Date: 22/03/15 Position: Last Cove, Long Sound, Preservation Inlet
We awoke Friday morning to a calm and quiet cove. The strong northerly winds predicted had not yet arrived so we made the most of the tranquil conditions and launched the kayaks. We set off in a north easterly direction paddling up Isthmus Sound, that way if the wind did increase we would be able to turn around and paddle back with it. The sun was out and the jagged mountain skyline at the head of Isthmus Sound beckoned us on. Along the western shoreline we stopped to investigate the historic Tarawera smelter which was used to extract gold from rock. There was evidence of a few mines, a brick chimney and some old foundations of what must have been huts. We searched through the rubble of rock at the base of the creek hoping to catch a glimmer of gold. We collected a few pieces of quartz that contained a hint of what might be gold in them. After our touch of gold fever we continued paddling to the head of Isthmus Sound where the water was emerald green and there were many submerged rocks and several tiny islets scattered about. We saw two runabouts heading up to the end of the sound with the passengers dressed in wet suits, so there must be some nice diving around the head of the bay. The wind had picked up slightly and we returned along the eastern shoreline back to our anchorage. The shorelines of Isthmus Sound had a lot of pink granite similar to the granite around Coles Bay in Tasmania and there were some nice pink, gravelly beaches towards the head of the sound. Richard from a neighbouring motor cruiser came over in the late afternoon with some pãua (abalone) for us that he had collected off the rocks at low tide. Richard and Susie are a kiwi couple who have given themselves a year to cruise around NZ. We will probably meet them again as they are traveling in the same direction as us.
We were awoken Saturday morning by a rocking motion and the sound of the wind in the rigging. The pre frontal northerly had arrived during the night and looking out from our cove we could see the wind waves coming down Isthmus Sound and the dark blue storm clouds gathering in the south. We stayed at Coruba Cove anchorage until the change came through at about midday. We were quick to put up our rain catching awning just before the rain fell in abundance. With the new wind conditions from the south our anchorage became uncomfortable so we pulled in our three shore lines and anchor and departed Coruba Cove. As the rain continued to bucket down we made our way to Revolver Bay. Visibility was very poor so we turned on our navigation lights and didn't see much on the way except dark grey mounds on either side of us. Revolver Bay was smooth and calm and here we dropped anchor in 22m of water with no shore lines required. The rest of the afternoon was spent on board while the rain teemed down and filled our water tanks. By early evening the rain had abated and we went up on deck to check out our surroundings. Revolver Bay was steep sided with a few neat waterfalls cascading down and at the head of the bay was a long stretch of sandy beach. We jokingly said we should look for deer on the beach and so with the binoculars out we scanned the sandy beach and there was bambi grazing on some grass at the high tide mark!
After a sleep in as it being a Sunday morning we got up later than usual and tuned into Radio Australia on our HF set. We listened to Macca from the ABC until ten o'clock when suddenly Radio Australia abruptly cuts off. It was then time to go kayaking. We paddled in the warm sunshine in a clockwise direction out of Revolver Bay, across to Useless Bay and around and back to Ambler. The scent of the bush seemed to be accentuated from the rain of the previous day and even the granite cliffs seemed to give off an earthy smell when we paddled past. As we paddled about a metre away from the shoreline we could hear the crackling from the thousands of tiny, black mussels exposed on the rocks at low tide. There were several large flocks of kelp gulls settled on the sunny rocks around the bays. After returning to Ambler in the early afternoon we lifted the anchor immediately and were on our way so that we could pass through Narrow Bend with the last of the incoming tide on the way up to Long Sound. Once through Narrow Bend the wind was against us so we motored half way up Long Sound to anchor for the night in a small cove on the western side of the sound, called Last Cove.
We are using two different cruising guides for Fiordland. The Mana Cruising Club of New Zealand put out "A Boaties' Guide to Fiordland" in 1992. This is a great resource and has detailed sketches of anchorages and information about activities to do in the different fjords and quite a lot of information on the history of each fjord. The other guide we refer to is a newer publication, 2008, called "Beneath the Reflections" which has been compiled by different government departments.
All is calm and peaceful on board. Kathy and Wayne
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