Sun, 15th Mar, 2026 Manapouri Holiday Park, Manapouri to Freedom campground, Lumsden, NZ (Doubtful Sound cruise)

12 degrees min. Made our lunch etc for the 7 hour cruise which departs at 10.30am. I did see the stars and a bit of a moon when I got up during the night. Unfortunately it is cloudy again.

I googled the news around here and found out that a 42 year old man from Gore fell overboard from a boat while fishing with family about 6pm. Hence the helicopters and ambulance - they had rescue swimmers and locals in kayaks but unfortunately they haven’t been able to locate his body. So sad for his family.

As we headed out of the park we spotted the Morris Mini collection as well as old campers and caravans.

Drove along Fraser Beach shoreline - sun shining but it is misty on the other side.

Stopped a the park - nice view.

Lots of information and the first turbine runner (1969) from the power station at West Arm across Lake Manapouri.

Great photo of what we could see on a clear day.

Drove on to the carpark near where the cruise boat leaves from. Walked down to the jetty - info about Yellow Mistletoe but I didn’t see any. Lots of big bees in these flowers.

Walked along the foreshore to a boat ramp area - nice mural on the toilets.

I heard a lady comforting another - family of the lost man I suppose. Some men were gathered ready to head out in their boats were to do more searching - sad job.

Back to the cruise place to check in and get out ticket. Great map on the wall.

Chatted with 4 couples from Melbourne who also had StarRV dramas when picking up their camper. They went up through Arthurs Pass and down the west coast so doing the opposite direction to us so we exchanged notes on things to see and places to stop. There are on the overnight cruise to Doubtful Sound.

Time to board.

Our 45 minute cruise takes us across the stunning island-studded Lake Manapouri to West Arm where the intake for the power station is. There we board a coach to travel for 45 minutes over Willmot Pass. We ascend to 671 metres through dense rainforest then onto another catamaran to cruise along the 40km Doubtful Sound waterways out to the Tasman Sea then return. Doubtful Sound is NZ’s deepest fiord. 

We had an amazing day - Steve reckons the cruise was better than Milford’s but Milfords Road sightseeing was worth the drive.

I had to remember things as I didn’t take a note pad so made notes when we got home. Here's what I remember and all the photos.

We left at 10.30am in misty rain but there were lovely rainbows when the sun shone. Chatted with people and Steve made a friend with a chap from Utah.

Across Lake Manapouri - lots of photos. Spotted waterfalls on the mountains too.

We arrived at West Arm at 11.40am. This is where the power station inlet is. The water drops 170 metres under the mountain to seven turbines then along 10km of tunnels to Doubtful Sound where it then flows back out and into the ocean. There was a big village here when the power station was built. Rio Tinto Smelter at Bluff uses the hydro power from here - I remember reading that when we were there.

The water is so clear as we leave the boat and head towards the hut. Another turbine runner.

Lots of information but not much time to read it, so snapped photos of things of interest.

Onto the coach - there were 3 of them and off we went.

We had a friendly lady driver who was very confident on the winding roads. She chatted as she drove giving us lots of information about all kinds of things. We are on a public road and some people leave a car over here to get about. They can receive 3 metres of rain here at West Arm and up to 10m at Doubtful Sound - wow. The water from Lake Manapouri goes down the Waiau River but only 20 percent of it as 80 percent goes through the power station. The machinery was brought in from Doubtful Sound on trucks. The road was cut with pick and shovel like the Milford Road. Our Lake Manapouri cruise boat was cut in half to bring it in over these road - amazing. Any 4-legged animal except lizards has been introduced to NZ and most have become pests and endanger the native birds, especially the Kiwi. There is a big movement to eradicate all pests by 2036. There was no logging done here except to clear the track for the road to be created. Deer hunting from helicopters - crazy men - they would jump out the chopper onto the deer and of course a lot didn’t survive, the men I mean. Those chopper pilots were very skilled too as they then had to airlift the deer back out.

Stopped at Spayd River lookout - long way down. The road and Steve checking out the engines - he did look at the view too.

Unfortunately we weren’t lucky to get the view from the lookout - just misty cloud. Lots of waterfalls from the recent rain.

Stopped to admire Steel Waterfall.

Over Olivia River. View of the 2019 avalanche. Our driver said they are tree avalanches as there isn’t much soil base and when a tree falls it just takes all the others with it and tears a big scar down the mountainside. They have regular earthquakes in the Fiordland area.

Another waterfall before we arrived at Deep Cover. Looking back to the bottom of the avalanche and somewhere in there is where the tunnels release the water into this cove.

At Deep Cove there are only two permanent dwellings - accommodation and a school camp. Lots of fishermen come here and of course there are other tour companies.

Thanked our driver then we boarded our next cruise boat. Long waterfall on the other side. View back.

Off we go. Great commentary again - history, plants, animals and geology. So much to take in so I just enjoyed the views. They have had good rain two days ago so plenty of waterfalls.

Out to Tasman Sea past little islands - no seals about. Sometimes they see Orcas, dolphins and whales. Only one Albatross flew over us today. It was a bit rough so we didn’t go too far out.

Looking back into the Sound.

Back along the other side - so many arms off the main waterway and more waterfalls. My little camera did well zooming on on them.

We pulled up in one and the captain shut down the engines and all other machinery so there was no artificial sound. Everyone was asked to just stand and listen - no photos to distract you. It was very peaceful. Just a faint sound of a waterfall in the distance. I took this after the engines started again.

Inside for a cuppa and cake.

More views then we went in close to a couple of waterfalls for phots.

Back to Deep Cove. Our coaches are waiting for us and we just got on board when the rain started.

Off we go again. Got a photo of the water from the tunnels as it heads into the sound and some more waterfalls.

Thanked our very nice coach driver- got the same one again.

Back on the boat and headed back across Lake Manapouri. 

Chatted with a lovely couple from Echuca. We also swapped info about places to visit etc as they were heading the opposite way to us. Sky clearer as we headed back to Manapouri.

Back to the camper and headed up a different road back to Lumsden. Got some deer photos.

Back to the freedom camp. I found more info when we stopped to use the dump point.

Went back to the same spot. Our route for today.

Cooked our late dinner and relaxed.