Boating the Sounds

Our last day in Marlborough, we got on out the water and explored the Marlborough Sounds in what the operator called a ‘boating safari’. Our guide had small boats that fit two people and we set off on the tour with a Dutch couple on their honeymoon and two guys from Belgium. As you’d imagine, the scenery was awesome. However, most excitement came from driving these mini boats. The motor is in the back of the boat, and the driver sits in the back and steers. Being in a smaller craft, you can get going at a pretty good clip and have a little fun jumping the wake of the other boats. This fueled a little good natured international racing competition. The Dutch typically lagged behind, with the Belgians typically keeping pace with us. Good fun.

We passed a mussel farm out in the sounds that was taking in huge volumes of the preferred local green mussels. They are bigger than the normal black mussel that you’d find in the US. Black mussels grow in the sounds as well, however they are picked out of the haul and thrown back into the sea as "rubbish" as they don’t have the same value as the locally preferred green mussels!

The whole area is a special place and the sounds incredibly scenic. It has to rank as my favourite area in New Zealand thus far…..although we still have plenty to see.

Our boat was named 'Magic'



Mussel Farm