Marlborough Sounds Cruise from Picton

Head to the waterfront in Picton to meet your boat. Your captain welcomes you aboard and provides a safety briefing, before you set off on your cruise through the magnificent waterways of the Marlborough Sounds. Along the way, your captain talks about the landmarks you pass, notes the inter-island ferry routes, and points out wildlife such as birds, seals and dolphins.

After about an hour of traveling through Queen Charlotte Sound, you reach Ship Cove where your boat docks. Enjoy at least 30 minutes on your own to explore this island, where Captain James Cook anchored to resupply his ship, The Endeavor, visiting several times in the late 1700s. Interactions between Cook’s crew and the local Maori people were some of the earliest contact between Maori and Europeans in New Zealand. Learn more about the natural and cultural history of the island from informative displays along the trails. You can also find a monument to Cook, a number of tall carved Maori statues, and a sheltered beach.

At the appointed time, return to your boat to cruise to Endeavor Inlet to pick up and drop off passengers that are staying in resorts around the area. From Endeavor Inlet, soak up spectacular views of the Marlborough Sounds as your boat returns to Picton, arriving after about an hour at the waterfront where your tour ends.