Bob's World Travels

Milford Sound

March 22, 2014

Milford Sound

At Sandfly Point, we caught a shuttle boat to the cruise terminal on Milford Sound.  Milford Sound is a fiord that empties into the Tasman Sea with steep sides and peaks above it.  As we approached the terminal, we had a view of enormous and dramatic Bowen Falls, and the views of the steep fiord walls under broken clouds were stunning.  From the terminal, we boarded the lovely Milford Wanderer for an overnight cruise on the sound. After stopping at anchor, the crew started the cruise by feeding us vegetable soup with delicious rolls, which, since we were wet and cold, perked us up quite a bit, and showers afterward finished the job. After the soup, the crew offered to take folks kayaking or for a cruise on a motor skiff. However, it was raining again and no one in our group could stand to get cold and wet again.  Three or four passengers jumped into the water for a swim under the supervision of the crew.  We next had a full course meal with barbecued venison and a wonderful fruit cobbler with ice cream.  Exhausted, we went to bed early.  The next morning, the ship cruised the length of the fiord to the mouth of Milford Sound.  The scenery was awe-inspiring with fresh snow on the peaks and wild, dark, broken clouds. We admired a number of waterfalls and at different places watched seals, dolphins and one small penguin.