Its a Bit Fluffy Out There

"Its a bit fluffy out there" apparently a quaint local term for 75 knots plus when even the fishing boats aren't going out. Welcome to Sea Area Puysegur, a name to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who listens to marine weather forecasts. Surprisingly enough we haven't even considered sticking our nose out, having arrived in the greater Doubtful Sound complex a few days ago when the forecast was more favourable. We followed what seems to have become a pattern, wait for a light winds forecast,
head out into a sloppy sea with a large swell and motor sail to the next fiord. Once inside the fiords the weather is a lot calmer with winds of only about 30 to 40 at times! Although it sounded like one of the tourist boats was getting a bit more the other night. Actually a significant amount of the time it is flat calm with the wind only picking up in the late morning and afternoon for a time. As usual we have had a mix of weather from sunshine, to a cold front bringing a dusting of snow up high
and a lot of rain down low resulting in some spectacular waterfalls.

We are currently in Deep Cove on a mooring next to the tail race from the Manapouri Hydro Dam. The days have been spent exploring in the dinghy and the yacht, diving and we have even done some sailing (up to 6.5 knots under jib only). The wildlife has been out in force, seals, dolphins and penguins although we haven't seen the minke whale which has been sighted here recently. From an earlier anchorage in Gaer arm, and we even did have to anchor there, (we are getting quite used to tying up to permanently
fixed lines), we went on an evening trip in the dinghy up the Camelot river, motoring up and paddling back (before you ask, because we wanted to not because of any outboard malfunctions). There was fog rising from the river and ducks and swans flying overhead and overall it was a lovely way to spend the evening.

We have fueled up and stocked up at Deep Cove. It worked out it would be $170+ for one of us to get out to Te Anau and back, but we managed to get some stuff sent in instead, so that was one box of fresh fruit and veges, three boxes of beer and one box of chocolate. Tomorrow we will head off to another anchorage but it looks like with the current forecast we will be around in the area for a week or so, can think of worse places to be! We have a lot more of Doubtful Sound to explore and Jim may even
be talked into another dive (maybe).

And so there was rain, and wind!!

"Situation; a high passes over the south of South Island on Saturday followed by a strong northerly flow. A deepening depression moves over the area on Sunday morning followed by strong southerly flow. A ridge passes by Sunday night followed by a cold front........". How nice. "Forecast til midnight Sunday: northerly 25 increasing 35 becoming 45 to 55 Sunday afternoon. High Seas, Northerly swell 3 metres, poor visibility in rain". Not a great forecast for the sort of sailing conditions I prefer.
Give me 15 knots, maximum obviously, and a quiet tropical anchorage, or maybe one of my old anchorages off a pub in the U.K. east coast rivers. So what are we doing in this latest breeze?

Yesterday we found a small outcrop of rock that gave about three metres by ten metres of shelter, anchored the dinghy. Anchoring is a loose term for lowering 20 metes of chain and warp over the side and the first one in the water gets to dive down and shove it in a crack in the rock face, or if we are really lucky we can tie to an overhanging branch. On this trip we had a small shelf 20 metres below us on the sheer cliff of the Fiord. Having both entered the water and checked the anchor lie was causing
no damage we slowly descended. At just over 40 metres we sat and looked up to see the surface above. A clear view. Little rain over the previous few days (it all came as snow) have given really good visibility in the water. AS we slowly ascended we passed Black and Red Corals, Nudibranchs, Crayfish the size of very large things and a myriad of small life. It was truly an impressive dive. It seems that you just need to drop over the side to have a great dive here. The cold got the better of me and
we both re-surfaced after 20 minutes. Three metres from our anchored position we re-entered the rough waters of Charles Sound and made a quick trip back to the yacht with big gusts following us up the fiord. Back aboard it was time to warm up and enjoy a chat about the dive. A good book saw the afternoon pass pleasantly by.

