Five weekends to remind you why we have weekends - the inaugural Marlborough Sounds Festival begins on the weekend of 26 September.  This five weekend festival has been created by Portage Resort Hotel.  The festival has five themed weekends, beginning with the Sounds Water and Wilderness Weekend.  Stay at the hotel and enjoy activities, delicious food and wine.  The 2nd weekend is our Sounds Adventure Challenge - a day of sea kayaking, mountain biking and running, achievable for all from the nervous novice to the experienced multi-sporter out for a training run.  The third weekend features the Sounds Seafood School - al fresco dining and workshops.  Get creative on the fourth weekend with painting and writing workshops and the final weekend ends with Spring in the Sounds - a weekend combining all the highlights that the sounds have to offer.  There are options for everyone, from groups of friends wanting to get away for the weekend together, to family groups looking for a bit of adventure, to just couples needing that short break away.  Check out all the details on the website www.marlboroughsoundsfestival.co.nz

Some trips take a lot of beating. The 3 day Outer-Sounds Adventure is hotly sought-after within our guiding team due to the "expedition" style of the trip.  I was fortunate to draw the short straw on a 3 day Outer-Sounds trip recently and shared a special experience with my two Australian clients Hermann and Myra.

During the trip took the opportunity to paddle to Motuara Island in the outer-Queen Charlotte Sound.  It is a favourite spot to spend an hour or two looking for some of the rare NZ native birds released and breeding there.  Even sailing by affords you unrivalled opportunities to listen to the bell birds, saddlebacks etc.

Having pulled up beside the Moutara Island jetty, Hermann decided to stay on the jetty and observe what fish life was passing and keep an eye on our kayaks.  Myra and I wandered in a leisurely fashion up the track, conscious that we had the island to ourselves before the water taxis and cruise boats dropped various visitors off later in the morning.  It was a bonus however to come across the Department of Conservation staff (Duncan and Liz), on a project to change the radio transmitters on the juvenile Okarito Kiwis which are released on the island to enhance their survival rates. 
 
We were invited by Duncan and Liz to join them as they attempted to track down one last bird that had been eluding them. Our expectations were low as we set out sliding down the steep southerly slope, scratching through the undergrowth.  Myra was still wearing her kayaking footwear, socks and jandals - not ideal for bush bashing. 
 
Suddenly the DOC workers stopped, listening to the noises in their earphones, dropped all the equipment and scouted round for holes.  Within seconds Liz was pulling one sleepy kiwi out of its nest and putting it into a dark cloth bag.  This was a known kiwi so not of special interest.  Another one was pulled out, a bit more feisty.  This was handed to me to hold (by its back legs, supporting its body and cradling its head, kept it calm) and then the third which was the transmitting kiwi.  We watched enthralled as one apparatus was removed and another attached and taped carefully on and tested.  It was a delight to help the weighing of the Kiwi. 

A big thank you to the Duncan and Liz for allowing us to share this special experience.  It was not only a privilege for me to hold a Kiwi, but also for Myra, an Australian now living in Hawaii, to observe and be part of the conservation of  one of our national icons.  It is no wonder the 3 day Outer-Sounds Adventure has such a reputation in our guiding fraternity. 

The Right Honorable Damien O’ Connor, Minister for Tourism recently visited Picton to launch the Queen Charlotte Track Tribute.  A keen mountain biker, Mr O’Connor took the opportunity to enjoy a short ride from Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa on the Queen Charlotte Track with Dave and John from our crew.  A keen mountain biker the Minister commented that the Queen Charlotte Track had been on his list of "must-do’s" for a while and it was a great opportunity to at least get a taste of this great mountain bike ride.  We look forward to the Minister returning for more of the Queen Charlotte Track soon.

