The Marlborough Sounds are an extensive network of sea-drowned valleys created by a combination of land subsidence and rising sea levels[1] at the north of the South Island of New Zealand. According to Māori mythology, the sounds are the prows of the sunken waka (canoe) of Aoraki.[2]
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Covering some 4,000 km² of sounds, islands, and peninsulas, the Marlborough Sounds lie at the South Island's north-easternmost point, between Tasman Bay in the west and Cloudy Bay in the south-east. The almost fractal coastline has 1/5th of the length of New Zealand's coasts.[3]
The steep, wooded hills and small quiet bays of the sounds are sparsely populated, as access is difficult. Many of the small settlements and isolated houses are only accessible by boat. The main large port is Picton on the mainland, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. It is at the northern terminus of the South Island's main railway and State Highway networks. The main small boat port is Waikawa which is one of New Zealand's largest and provides a base for leisure sailors and vacationers.
The main sounds, other than Queen Charlotte Sound, are Pelorus Sound and Kenepuru Sound. Tory Channel is a major arm of Queen Charlotte Sound, and between them they isolate the hills of Arapawa Island from the mainland. Other islands in the sounds include D'Urville Island.
The DOC manages a total of over 50 reserves in the area.[2]
The main channels of the Marlborough Sounds have calm water and are popular for sailing. Cook Strait, however, is infamous for its strong currents and rough waters, especially when the wind is from the south or north. Because of this, some of the narrow channels closer to the Strait are dangerous. Notable amongst these is French Pass at the southern end of D'Urville Island, which has several vortices.
The most notable shipwreck in the sounds is that of the Russian cruise liner Mikhail Lermontov, which sank in 1986 in Port Gore, close to the mouth of Queen Charlotte Sound, after striking rocks. One life was lost in the incident. The ship is now a popular dive wreck.
The sounds were extensively travelled and partly inhabited by Māori groups before the coming of the Europeans, using the sounds as shelter from bad weather and partaking of the rich food sources. They were also known to carry their canoes over some stretches of land on portage paths.[2] However, like in most areas of the South Island, populations were smaller than in the North Island.
European history of the area is considered to start with Captain Cook's visit to the sounds in 1770s, discovering a plant (Cooks Scurvy Grass) high in vitamin C which helped to cure scurvy amongst his crew. On Motuara Island, Cook also proclaimed British sovereignty over the South Island.[2] Some parts of the sounds also later developed a significant whaling history,[2] and much of the sounds was (thinly) settled by European farmers in the late 19th and early 20th century.
The Marlborough Sounds are connected to the Cook Strait at the north-east extreme. At this point, the North Island is at its closest to the South Island, and the inter-island road, rail, and passenger ferry service between Picton and Wellington travel through the sounds.
Marine farming, especially of salmon and mussels, is increasingly common, having started in the 1960.[4] However, the wakes caused by fast catamaran vehicular ferry services to the North Island have allegedly damaged farms and destroyed crab grounds. They were also blamed for stripping the local beaches bare of sand, and damaging landings and other facilities built close to the water's edge. This resulted in a dispute heard in the New Zealand Environment Court in the early 1990s, brought forward by the 'Guardians of the Sounds' group. The court, however, not only refused to restrict the fast ferries, but also awarded NZ$ 300,000 in court costs against the citizen group which had brought the case. This was seen as a strong blow against civic action, and a curtailing of the powers of the Resource Management Act.
However, as damage increasingly became visible, and protests continued, the fast ferries (which only operated for the summer season) were eventually restricted to a lower speed of 18 kn in the sounds (officially for safety reasons), reducing their time advantage over the conventional ferries.[5] They have since been discontinued.
In July/August 2007, the 'Guardians of the Sounds' environmentalist group planned a 100-ship flotilla protest against scallop dredging in the sounds, which they consider damages the ecosystem of the sounds similar to bottom trawling in the open sea. The protest was intended to call attention to what they allege is the Ministry of Fisheries ignoring the detrimental effect of the practice. Commercial scallops harvesting companies have warned that protests could endanger lives if the protesters engaged in dangerous manoeuvres, while the Ministry of Fisheries has also noted that only 6% of the sounds are set aside for the dredging, though this had been much more extensive in the past.[6]
Coordinates: 41°08′30″S 174°05′22″E / 41.14167°S 174.08944°E
The Marlborough Sounds are a visual feast of the interplay between the land, sea, nature and light. This series of drowned valleys is the north eastern edge of New Zealand's South Island and the northern edge of the province of Marlborough. The Sounds are divided into two main waterways, The Pelorus Sound, with Havelock at its base, and Queen Charlotte Sound, the main town of which is Picton. Of the two, the Queen Charlotte Sound is generally seen as being more picturesque, with the Pelorus being more remote. The inner Sounds (especially the Queen Charlotte Sound) has reasonably extensive residential development. The Pelorus, being more remote, still has areas of untouched native forest, most of which is only accessible by boat.
Almost every exploration of the Marlborough Sounds will begin in Picton, Havelock or Rai Valley, all on the southern side of the Marlborough Sounds. Picton is the northern most point of State Highway 1 in the [[South Island], the northern terminal of the Tranzcoastal train and is the South Island port of ferries from Wellington. Havelock and Rai Valley are on State Highway 6 between Blenheim and Nelson.
The roads around the Sounds while offering stunning views, are generally narrow and windy. Do not expect to travel at speeds greater than 60km/h and plan to give yourself plenty of time. Generally there are no loop roads in the Sounds - you end up coming out the same way you go in. Getting petrol can be a problem, especially in the evenings and at weekends. Picton has a 24hr petrol station (the Shell on High St) and Blenheim has a selection on State Highway 1 which bisects the town. Rai Valley and Havelock have petrol stations which keep reasonable hours.
For rental cars in Picton go to http://www.nzrentalcarhire.com http://www.pictonrentalcars.com
Buses[1] and shuttles[2][3] route link Picton, Blenheim, Havelock, Rai Valley and Nelson. From Havelock, there is a shuttle[4] to both ends of the Nydia track, Kaiuma Bay and Duncan Bay, Tennyson Inlet.
Boats are a good way to get round the Sounds. The size of the marinas especially at Waikawa Bay and Havelock is testament to that. Cook Strait at the head of the Sounds can be rough. Typically, transport will only take you within one of the Sounds.
Dolphins, sea birds, forest from the ridgeline to the sea.
The local delicacies are the green-shelled mussel and local salmon. Farmed in large numbers (as well as settling naturally on pretty much any structure placed in the water), the mussel is available at most restaurants, cafe's and bars. Picton, Havelock and the Rai Valley have eateries on their respective pages. All the resorts listed under accommodation have restaurants attached.
All of the resorts have bars worth downing a few in.
Kiwi families often have holiday homes which are rented out when the owners are absent. If you are staying for more than a couple of nights, or have a large group or a family in need of its own space, a holiday home can be a good option.[22][23][24][25][26][27]
There are a large number of Department of Conservation campsites throughout the Sounds [39], some only accessible by boat or kayak. Some are serviced; others are just a place to pitch a tent with a toilet and running water.
Enjoy the sun and a sauvignon blanc in Blenheim or the beach and art in Nelson.
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Category: Outline articles
   | NZ Maritime Museum's article on the ''Mikhail Lermontov'' - MIKHAIL LERMONTOV - The New Zealand Maritime Record - NZNMM |
| | 100-strong flotilla to stage protest on scallop fishing - 100-strong flotilla to stage protest on scallop fishing - National - NZ Herald News |
| | Vist Picton Site - Picton accommodation marlborough nz, Waterfront Waikawa Bay Apartments, Marlborough Sounds |
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