New Zealand - South Island

jim_thomsen · 27-06-2009, 21:45

We plan to spend winter 2010 in New Zealand and we would like to explore the South Island. We have friends who have sailed in Fiordland and I have a copy of the Steward Island cruising guide. What other information is available? Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

St Elmo · 28-06-2009, 01:50

Don't forget to call into Nelson and the Able Tasman National Park on it's door step. Beautiful golden beaches. The Marlborough Sounds are fantastic with plenty of shelter and hundreds of miles of coast line with Picton township at the head of the Queen Charlotte Sounds and Havelock at the head of the Pelorus Sounds. Fiordland looks fantastic but never been there.
Nelson has excellent haulout facilities and marine infrastructure and Marina berths are cheaper than up North... under NZ$2500 a year for a 10m berth including power etc.
There is more to New Zealand than Opua and Auckland - Good on you for looking further South!

Steve Pope · 28-06-2009, 02:28

Both the North and South West of the South Island are outstanding, all West coast harbours are bar harbours, local knowledge is definitely helpful, though you could get very good info from the local coastguard/vhf stations. If you plan to cruise in the Marlborough sounds join Mana yacht club this will give you the use of extensive moorings throughout the area. Main East Coast Harbours are fairly evenly spaced from Banks Peninsula (many interesting inlets as well as Lyttelton harbour) south to Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin Bluff, Riverton, Stewart Island. North of BP is Kaikoura though I have no idea how good it is.

jim_thomsen · 28-06-2009, 18:28

Thanks St Elmo and Steve! We are excited to visit as much of NZ as possible.

Are there cruising guides to these areas? I do have the Coastal Cruising Handbook of the Arakana YC but that seems to be mostly the north.

Can I join the Mana YC as an American in the country for 6 months? I have looked at their website and it looks good, so I guess I should ask them.

Steve Pope · 28-06-2009, 19:34

Can't imagine that you would have any problems becoming a member of Mana, Maybe Wheels might pipe up with some more info re the sounds as he is based at Havelock. Yes there is a guide for the wellington / marlborough Sounds area called the "central coast guide / pilot" (I think) once again Wheels or one of the wellington members will correct me if I'm wrong. There may be something about Fiordland but I haven't come across it.

27-06-2009, 21:45	#1
jim_thomsen Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego, currently in the Caribbean Boat: Hallberg-Rassy 40 TENAYA Posts: 64	New Zealand - South Island We plan to spend winter 2010 in New Zealand and we would like to explore the South Island. We have friends who have sailed in Fiordland and I have a copy of the Steward Island cruising guide. What other information is available? Any suggestions? Thanks for your help. __________________ Jim www.tenayatravels.com

28-06-2009, 01:50	#2
St Elmo Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New Zealand Posts: 3	Nelson/Marlborough Don't forget to call into Nelson and the Able Tasman National Park on it's door step. Beautiful golden beaches. The Marlborough Sounds are fantastic with plenty of shelter and hundreds of miles of coast line with Picton township at the head of the Queen Charlotte Sounds and Havelock at the head of the Pelorus Sounds. Fiordland looks fantastic but never been there. Nelson has excellent haulout facilities and marine infrastructure and Marina berths are cheaper than up North... under NZ$2500 a year for a 10m berth including power etc. There is more to New Zealand than Opua and Auckland - Good on you for looking further South!

28-06-2009, 18:28	#4
jim_thomsen Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego, currently in the Caribbean Boat: Hallberg-Rassy 40 TENAYA Posts: 64	Thanks St Elmo and Steve! We are excited to visit as much of NZ as possible. Are there cruising guides to these areas? I do have the Coastal Cruising Handbook of the Arakana YC but that seems to be mostly the north. Can I join the Mana YC as an American in the country for 6 months? I have looked at their website and it looks good, so I guess I should ask them. __________________ Jim www.tenayatravels.com

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island to Saint Simons Island GA April 19	skipgundlach	General Sailing Forum	0	03-06-2009 12:45
Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island to Saint Simons Island GA April 18-19	skipgundlach	General Sailing Forum	1	01-06-2009 17:40
FS: New Zealand South Island charts	Evan	Classified Ads	3	19-02-2009 21:56
Adventurer will live 300 days alone on remote South Pacific island	watersofdiego	Off Topic Forum	2	07-06-2008 15:43
An End of an Era: Pea Island Survivor Visits ISC Sand Island	CaptainK	Pacific Ocean & the South China Sea	0	10-04-2006 21:41

28-06-2009, 02:28	#3
Steve Pope Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maungaturoto, New Zealand only 10 minutes from the Kaipara harbour, it is a tidal harbour with one of the largest shore lines in the Southern hemisphere, no shortage of sand banks though. Boat: Trismus 37 (alloy) built in 1976 or 1986 depending on who you talk to! Posts: 522	Both the North and South West of the South Island are outstanding, all West coast harbours are bar harbours, local knowledge is definitely helpful, though you could get very good info from the local coastguard/vhf stations. If you plan to cruise in the Marlborough sounds join Mana yacht club this will give you the use of extensive moorings throughout the area. Main East Coast Harbours are fairly evenly spaced from Banks Peninsula (many interesting inlets as well as Lyttelton harbour) south to Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin Bluff, Riverton, Stewart Island. North of BP is Kaikoura though I have no idea how good it is.

28-06-2009, 19:34	#5
Steve Pope Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maungaturoto, New Zealand only 10 minutes from the Kaipara harbour, it is a tidal harbour with one of the largest shore lines in the Southern hemisphere, no shortage of sand banks though. Boat: Trismus 37 (alloy) built in 1976 or 1986 depending on who you talk to! Posts: 522	Can't imagine that you would have any problems becoming a member of Mana, Maybe Wheels might pipe up with some more info re the sounds as he is based at Havelock. Yes there is a guide for the wellington / marlborough Sounds area called the "central coast guide / pilot" (I think) once again Wheels or one of the wellington members will correct me if I'm wrong. There may be something about Fiordland but I haven't come across it.