Dawn, slowly approaching Milford Sound... With the early light of dawn, we see the silhouette of the mountains, the cleft that is the mouth of the sound, and the light of the light house which guards, and marks this place... Soon a second light appears, the pilot boat coming out to meet us.
As the the dawn skies lighten, the ship's passengers start to stir, then gather, then crowd. With increasing light comes the first hints of colors, first a bit of pink in the sky, then a hint of green on the fiord walls... near Sterling Falls the ship does a pirouette... Spinning a full 360 degrees so all can have a view. We head a bit further into the sound, then paused to disembark passengers for an overland excursion, a bit further in... Now turned westward again and headed out as the sunlight works its way down the fiord wall...
Our cruise travel expert notes that Captain Cook spotted Milford Sound he did not enter...
The Capt. Interrupts the running commentary to warn us that once out of the sound, and back in the Tasman sea we can expect rough seas, and possibly
significant motion... Particularly pitching, not easily controlled with stabilizers, made a bit worse by our need to maintain 18 knts... Back to the commentary again, Back to the Captain now reporting a medical emergency, which would require us to return, back into the sound, and may lead to a helicopter evacuation.
The ship spins again, now headed back up the sound... The light keeps changing... working down slope towards the water, illuminating the side canyons... Adding greens to what had been a pallet composed completely of of blues, accented with white clouds.
Now, back at the head of the sound, a ship's tender has been dropped to the Promenade deck to transport the guest ashore for air evacuation... The Capt. Has reported how difficult communication has been... cell phones don't work, and the cliffs are blocking satellite communications. The ship has take n a position at the north side of the sound, presumably a sheltered place to drop the tender. A bit later, we drop the tender, the ship's Dr. And his patient aboard... They head towards a rendezvous with a helicopter, and a quick trip to shoreside medical care... The helicopter flies over head, then takes off again... The tender soon returns, and the ship starts to move as soon as the tender is lifted free of the bay...
Our return to the open sea was uneventful, the sun now high, the rocks now green, but much less dramatic... At sea, we met a strong swell. The Capt. Has reported that we will proceed at about 18 knts... Still able to visit two other sounds. Fast, but not so fast to require an additional engine (the ship uses diesels to generate electricity both for lights and "hotel functions", as well as to power the electric motors that drive the propellor shafts, that drive the propellers, that make us go) nor so fast as to "hammer" the ship (and passengers) against the sea.
Now, a bit after 4:00... We have completed our passage of Doubtful Sound and Thompson Sounds, that meet, to surround, and isolate Secretary Island. Back in the Tasman Sea once again, the swell was grown, and now sports white caps as well... The ship's motion is increasing, becoming what the lovely Tina calls "snippy"... Added to that, the strong winds are causing the ship to list to port several degrees. Apparently Cook was here...
Now 5:30... We have dodged in to Breaksea Sound, once in protected water, turned south into Acheron Passage, then, to return to sea via the Bowen Passage... Again, the place is defined by Cook, again, he saw it, noted it, but did not visit... On his way to Doubtful Sound... The island we are circumnavigating is named Resolution, after Capt. Cook's ship... What would you expect?
Our Captain (not the renowned, but long dead Capt. Cook) is on the intercom... Again, as we re-enter the Tasman Sea, it will be rough, but should improve as we clear New Zealand and head east towards Dunedin... But not before we pass Duck Cove (Cook's men hunted duck here) past the entrance of the Cook Channel, and Disappointment Bay (apparently Cook didn't like it)
To dinner, then bed, for tomorrow we call at Dunedin.
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