A Day of Rest

Lake Cove, Chalky Sound, Fiordland 

Saturday 7 March 2020 

It was a particularly lazy start to the day, knowing we’d be here all day and for a second night, with no particular place to go, but maybe ashore in the dinghy briefly to explore the local waterfall and lake. 

This we did around 11:15am, motoring the short distance around the corner and up the river to a spot where we could tie-up, in order to then find the “rough track to the lake, about a 20-minute return” – to quote the Cruising Guide. 

The “rough track” was certainly true to label, but for the first 10 minutes we invented an even rougher track of our own making, clearly missing the start of the “official” track a short distance up the hill from where we’d tied up the dinghy. 

After a while, or quite a while really, we met up with the proper designated track and eventually got to the spot where Lake Cadman emptied over a vertical drop of maybe 25 metres into a large cliff-encircled, fern-lined basin, before dropping further into the smaller waterfall we’d tied the dinghy next to on arrival.  

In anticipation of another sand fly attack, we’d all worn “appropriate clothing”… which we were sure would not enable the critters to penetrate and bite. One thing we hadn’t fully accounted for, however, was that fact that the northerly wind was actually warm. With all the walking and bush-bashing up hill to the lake making things even hotter … and sweatier. If the waterfall drop-ff wasn’t so close to the edge of the lake, with nothing between us and oblivion below, we might have been tempted in for a swim … the sand flies actually not being all that bad.  

Back on board and after baking two loaves for a late lunch. You guessed it … crayfish sandwiches, accompanied by salad, cheese, toppings and lashings of butter … of, and a beer. This was truly a high-class spread, with John heard to say … “I think I’ll have cucumber with my crayfish…” 

I then asked James, “how much do crayfish cost?” … To which he seemed well qualified to answer. Apparently he’d checked out the possibility of buying some crayfish prior to Christmas and recalled it was somewhere in the order of $250 retail”, per crayfish, or kilo, I don’t recall. John mentioned that fishermen were receiving $100 per crayfish, off the boat, so the long and the short of it was that we had been given close to $1,000 worth of crayfish!  

Having been apart of 3 meals already, and with three of the six crayfish still in the fridge, we were brainstorming all the ways to prepare the tasty white flesh in the days ahead; not yet at the point of saying, “… crayfish again?!?” 

In keeping with the weather forecast, it began blowing pretty hard, reaching up to 25 knots from the north east at times, but a far cry from the 40 knots plus, racing down the west coast just 15-20 miles away. 

We were in an ideal position, but like many places around here, the water is deep. Not in the 100-200 metre-deep-range that is common out in the Sounds, but more like 20 metres. Which is unusual for most anchorages, where there’s a choice that is.  

In this case, there appeared to be a choice … in about 6-8 metres of water, which we initially tried on arrival yesterday. The problem was, even after setting out a lot of chain, the anchor simply wouldn’t hold. Preferring to “roll down the bank”, into the 20-metre-deep water, over a distance of just 20-30 metres, and in the process NOT digging in. On our third attempt we basically gave up, paying out around 80 metres of chain in the 20-metre-deep water; where we dug in firmly. Knowing there would be a big blow, and to increase the holding power even further, we attacked a large weight to the chain, lowering it down the links almost to the sea floor.  

Whilst it’s always a greater hassle retrieving more chain, not to mention the anchor weight, when it comes time to leave … in the meantime, a securely dug in anchor means greater peace-of-mind.  

The grey clouds looked threatening all day, and whilst we were expecting rain anytime, it wasn’t until after dinner (no, not crayfish, but green Thai chicken) that it finally started. It’s certainly not cold, and with the sound of the rain on the roof, there’s a real snugness to bed-time tonight. 

So, whilst it was a day of rest, we did end up washing clothes, making bread, charging the batteries, heating water for (hot) showers and catching up on some sleep. 

With a predicted break in the weather, (close to the coast), tomorrow, we plan to be away early in order to test conditions for a quick hop up the coast to Dusky Sound. If conditions are just too unpleasant, we’ll come back into Chalky Inlet, to rest some more and wait for a bigger weather-window.  

If all goes to plan, however, we should be dropping anchor in Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound sometime after lunch tomorrow. (Why not to a web-search of the location, and add the words “captain cook”. It’s an amazing place, with an amazing history) 

Smooth seas, fair breeze and A Day of Rest 

Rob Latimer 

PS I’m still looking for extra crew to assist with the 8-day voyage, from Milford Sound to Wellington, starting on 14 March. If you or a friend want to join us, please sing out ASAP. Email me on the satphone at …  msm1@clientsatmail.com.au and latimerfamily4@gmail.com but remember, no file attachments)