April 5, 2016
The wind died overnight, and scattered remaining clouds made for a beautiful golden morning. We went outside to admire the bay, and the combination of light and lush vegetation gave this place a kind of Magic Eye effect: the longer we looked, the more overlapping layers appeared in the hills, and the more multidimensional the scene appeared. It’s a strange visual phenomenon that happens sometimes, especially New Zealand.
Ship Cove is the beginning (or end for those going the opposite way) of the Queen Charlotte Track. People come and go on water taxis during the day; so we appreciated having the bay to ourselves this morning.
On our previous visit we’d had time to wander around the lawn and visit the monuments, but there wasn’t enough time for us to walk the beginning of the Queen Charlotte Track. Ordinarily this wouldn’t have mattered to me with all the bits and pieces we’d already done, but something about this area of the trail looked particularly beautiful and enticing.
Dawn at Ship Cove. (Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand)
The start of the Queen Charlotte Track at the end of the pier. (Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand)
Today, we started on the track by going through a tunnel of greenery at the end of the dock. As we followed the trail up through the forest, our surroundings became even more beautiful. This was classic New Zealand subtropical forest at its best. Eventually the vegetation began to change, becoming more dry and open as we gained altitude. We would love to have walked to the first lookout point, but that would have taken more time than we had. (You can click to enlarge/scroll though gallery below.)
Rich and I have only done small pieces of the Queen Charlotte Track. Some of the best viewpoints require far more hiking than we’re willing or able to do, but the photos we’ve seen online are pretty impressive. Still, if I were to pick just one piece of this track to do on a day hike, it would be this one, going either from Ship Cove to Resolution Bay or the Furneaux Lodge. Of course for those who prioritize amazing views, I’d recommend walking a portion of the ridge trail that runs from Punga Cove to Anakiwa.
For those with the fitness level, time, and energy, it would be incredible to do the entire 45-mile Queen Charlotte Track. For us, it was time to head back to the boat, pull anchor, and visit our final anchorage in the Queen Charlotte Sound: Motuara Island. –Cyndi
