Today was magic. A trip and life highlight.

We were not scheduled to ride today. It was one of our two planned days off the bike.

When I researched and planned I determined Milford Sound was not a suitable riding route due to tourist traffic volume, narrow verges, amount of climbing and not being able to leave early enough to miss the highway of traffic heading in.

Then I discovered Doubtful Sound. I had not heard of it before.

Doubtful Sound is the largest of New Zealand’s fiords.

Captain James Cook sighted the entrance on his first voyage in 1770.

Unlike its more famous neighbour Milford Sound, you can’t drive there. It is remote. Hence there are less visitors. It was sounding very appealing in so many ways.

Cycle touring you do not tend to be around lots of people. We become satisfied with our own company, or the company of just a few people, and masses does our head in.

This map shows Milford further north. The blue dot is our current location.Doubtful Sound area with the red tag.

The Sound spans an amazing 40 km from the head of the fiord to the Tasman sea. It is the deepest of New Zealand’s 14 fiords.

The Maori named the fiord Patea, meaning place of silence.

After an early breakfast we walked down to Pearl Harbour.

By 7.30 am we were boarded on our first boat trip, sitting upstairs, out the back.

Closer up map. We need to cross Lake Manapouri, the western arm. This takes one hour.

We then transfer via bus across the top of Wilmot Pass down to the shores of the Sound. This also takes one hour. We manage to sit directly up and behind the driver scoring good views out the front window.

We will spend 2.5 hours on the next boat and travel out to the Tasman Sea and explore various arms.

Then a further two hours returning via bus and boat to,our starting point.

Here we go, looking back at Pearl harbour.

Looking forward, the weather forecast is great. We’ve got very lucky given tomorrow’s forecast.

Here are a series of photos crossing Lake Manapouri. Visually stunning.

We reach the western arm, also the power station base that powers much of South Island. The only sign of man’s invasion really. However, as a result of this a road was constructed. That means tourists can get to the Sound.

A series of photos from the Sound are next. We sit upstairs and outside again to maximise our views.

The fiord was carved out during the glacial age. A marine reserve rich with fur seals, penguins, visited by various whales and sharks seeking a feed.

The amount of wow’s was high. We were super gob smacked.

It was such a joyeous privilege today. It is not a cheap excursion, but one I’d highly recommend.

Near the finish, we entered an arm and all motors turned off for five minutes. We were asked to not talk, take photos, but to think and reflect.

It was incredible. What a moment. 😊❣️

Back on the bus for an hour, we stopped at the top of Wilmot Pass. This is looking back down on Doubtful Sound, our last view.

We travelled the length of the sound to the Tasman Sea and return.

This is a sad story about a young bloke during the building of this road. His wife was due to give birth in Invercargill. As no options were available to get there quickly, he walked. He had not checked the explosion detonation schedule and was killed at Wilmot Pass.

Beautiful vegetation.

Further down the Pass, we stopped again for another view, but this drew our curiosity, There were two touring cyclists.

Tony tried to engage with them but they gave him nothing. Later we researched and discovered you can apply for a permit to ride the section we did by bus, but then?

Back on the final boat I gaze back out towards the area of the Sound. It was an emotionally uplifting experience. The sheer, unadulterated beauty.

An extraordinary day.

Tomorrow, 200 mm of rain is forecast for the Sound. How lucky did we get?

Do yourself a favour. Come to this part of the world, go to Doubtful Sound, stay at Murrell House, you won’t be sorry.

Thanks for reading 😊❣️