Andy Martin and Sara Gordon - two of our senior guides, celebrated their wedding day in adventurous style on Saturday 12 January 2008.  The groom and wedding party cruised on The Cougar Line’s "Sounds Adventure" to Bythell’s Bay in the Grove Arm of Queen Charlotte Sound on a beautiful but blustery afternoon.  Sarah and her bridal party arrived by float plane, landing on the beach in fine style.  After a romantic beach service in the sun, we all enjoyed afternoon tea before boarding the boat for a leisurely cruise back to Picton and the wedding reception at the Yacht Club Hotel with dancing afterwards at Le Cafe. Knowing how much Andy and Sarah enjoy boat washing as part of their job, we couldn’t let the chance go by as they walked past our office on the way to the reception.  We will miss these two wonderful guides as they now move on with their chosen careers.  Andy is training as a helicopter pilot and Sarah is in the 4th year of her medical degree.  Hopefully they will be back for "guest" appearances in the future.  We wish them well for their future together.

Walking the Queen Charlotte Track with Peter Potterfield

We were delighted to host U.S. journalist and adventurer Peter Potterfield on a guided walk on the Queen Charlotte Track recently. 

Peter has written more than a dozen books on outdoor adventure and contributed to Outside, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Adventure and other major magazines. 

His most recent publication “Classic Hikes of the World” features the best walking tracks in the world. 
Peter is currently editor of GreatOutdoors.com, where he writes his regular column, Wilderness Notes.  You can read Peter’s blog on walking the Queen Charlotte Track by going to www.greatoutdoors.com/blogs/peterp/new-zealand-hikes-blog

(Dispatch 6)

Some of Peter’s comments:
“As we caught the water taxi back to Picton, I had time to reflect on the unique nature of the Queen Charlotte Track. Here’s a long, interesting four day route in one of the most scenic parts of New Zealand’s South Island that offers a rare combination of four honest days of hiking with real comforts–in what is often the best weather of all New Zealand.

This is a route that I think will soon rival the classic treks of the South Island, such as the Heaphy Track and the Milford Track.”

Peter has walked all over the world, with many different operators and we were particularly delighted to receive his feedback on the experience:

“Thanks for all your help. MSA really has the trip wired, I was very impressed. Ray and Hally do a great job, and reflect very well on your company. I think you’ve got a remarkable product,and hope someday to do it again at a more leisurely pace”.

A new initiative was recently launched focusing on the long-term sustainability of the Queen Charlotte Track. 
From 1 October 2007 all adult unguided track visitors will be asked to contribute $5 to the Queen Charlotte Track Tribute Fund. QCT Tribute tickets can be purchased from the dedicated ticket machine located at Picton Wharf prior to departure on a track experience. 

Spring is definitely in the air and there is no doubt that people arestarting to move out of their winter hibernation.  We are loving the torrential spring rain today, soaking into what has been a very dry season so far.  Picton and the Sounds are particularly magical on a wet day with a myriad shades of grey in the hills.

We are now planning for a great summer. Our first guided walk on the Queen Charlotte Track begins on 1 October and it will be a wonderful time to see the early spring flowers featuring on our native floras such as the Kowhai, Bush Clematis, Rangiora, Bush Lawyer, Hooded Orchids and Tea Tree flowering.  Visitors out paddling with our guide on a day trip this week also enjoyed paddling with a large pod of 50 bottlenose dolphins. 

So it isn’t just us that is starting to revel in the joys of spring, so are the native residents of this beautiful place that we live in.

NZ Tourism Award Winners - Leisure Activity : Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company

Here we are looking suitably ecstatic after winning a NZ Tourism Award for Leisure Activity on 30 August 2007. 

Winning a NZ Tourism Award is the highest accolade possible in the New Zealand tourism industry.  It has been a long road to winning this award and the culmination of 12 years of really hard work.  Without the care and support of our amazing staff and all those operators who assist us to deliver our amazing Marlborough Sounds experiences, we couldn’t have done it.  I know it is a cliché, but it truly is a team effort.

We have always strived to provide the best tourism experience possible and unless you start to benchmark yourselves against the best in the industry, you are never truly sure that you are doing as well as you could.  The entry process is very rigorous and quite complex so we were delighted to just make the finals, let alone win. It seems to be a great source of amusement to our friends in Marlborough, that I was reported as being "speechless".  I have to admit that it was genuinely one of the few times, and it took a long time to actually sink in. 

We continue to strive to deliver the best experiences in the Marlborough Sounds, and this award has only energised us to deliver more and work harder.  We hope you all get the chance to benefit from those efforts sometime soon!