Have you ever stood on the Cook Strait ferry while passing though the beautiful Marlborough Sounds and thought " That looks like a great beach for a picnic!"

Well now you can do just that.

What we have planned for you

1/ A fabulous three days kayaking in the beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound.

2/ Two nights camping in secluded DOC camp sites accessible only by boat.

3/ Access to beaches you have previously only been able to watch drift past.

4/ An opportunity to dine on fresh sea food caught by you only hours earlier

5/ A chance to either explore a predator free Island or take in part of the 71 km of the famous Queen Charlotte Track.

5/ Three days to get up close to abundant sea life in their natural habitat including gannets, penguins, seals, dolphins, sting rays, jelly fish and the occasional orca.

Queen Charlotte sound is renowned for its many bays, native bush, great walking tracks and abundant wildlife. Many call it one of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand.

What's included: Ferry to/from Picton, kayak and safety gear hire, camp fees, experienced guides, camping in idyllic and secluded locations.

Programme:

Friday: 7pm

Meet at Fergs Kayaks to pack our kayaks (large fibreglass kayaks for multi-day trips which have plenty of storage capacity.

Saturday:

Meet at Interislander Ferry Terminal 1.30am for our overnight cruise to Picton.

On arrival in Picton we unload our Kayaks and head for the water where we will cast off and paddle to our first beach for breakfast.

We then explore the bays on our way to our secluded camp site were we will have lunch and set up camp. The afternoon is yours free to explore the sounds further by Kayak. Perhaps call in at one of the many resorts for ice cream, go fishing and diving in one of the many coves, or just soak up some sun with a book on our quite beach before dinner.

This camp site will either be on the isolated predator free Blumine Island or at Camp Bay dependant on the weather. The exact route and distance covered may also be determined by the composition of the group to ensure everyone enjoys the trip.

Sunday:

After breakfast we will either spend the day exploring the Blumine Island with the option to take your kayak further afield to visit bays in the outer sounds, or if at Camp Bay, walk part of the beautiful Queen Charlotte track to Furneaux lodge for lunch.

Monday:

After breakfast we will have a leisurely 4-5 hour kayak to return to Picton where we can leave our boats and there is ample opportunity to have showers and enjoy Picton's coffee shops before we board the 6.30pm Ferry to return to Wellington.

Costs:

Kayaks, Interislander Ferry, camping ground etc.: $472 per person - this is a significantly discounted rate due to our great relationship with Fergs Kayaks Wellington and based on a min. of 10 people.

This cost includes:

- 3 day kayak hire & Inter islander Ferry $400
- DOC Campgrounds  - $12
- Food - covers all meals from the Saturday night through to lunch Monday (You must bring your own breakfast and lunch for the Saturday) - $60

(The same trip with guides from Picton would cost you $549 plus travel)

Difficulty:

A reasonable amount of fitness is required as you may need to do some strenuous paddling.

You also need to have basic kayak skills (we recommend attending one of the beginners/refresher courses AW organises together with Fergs but this is not essential for this trip).

What and how to arrange:

If you want to come along there are two things you need to arrange as soon as possible:

1. Deposit of $150 to The AW bank account, Required within 2 days of RSVPing (non refundable ferry bookings required now to ensure we can secure the sailing's we need)

2. Deposit of $322 to The AW bank account before the 4th January 2013

Account Name: Adventure Wellington Trust
Account #: 38-9012-0322630-00
Reference: Your name / Marlborough / 92971692

What to bring:

*After RSVP-ing a gear list will be forwarded to you. It is recommended where possible we share tents so a minimum of camping gear is taken as we do need to load and unload our boats onto the Cook Strait Ferry and this will keep the wait down.

Keep in mind that camping facilities in the secluded camping grounds are minimal and there will be no shops open when we arrive in Picton so we need to have all our gear organised and packed in the boats Friday night before we leave Wellington.

Max. number of attendees: 12

DISCLAIMER
Whilst every possible assistance will be offered, Adventure Wellington Trust, the Trustees, Event Organisers/hosts and members cannot be held responsible for any accident, injuries or losses sustained leading up to, during, or after an event.