Ferry to the South Island

We took the morning ferry to the South Island. The sea was listed as "moderate" and, given the very strong wind, I was a little worried about the roughness of the passage. I needn't have worried. The ferry is about the size of a cruise ship, and I didn't feel even a little bit of rocking. The three-hour ferry ride went very quickly (even quicker for Karin, who had stayed up a little late last night and snoozed through the trip). Lots of places to sit and relax, or watch kids TV. There was even a playground on the bottom floor that Alexander spent hours running through. We did not go to the small movie theater where "Die Hard 4: Die already!" was playing.




It really is a spectacular ferry ride. Only about an hour is in "open seas". The rest is getting out of the bay around Wellington and then going through the sounds of the South Island. I asked Ilona about the difference between sounds and fjords, and I am still waiting for an explanation.

This is the the fourth different ferry we have taken in New Zealand (passenger and car ferry in Auckland, ferry to Russell, and now this one). I can't recall being on a ferry at all in the US, though I am sure I must have.