Scenic cruising is a euphemism for no ports today. Instead we’re wandering around the fjord lands of South Island New Zealand. It’s an early start yet again, and we’re on the foredeck, open only on special occasions, to watch the pilot arrive who then guides us into Milford Sound.
We were here 17 years ago but then we did the opposite - starting at the closed end of the Sound we took a boat trip out to the sea and returned. The weather that day was stunning, sadly today, although it’s just pre-dawn looks like it’s the middle of night. Low cloud and drizzle complete the gloomy picture, but we persevere and remain on deck for the duration of the journey inland. We do briefly stop to disgorge some fellow guests who are taking an overland, overnight tour and then we spin on a sixpence and start our return to the Tasman Sea.
Milford and indeed all the Sounds hereabouts are formed by rivers rather than glaciers so their topology is a v-shape rather than a u-shape, although once flooded this distinction is less obvious until one sees well defined interlocking spurs which again enforce the river aspect. Mr Ingram would / will be amazed I’ve remembered all this from forty years ago!
We pop out into the sea for a couple of hours as we head further south to the next set. Meanwhile husband is doing circuits and I’m prepping photos - now up to date (20/01) so hopefully these will now keep reasonably current. One new problem is that FB no longer allow links to albums for non-users so I’m not sure how to get around that yet, further investigation required.
Hubby summons me for ham and pea soup around 10:30 which is lovely, something we experienced on our first Antarctica, on this same cruise line - it’s a Dutch speciality. Back to photos and blog for me, until we enter Doubtful Sound. The weather is improving generally and visibility is far better, so we happily hang out on the foredeck again, enjoying the scenery and chatting to fellow trainers, until we’ve sailed around Secretary Island and returned to the sea.
Before long it’s lunch time, we head upstairs to visit the burger joint, very good quality with crunchy fires (so called Southern Fries) which we really like, maybe not as good as Seabourn, but quite frankly little is, except the wonderful Pinnacle Grill, anyway!
Soon after it’s time for our final scenic cruising, this time Dusky Sound which also circumnavigates a small island and returns to the sea further along our intended trajectory towards Port Chalmers / Dunedin. Once again the weather is pleasant and we enjoy the beautiful journey with dense vegetation, the occasion waterfall and tranquility all around. We’re going so slow it’s almost a silent passage and quite magical.
Time for jacuzzi and then some reading and a glass in our cabin before we dress early for dinner, as there’s a lot to do tonight.
Goodness what a lot happens in the evening. Firstly a man in the Neptune asks if he might borrow my MacBook charger, which of course is rather dependent on him having the same connector of the three possible ones as mine, since I didn’t bring any adapters. Happily for him his Mac is nearly as old as mine, so that’s a new acquaintance made.
We enjoy canapés and Chardonnay in the Neptune quite early then drop down to the classical area for New York classics, starting with Joplin, then including Bernstein, Barber, Gershwin and others.
Next we hot-foot to the main theatre to catch part one of show one of the singer harpist Alana Conway who is delightful, singing from Piaf to Ronstadt to Cohen quite beautifully.
Dinner is it’s usual perfection in Pinnacle Grill, tonight crab cakes for me and lobster bisque for him, halibut for us both (syncing wines an important consideration) then key lime for him and tres leche for me - this is a new dessert which is absolutely lovely - moist coconut cake with meringue.
We then catch the harpist again, before then visiting the duelling pianos adjacent to the casino.
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