sea! What if my kayak were to just throw me overboard at the next wave? I was quite releived to find these worries quite unnecessary. The kayaks were easy to manoeuver and, if paddling in sync with your partner, you simply cut through the waves.

     We passed amazing scenery and spotted a variety of birds and elegantly moving stingrays. (A head-on encounter with the latter would not be so enjoyable of course). Blair provided us with an amazing amount of information on New Zealand’s history and forest conservation projects. I would have done much better in my history class if I were passing beautiful bays and getting sprayed with seawater by my partners paddle now and then!  With strong strokes, we crossed the harbour and arrived mesmerized, feeling proud of our journey.

A few days later, I  went with some of my NZ-based family on a Freedom Kayak Rental to further explore the Marlborough Sounds. We paddled 2 doubles & a single out to Kumatoto Bay where they we stopped for a rest-turned-lunch stop-turned-overnight camping spot. My eldest cousin Jacob, whipped up a gourmet (2minute) pasta concoction while his younger brother, Tarn, boiled up steaming cups of tea.

The following day, we enjoyed trailing sting rays along the coast & photographing a big seal lounging in the sunshine. Jake, an experienced kayaker, showed his sister, Indigo, how to ‘brace’ in a kayak. This resulted in, well, a few rolls and a lot of fun and laughter

A slow paddle on home to Picton made for more Ozone coffee & massive plates of scrambled eggs on toast. What an awesome mission!

Some of us were meeting for the first time & some were old friends who hadn’t seen each other since we had escaped NZ winter for warmer pastures in the Northern Hemisphere. However, as soon as we hit the water, we were marveling at the place we once again called home.

The team was made up of 3 Swedish girls, one Scottish/Kiwi lass & 2 Kiwi lads. For the most part, we made a pretty eclectic, humourous  bunch who were keen for a bit of adventure in the Marlborough Sounds.

Monday morning had us up & grabbing Ozone coffee (& the odd can of Redbull) as we set about launching 2 double & 2 single sea kayaks off the Picton Foreshore. The wind was light & made for a cruisy paddle out of the harbour & across to Double Cove where we stopped for a nutritious snack (hummus, bread & bottles of Tui).

The fleet paddled on with plenty of banter to keep us entertained. When we arrived at Kumatoto Bay, we set up camp in the Native Bush & bathed in the early Summer sunshine. So good to be home! Sitting on the beach, we all looked out at the Sounds feeling lucky to be in such a beautiful place.

The evening had us gathered on the beach, chatting, munching ravioli, carving ineffective fish spears, track missions in the bush & so much laughing we fell off our seats/logs.  During the night we had a visit from a bush piglet (a bushlet?) & a cheeky Weka who stole some of Kristen’s bread!

On Tuesday morning, we feasted on cereal, leftover risotto & coffee which Blair brewed cup by cup over his handy camping percolator.  We set off back to Picton, cruising by a fur seal napping in the sunshine.

Heading toward Grove Arm, the wind picked up & had us ducking into bays & doing  a bit of tame wave surfing & sailing with our paddles in the air.

We arrived back in Picton, happily tired, salt-encrusted, sun tanned, hungry for lunch & some more adventure.

Thanks Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co.