Activities - Trip to Admiralty Bay

A Site Visit to the Marlborough Sounds

In the Marlborough Sounds, Monday 19 July 2004 was a lovely day with an awful weather forecast. It was also the day of our visit to Admiralty Bay, Port Ligar and Forsyth Bay, giving our expert witnesses and legal counsel another visit to the sites of several marine farm applications soon to be heard in the Environment Court. The days in winter are short, we were dependent on five airports and the weather in the Sounds, and we had a full programme. I was somewhat relieved when the boat left French Pass and the trip proper was under way.

The photos tell the story. A GPS was invaluable in locating the sites we were studying, especially in the expanse of Admiralty Bay. In Forsyth Bay we had a bite of lunch while drifting slowly towards the rocks. We were welcomed into Port Ligar by a small pod of dolphins, then again into the Shand’s homestead by the smell of hot muffins. After this were the observations from various vantage points on land as we started our journey home arriving back in Nelson at 8pm right on schedule.

Consultants and assistants: Di (landscape expert), Denis (planner), Warwick (lawyer), Danny (boatman), Steffan, Gwen and Margot (committee), Peter, Shand family and Ken (helpers).

Admiralty Bay from French Pass road looking east.	Gwen, Stefan, Warick, Dennis Nugent, Danny Boulton, Margot, Di Lucas.
From Danny's boat, the seals at the entry to Admiralty Bay.	Pine plantations and mussel farms in Admiralty Bay
Forsyth Bay Mussel farm and work boat	Port Ligar Pod of Bottlenose dolphins
Port Ligar, Waterfall Bay Lodge	Waterfall Bay foreshore
Mussel farms in Admiralty Bay from road.	End of a perfect day
Map of route taken