Fiordland

The morning was misty and overcast, so our first view of Dusky Sound was pretty typical, we were told by the on board commentator. 

The route took the ship through Dusky Sound, then behind Resolution Island and back out to sea through Breaksea Sound. The fiords are quite deep and often narrow, so the ship comes very close to land.

 

After returning to the Tasman Sea, the ship followed the coast to Milford Sound. By this time, the sun was out and Milford Sound was wonderful with the peaks towering hundreds of metres above the sea. 

The ship cruised almost to the head of the Sound before pivoting and heading back to the open sea where it set course for Melbourne. Apparently it rains here for more than 200 days each year, but the price for not being here on a rainy day was that only the permanent waterfalls were flowing. There are quite a number of these, but we were told that after rain, water cascades down all the rock faces.

 
 

 

Looking towards the open sea

 (additional images added)
Going up the sound the weather was quite still (and sunny), which was perfect for standing on deck and taking it all in. However, the wind rose as we approached the open sea, and it looks as though there will be a pretty solid head wind as we head back across the Tasman Sea.