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).