A vicarious Kiwi holiday - day 12 Doubtful Sound Cruise

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Well K1W1, since you mentioned if I discovered the beer you'd never be able to pry me out of your old hometown, I can raise you on that score. I discovered NZ cider. Back at that Landing Bar I liked so much they did a real pint (600ml) of Isaac's in a handled glass mug for $5 Kiwi dollars ($4 Aus). What's more it tastes great.

Not sure what to post today. My photos are all dull. That dark Kiwi vegetation often with snow just above it against a bright overcast sky is still defeating me. Anyway here are a couple quick and dirty edits by batch processing the Raw's. Hope I can snag a shot or two I'm happy with when I get home and edit more carefully.

Also I didn't help things blasting away like a poorly trained monkey. I have 400 photos to look at now from 1 day. I'd like to think I'm never that bad unless it's a kid or animal I'm shooting but there's no excuse for shotgun shooting landscapes in my opinion.

It was a long day of being cruised around but worth the price. I'll add the photo's in an hour. Edit photos now added, the lappy's finally finished the batch process and I've now sorted.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

And the rest.

We had baby fur seals, male dolphins showing off to a girl dolphin, fairy penguins and albatrosses. Oh and one very darn cold family.

Hope you enjoyed looking.

[Barkly]

Great series - went here some years ago. It was just as cold. But why does that daughter of yours have such an expensive Nikon?

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Partly my pandering to a kid's interest, partly quality father daughter time and partly as a 2nd body for me when I need it. Unfortunately she's with me so much of the time when I'm shooting I rarely get to use it as a 2nd body and she deprives me using 1 of my lenses that's on it. In this case I was trying to fit a massive landscape in a 24-70 and she had my much loved 16-85 on her camera. Oh well parenting.

[K1W1]

Well K1W1, since you mentioned if I discovered the beer you'd never be able to pry me out of your old hometown, I can raise you on that score. I discovered NZ cider. Back at that Landing Bar I liked so much they did a real pint (600ml) of Isaac's in a handled glass mug for $5 Kiwi dollars ($4 Aus). What's more it tastes great.

Good god what has the world come to!
I can remember when beer in NZ hit $1 for a jug (1.25L). We all promised to stop drinking the stuff (for about 5 minutes).

Tried NZ Ice Cream? Beats Australian Ice Cream to death, it's made with real cream.

I love the family shots with the wind proof gear on and hoods up. You will look back at those in years to come and it will instantly remind you of the weather and the smells and all sorts of other things in a way the scenery shots won't.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Thanks mate, I suspected the same thing (and knew from the Wellington-Picton boat trip that my scenery shots would suck), so I took a high percentage of family shots and snagged a few keepers.

The shame about NZ ice cream is that if you're traveling and buy a 2 litre tub then you have to finish it that night . We've already suffered through 3 tubs - boysenberry, strawberry cream and chocolate. I'll take them to a proper ice cream bar at some point, however I do love that boysenberry.

[K1W1]

The shame about NZ ice cream is that if you're traveling and buy a 2 litre tub then you have to finish it that night . We've already suffered through 3 tubs - boysenberry, strawberry cream and chocolate. I'll take them to a proper ice cream bar at some point, however I do love that boysenberry.

Hokey Pokey man that is the only flavour! (other than boysenberry) ;D

Don't forget chocolate fish or Whittakers Peanut Slabs either.

[Spearmint]

Hokey Pokey man that is the only flavour! (other than boysenberry) ;D

Don't forget chocolate fish or Whittakers Peanut Slabs either.

And for the kids 'Goody gum drops' and I concure Hokey Pokey is one of my favorites.

Also try the Pinky and Buzz Bars

And if you look, you'll also find Black balls lollies

Oh as an afterthought great photos

[K1W1]

Oh as an afterthought great photos

+2
I didn't mean that there was anything wrong with the pics just that the family ones will in the long term bring back more memories for all of you.
Don't forget Pinkies, Buzz Bars and Chocolate Fish are all better frozen.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I knew what you meant.

They're better frozen are they, I'd better take them outside then. It's colder outside than a freezer. For most of today driving up from Te Anau to Twizel it was around 5C. I think the highest we got was 9C for a short stint in the sun and a very large part of the day was +3.

[ScottH]

OK, Now I HATE you!!
We did the same tour and I saw one seal swim past us, and then the seals lazing on the rocks at Secratary(?) Island.
No dolphins, no penguins, ****ing albatrosses.

I spent hours staring out into the waters looking for any sign of a dolphin!!
Nothing.

BUT at least we didn't freeze to death.

It is a long, but very relaxing day!!
glad you enjoyed it.