The wind is stronger today, just as forecast. Well, it's windier "out there". We sit quietly snugged up to a line tied between two islands. The Island lying about 5 metres from us gives good protection from the wind while the second Island blankets the swell that would otherwise make us roll a little. Every now and then a big gust catches the top of the mast a heels us one way, then passing on allows us to rock back and forth a bit. The rain is with us and has been falling steadily all day. A quick
trip out in the RIB has been our main activity today. We had a look to see if the penguins we had spotted a few days earlier were still about but it seems they were more sensible than us. After watching several good gusts ripping up spray as they passed dwn the fiord we had a quick trip back to the quiet of the anchorage. What better way to revitalise after our 'exploration' than a nice warm cabin, a freshly made hot cross bun, a good book and a little music.

We will soon have to push on from this lovely spot. The forecast gives a light northerly in a few days and even I have run out of excuses why it would be too windy. After a week will we have only just started to settle in a discover some the many treasures this little area holds. There is so much more to do but we also have to move towards Bluff to be able to 'check in' with DOC prior to our planned departure to points south. It seems our almost three months we will be spending in Fiordland will
not be enough to see all we want to.

I quite like the rain now, and the wind is getting more of a friend. This is not because I'm 'toughening up', mmmmmm give me that lovely 15 knots, no it's beacuse in the pouring rain or winds of 40 knots I haven't seen a single Sandfly. I know with marine reserves and national parks just about everything is protected but I hope the Sandfly is an exception or I'm in big trouble.

Its probably time to go now as a cloud of smoke coming out of the heater tells we that last gust blew down the chimney putting the heater out. I'll have to fight past the mattress drying above the heater before I can relight it. But to get there I have to climb over the wet towels positioned to catch the drips from the leaking deck hatches and then negotiate through the wet clothes hanging up to dry. If the mattress dries, the locker under the bunk gets aired and the bed sheets are finished steaming
by tonight I'll have a dry sleep. To cap all that my slippers are wet!

It's Snowing!!

Woke this morning to a white day! Snow falling on deck and the hills (couldn't see the mountains!) covered in snow. After a breakfast of toasted grain bread, all made onboard, we set off for a row. Had a pleasant 3 to 4 hour row in the the snow. Went from Catherine Island up to the Windward River. A good row of about four miles but with little wind it was no concern. It truly is very magical to be out and about in the falling snow. The scenery was lovely and the mood of the whole row was pleasing.
After returning from seeing truly magical sights we are tucked up in the saloon, under blankets, with the cabin heater on as more snow falls and condensation drips! I guess you have to be here to see the fun side in it.

As you have probably guessed we are now in a different Fiord, currently Charles Sound. We had a pleasant days walk and exploration around Alice Falls in George Sound. This included a tramp for a couple of hours along the George track and back then a bush bash up to the top of Alice Falls. We canoe trip on lake Alice above the Alice Falls revealed some fantastic views. A quite evening on deck enjoying the setting sun. This has been our first anchorage where the mountains haven't obscured the sun by
16:00. The next day saw no clouds at all, and just a gentle zephyr. We motored out to the middle of the Fiord and shut down the engine. No sandflies! A lovely day was spent washing (that time of the year again) and doing the laundry. All in glorious sunshine and warmth. That's got to beat working any day.

We took advantage of a brief north wind to get to Charles Sound prior to some strong North then South winds. A bit of a rolly trip but escorted by Dusky dolphins in the early parts, and constantly checked upon by Albatross and Mollyhawks. We ended the day tucked into a very small gap between two islands (Catherine Island and one unnamed) in the very sheltered upper part of Gold Arm, Charles Sound. This appears to have been a prudent move considering the speed the clouds have been going past whilst
leaving little wind here. We plan to do a dive here in Charles and explore a little further before moving on to our next spot.

The lack of sun is proving a dampener for the solar panels, and with little wind the wind generator also supplies little power. We are therefore having to run the engine for a bit to charge batteries and take the fridge/freezer down (we could just put the frozen stuff on deck at present) but this does also help to warm the cabin. We seem to have got used to wearing several wool layers (icebreaker) with two polar fleece tops also, and thats just inside! I bet the winters are a tad chilly!!

The clouds have cleared to give some mountain views so I will say goodbye and go and enjoy. Was it only two days ago we were swimming and enjoying a sweltering day?

Tori and Jim