Things to see and do Around Picton
1. Marlborough Sounds Cruise from Picton
Take in the sights of Queen Charlotte Sound and visit Ship Cove on a morning boat tour from Picton. The 3.5-hour journey follows a network of waterways as your captain narrates the highlights of the Marlborough Sounds. During the free time while anchored at Ship Cove, see Maori wood carvings and a Captain Cook memorial, and explore the sheltered beach. Be on the lookout for marine life and other natural features of this breathtaking region while you sip complimentary tea and coffee onboard.
Explore the magnificent waterways of the Marlborough Sounds on an afternoon boat tour, departing from the Picton waterfront. After your boat captain welcomes you aboard, set off on your 3.5-hour Queen Charlotte Sound cruise, which includes a 30-minute stop in Ship Cove.
Warm-up with tea and coffee, and listen to live commentary on regional historical and natural landmarks. Keep an eye out for marine life such as little blue penguins and Hector’s dolphins — considered the rarest marine dolphin in the world.
After about an hour’s journey, your boat drops anchor at Ship Cove where Captain Cook’s ship, the Endeavor, stopped for supplies in the late 1700s. Set foot on the trails past informative displays to a sheltered beach, and check out the Maori statues and monument to Cook.
At the appointed time, you’ll continue by boat to Endeavor Inlet en route to Picton, arriving at the waterfront where your tour ends.
Source — Viator.com
2. Queen Charlotte Track
Experience the spectacular Marlborough Sounds whilst walking or biking the Queen Charlotte Track. The track stretches 70 km from historic Meretoto/Ship Cove through to Anakiwa in the Grove Arm of Queen Charlotte Sound.
You can walk or ride the track in either direction, but it's best to start from Meretoto/Ship Cove.
If starting from Meretoto/Ship Cove, boat operators are available to carry your pack between accommodation places.
The track itself is well signposted but some accommodation places may not have signed. The private tracks leading off the track to the accommodation places may not always be of the same standard as the main track, which is maintained by DOC staff.
Walking the track
The walking times mentioned below are only a guide and lean more towards a person with a slow walking speed. A daywalker with a light day pack will take less time than a tramper with an overnight pack.
Mountain biking the track
Mountain biking is a great alternative to walking the Queen Charlotte track. Biking is permitted on the track all year round except for the section between Meretoto/Ship Cove and Kenepuru Saddle, which is closed to bikes over the busy summer season, from 1 December to 28 February each year.
If you are moderately fit and experienced at mountain biking, the track is very rideable, albeit steep and challenging in certain sections, especially when rain has rendered it slippery and muddy. You may prefer to avoid the ridge-top sections of the central part of the track by riding along Kenepuru Road between Kenepuru Saddle and Portage.
Source — Doc.govt.nz
3. Edwin Fox Maritime Museum
Based on what is currently the world’s 9th oldest ship, this museum captures a slice of New Zealand's history in one of the most authentic ways possible. The physical body of the Edwin Fox – a teak and timber trade ship constructed in India back in 1853 – sits alongside the actual museum, allowing visitors the opportunity to walk through its carefully-maintained innards.
This provides an intimate look at what life would have been like for both paying customers and convicts alike, with no additional modern updates or embellishments.
The ship had a colourful and eventful history in its time before being decommissioned in 1897. Being involved in a variety of things including war, trade and shipping convicts to Australia, there is a lot to discover about the ship at the museum.
With placards at various points outlining their respective items in detail, and a fascinating DVD presentation documenting both the ship’s history and its preservation learning about its expansive history couldn’t be easier. There are also various artifacts from the period kept in the museum’s upstairs area like shipping keys, ropes, types of timber and all other types of maritime-related historical goodies.
The actual hull of the ship is easily the highlight of the whole vessel and walking inside will let you experience the likes of sleeping and eating accommodations that passengers had to deal with when crossing the ocean in the 1800s.
The dry dock underneath the ship is also interesting in its own way and provides an additional perspective on its scale and structure. All of this is, of course, a credit to the fanatically enthusiastic volunteers who have put a ton of effort into the entire project, making for an exhibit that is a must for all to witness.
Source — Experienceoz.com.au
4. Kayaking Queen Charlotte Sound
The Marlborough Sound is located at the 'top-end' of the South Island and covers an area of 50,825 ha. Unlike many parks, it is not a single unit but rather separated into 104 different reserves, allowing a wide range of activities to occur within the many confines of its watery expanses.
Reaching out into the Pacific Ocean like the fingers of a welcoming hand, the Marlborough Sounds is made up of three different sounds - Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds. This collection of drowned river valleys is a natural wonder, created when the mountains sank in earth movements and the sea flooded into the valleys.
Bordered by forested hills rising almost vertically from the water's edge, the Marlborough Sounds are a true scenic wonder. The water displays a thousand shades of colour, ranging from the deepest green to the brightest turquoise. The backdrop is also a myriad shade of green due to a combination of overhanging native tree ferns, rata vines, and beech trees.
It is just waiting to be explored and there is truly no better way than by sea kayak. Our kayak trips specialize in venturing into remote and unspoiled areas of the stunning Marlborough Sounds. Experience is not necessary for our trips as we provide training for beginners & challenges for the experienced! The wildlife is a testimony to this magnificent environment with fur seals, dolphins and penguins a common sight and nothing beats cruising around wildlife with the near silence of a sea kayak.
The Sounds are home to a wide variety of bird and marine life, with a number of specific wildlife sanctuaries dotted throughout its waterways and inlets. Seabirds are in abundance and include species such as blue penguins, petrels, shags, gannets, terns, and gulls. The local marine life is also varied with fur seals, dolphins and at times whales.
Hectors dolphins, gentle creatures are currently endangered and are endemic to New Zealand waters, can also sometimes be found within the sheltered waterways of the Sounds. Throughout the Sounds, there are nature reserves that are open and accessible from the water. You can paddle your kayak up to one of these islands and go and explore the protected worlds they contain.
Source — Activeadventures.com
5. Whale Watching Tour
Head out into Cook Strait to look for whales and experience what it is like to see migrating whales.
This exclusive tour is only available during winter, during the annual whale migration.
Experience a restored whale station and see the movie "Once Were Whalers" in the restored recreation hall.
See conservation in action as original Whalers tell their story about being involved with annual Whale Survey.
A fantastic opportunity for a limited number of people to fully immerse themselves in a whale experience, soak up the history and go out to sea in a boat looking for these awe-inspiring creatures.
Source — Newzealand.com
6. Snout Track
Expect an eyeful of views when you walk Picton’s Snout Track, which begins at the Snout Track car park, above Endeavour Park.
You will walk first to the Queen Charlotte View Lookout and can carry on from there to a picnic area at the end of the headland.
There are many small adjoining tracks within Victoria Domain to reach the start of this track, including Lower Bob's Bay Track, Upper Bob's Bay Track, and the Picton-Waikawa Walkway.
Whilst most walkers head to the Queen Charlotte Track, this is an ideal walk for those who only have a few hours, but still, want to get some stunning views of the Marlborough Sounds.
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