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Snagged In The SoundBy Lynda Joy SmithAround 1.88 million tourists visited New Zealand in 2001. A large percentage would have visited the South Island. A great percentage of those South Island tourists would have toured or trekked Milford Sound, noted as the 8th wonder of the world by author Rudyard Kipling. A lucky percentage of those tourists who visited Milford Sound would have stayed overnight on a cruise boat. An even luckier select few would have got to try their hand at fishing in the sound. One person got snagged (that I know of). Me. New Zealand. The very name conjures up an image of nature, outdoor adventure, cultural experiences, world class sailors and some of the best fishing to be found on the planet. The land of the long white cloud has it all, from chic cosmopolitan to the Milford track, a trek re-nowned amongst hiking enthusiasts.
Once the tunnel has been navigated you are challenged yet again with a series of hairpin corners tighter than your last perm. It was a few years back that I visited the area, I hope they do not try to modernize (or whatever engineers call it) the road, as it adds a certain something to arrival by car, relief and a fresh appreciation that you survived to see Mitre peak at all. Fiordland, World Heritage listing, Milford Sound. And I am going to experience nature’s best in superb comfort and style. Well, that’s what the brochure said and they certainly got it right. The red boat company, (I’m not sure as to the reason for the name but I like it) operates from the wharf used until 1979 by the Milford Fishing fleet. Day cruises or overnight cruises with dinner, breakfast, natural history commentary and a few fun activities thrown in. Fun activity one. At Fairy Falls don your wet weather gear (the crew supply slickers if needed), take off or roll up your pants and barefoot is best. The skill needed in catching a cup of pure alpine water from the falls into the cup is obviously a feat beyond most mere mortals. It was hilarious to watch, but that’s what observers do, watch. Vertical lushness surrounded us. With walls that rise up to 1200 metres from the sea, watered by a regional annual rainfall of 6.240 metres you get an incredible ambience. I literally felt the sheerness of the Sound as we passed by the ledge from which a base jumper had apparently launched herself. We motored out to the entrance sill onto the edge of the Tasman Sea. The depth here is 27 metres, shallow compared to the inner Sound. This played a role in my red-faced fishing expedition.
Naturally our gourmet meal that night included a fish course, talk about rubbing salt into the wound. And I must not neglect to mention that a highlight the next morning was a visit to the underwater observatory, where we got to see, amongst other things, fish. Black coral, normally only seen insitu by divers, flourishes here in these unique waters. This research and educational observatory truly gives an amazing look at what lies beneath. If you appreciate wilderness, the beauty of silence and nature showing off it’s stunning side, then definitely give Piopiotahi priority on your list. I’ll be back one day. Piopiotahi (the single thrush) is the Maori name for Milford Sound. For further details contact .New Zealand Tourism http://www.purenz.com Redboat Cruises www.redboats.co.nz To get there:Air New Zealand http://www.airnewzealand.com Images By: Lynda Joy Smith |
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Milford Sound is sited in a top spot. Mitre
Peak stands tall and is the first thing that takes your eye when you finally
reach the sound’s car park, the old anchorage for the Milford Fishing Fleet. Around a 4-5 hours drive from Queenstown, follow the
bitumen along the scenic Milford alpine road and arrive at the Sound, but
first you must tackle the dark side. I am of course referring to the very
dark and very narrow Homer tunnel. (I still say thank you that I didn’t cop
a bus coming the other way. There is no way that I could have found a
passing bay by the illumination thrown by my reversing lights). If this
gives the impression that I was very nervous attempting this sector, spot
on.
Fun activity two. The crew set up rods and tackle.
Anyone could have a go. How many people in the world would be able to
casually drop a line like this at the next dinner party? “Well, when I
fished Milford Sound the fish were jumping out of the water”. (poetic
license with the jumping part.) Fate saw me, as with rod in hand I sent a
professional cast from the stern, at the exact same moment the Captain
thrust the boat into reverse to combat the tide. This was it. Snagged, the
moment that vaporized my dinner party line. That’s my story and I am still
sticking with it, better yet if it’s not mentioned that my daughter pulled
in a pretty looking red fish to match my face, (it could have been a
scarlett wrasse for all I know, which is a very nice name for a fish)