Onboard the Inter-islander: Crossing the Cook Strait

Windy. Incredibly, breathlessly windy.

If there was one word that could epitomise the journey onboard the Inter-islander, it was ‘windy’. I was aboard the ferry services connecting Wellington to Picton, crossing over 90 km of the Cook Strait, and was being blown away, literally, by the roaring forties.

My journey started in Wellington - the small but gorgeous capital of New Zealand, the southernmost capital city in the world and also, the windiest city on Earth (no, it’s not Chicago!) The reason being its location right on the Cook Strait, the narrow passage between the mountains of the North and South Islands of New Zealand that channels the already tempestuous winds into a sort of violent wind tunnel, resulting in 60kmph winds for half the year in the windy capital. Imagine then, the situation in the open waters of the strait, the winds having a field day, while I was fighting a dilemma to stay warm and cosy inside the vessel, or remain outside on the deck, face the chilling winds and admire the coastal beauty of this scenic country. I could not help choosing the latter – it was not every day that one could embark on one of the most scenic boat journeys in the world, and one of the four Great Journeys of NZ (the world-famous TranzAlpine train from Christchurch falls in this prestigious list).

I continued to stay on the topmost deck, as I watched the jade green hills of the North Island fade in the horizon. Wellington had bid adieu some time back, and it was a privilege to watch the verdant countryside with its hills, barns and solitary houses after the bustle of the city. Tall windmills stood as sentinels on the hill tops, making excellent use of the abundant wind energy, while sunlight poured in and out of thick clouds that floated above the landmass, a reminder of the country’s Maori name – Aoteoroa, the land of the long white cloud. As the land retreated, all that remained were the choppy teal coloured waters of the strait, with the frothy white trail of the Interislander, and the occasional shearwater soaring in the winds. There was much promise of wildlife in this part – whales, dolphins, petrels, gannets, and gulls were common sighting. I therefore continued to brave the wind and while waiting for any sighting of the wild, continued to stare at the portentously beautiful waters of the strait.

Leaving the shores of Wellington and the North Island

Windmills on the North Island 

The strait is named after Captain Cook, the first European who passed through these waters in 1770. More than a century earlier, Dutch Explorer Abel Tasman had, in 1642, come close but had mistaken the strait as a bight – a curved coastline, thus naming it Zeehaen’s Bight, only to be corrected by Cook. But Maori legends will talk of Kupe, the legendary Polynesian navigator to have discovered the strait about 800 years ago. He is also the one credited with the discovery of this country, who having sighted white clouds on the horizon deduced the presence of land, thereby giving the name Aotearoa, thereby settling in the last country inhabited by man (You will chance upon his statue, celebrating this moment of discovery near the Wellington Harbour).

The winds continued their fury. More clouds came in and blocked the sun as well, taking away the last source of warmth. I went inside seeking some shelter finally and warming my icy bones with a warm cup of coffee. Children’s play area, restaurant, bar, and movies – the ferry had it all, for the three-hour journey. It would be incredibly hard to leave these warm confines explaining why most travellers preferred to remain indoors.

A chart aboard the Interislander, depicting the birds seen on the Strait

I continued to savour my coffee while choosing a cosy corner, with glass windows still giving me the privilege of both worlds. I was going through a few brochures and learnt a few more titbits about the northern part of South Island where I was headed. My destination, Picton was named after Sir Thomas Picton – a military associate of the Duke of Wellington. Across the strait then, the two cities made quite a knighted pair, offering some lessons in history! Together with nearby Nelson and Blenheim, Picton receives some of the highest sunshine in all the country, making it a fantastic location to explore the beautiful Marlborough Sound region. While a bucolic and very peaceful region, the towns around the Cook Strait received a lot of political attention in the 1860s when the country was seeking a new capital. Auckland in the far north was already bustling with immigrant activity, while Dunedin in the far south was overflowing with the riches of the Otago Gold Rush. And yet, the administration sought a neutral, more centrally located capital for the country. The jewels of the Cook Strait – Wellington, Picton, Queen Charlotte Sound, Pelorus Sound, Blenheim, and Nelson – were all last level contenders. Finally, Wellington, the country’s first English settlement, got crowned and the honour of the capital remained with the North Island (after Okiato and Auckland).

I continued to laze in my warm chair and must have even fallen asleep in all the comfort. When I woke up and glanced through my window, I could see land – implying that we had entered the fringes of the South Island. I immediately dashed out to the deck and was overwhelmed with the beauty of the verdant hills dropping into the sea. The sun had returned and with the hills flanking the last stretch of the journey, the wind had dropped significantly, suddenly making the cruise so much more enjoyable. The hills looked lush and rich – some were covered with pine trees in dark emerald, while many more had been denuded to make way for lime coloured grasslands to sustain the large sheep farms. The domestication continued in the waters, strewn with oyster and salmon farms. Yet, human habitation seemed few and far between, while a generous sprinkling of blonde beaches, and sandy alcoves added more natural beauty to the waters.

Entering the South Island

Sounds on the South Island

I failed to spot any dolphin for which the waters are famous for. But as a fellow Interislander ferry passed by, returning to Wellington, the logo of the company – that of a dolphin prancing on a wave – caught my attention. For the Interislander celebrates not just any dolphin, but perhaps the most famous dolphin personality ever in recorded history inhabiting these very waters – Pelorus Jack. A Risso’s dolphin, Pelorus Jack was famous for escorting ships in these waters of the Cook Strait in the late 19^th century, particularly around French Pass, a region notorious for its tidal currents. The dolphin faithfully guided ships for over two decades and became a totem for good luck – if Pelorus was around, you ship wouldn’t sink! While dolphins and whales were hunted for their blubber, Pelorus Jack became so popular that many say that the local council passed laws for its protection, making it the one of the world’s first marine animals to be protected by law. While its veracity is often challenged, it still adds to the nation’s story of being perhaps one of the most forward-looking countries in the world. It was when we were nearing Picton, that I overheard children shouting with joy. No, it was not Pelorus Jack, he disappeared in 1912 for good. But I had spotted a couple of New Zealand fur seals, lazing on a small island in the setting sun. 

A fellow Interislander plying back to Wellington

The ferry was finally reaching Picton – all around the water inlet were undulating hills, some submerged in the waters and forming islands in the Sound. In front lied Picton, a small but charming township, with a handful of houses, and a beautiful palm fringed waterfront, sprayed with colourful flowers like a Pointillist painting. It was nearly sunset, and the town seemed inviting with its lights and lamps gradually coming to life. 

Picturesque Picton - a small town that once had the potential of becoming the country's capital

The Picton waterfront opening up to the harbour 

Poppies on the waterfront , awaking to a beautiful dawn

Walking on the Snout Track in the few hours I had in the morning

A Maori woodwork in the Picton Ferry terminal

No, not a kiwi, it's a weta!

I didn’t have long here – just the evening and the dawn – before I would take the return ferry the next day and then a flight out of Wellington. But even in this short duration, I knew I would be impressed and inspired. And I was - with the quaint waterside walks in the late evening, with a refreshing hike on the hills nearby at dawn, with the spotting of a small flightless hen-sized bird, (mistaking it for a kiwi with great excitement, only to realise it was a weka), and of course finding more seals and albatrosses on the return journey the next day. Much like the rest of this small but beautiful country, Picton, along with the Cook Strait, was an enlightenment, a special page dog-eared in your diary that happily proclaimed, good things came in small packages indeed…