HISTORY AND HIKING

VERY OLD: This 1000-year-old rimu stands proudly in Howden Forest at Endeavour Inlet in Queen Charlotte Sound.

Picton had dawned bright and brilliant. The marina's blue waters gleamed like a nautical jewel. Before boarding my scenic cruise on Queen Charlotte Sound, I headed to the hip waterfront venue, Toastie Picton, known and loved for its gourmet sourdough toasted sandwiches, all made with their in-house four cheese blend.

I ordered up an Ivan, consisting of pastrami, sauerkraut and pickle. Delish! Another hot-seller is their Pete toastie, which combines salmon with cream cheese, capers and pickles.

Suitably nourished, I headed out for a “Day in the Sounds” with Beachcomber Cruises.

I was keen to combine cruising with a spot of walking. My magical excursion would whisk me to Ship Cove, before I re-boarded the vessel at Furneaux Lodge for the home run.

The wildlife here is an undisputed magnet, luring the world to these crystal-clear waters and the predator-free islands and marine reserves that dot the Sounds.

My skipper remarked that alongside the Hector's, Dusky and Bottlenose dolphins, whales are a constant sight —as are seals, stingrays and orcas. We rendezvoused with some salmon farms, heavily fortified with perimeter fencing to stop the fur seals doing a drive-by feed.

During Captain James Cook's second visit to New Zealand in 1773, his crew caught one of the beautiful birds found here and took it home to England. As you do.

The sheer size of the Sounds is astonishing, comprising 20 percent of New Zealand's coastline and brimming with countless coves and secluded sandy bays. Thick native bush surrounds these ancient sunken valleys, where the calm, translucent water spans azure blue, vivid turquoise and shimmering emerald hues.

Throughout the 1770s, sheltered Ship Cove provided safe anchorage, food, water and timber for Captain Cook and his crew on five separate occasions, marking some of the earliest sustained contact between Māori and Europeans.

I dabbled in the creek where Cook made home brew for his crew and admired one of the original cannons from the Endeavour that adorns the Cook monument. The cannon was salvaged from North Queensland after the Endeavour ran aground on a reef and the crew had to throw numerous pieces of equipment overboard to free the ship.

A gorgeous carved pouwhenua illustrates the legend of Kupe and the giant octopus he chased in these waters.

With my walking boots firmly laced up, I struck out for a taster of the Queen Charlotte Track, from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge. The 15km section starts with a steep, thigh-burning haul, climbing away from the beach through regenerating native forest. But after that initial gut-buster, the rest of the four-hour-long trail was a breeze, with gentle undulations up and down panoramic ridgelines. Friendly fantails chirping, tui calls and the limpid notes dropped by bellbirds were a constant soundtrack, as I threaded my way through forests of manuka, kanuka, tawa, tree ferns and beech. Curious weka shuffled by, wood pigeons whooshed, but I didn't see any wild pigs — first released in these parts by Cook.

The lookout point at Tawa Saddle serves up expansive views across Queen Charlotte Sound, while more pixel-burning vantage points loom large as you descend into Resolution Bay. Feeling jelly-legged, I made it across the finish line with a flourish at Furneaux Lodge.

Built by the Howden family over 110 years ago, the original homestead was busy with thirsty patrons, chilling out and swapping tales, before boarding the boat at 5pm for the return run to Picton. A pod of frisky dolphins shepherded us home.

A unique experience in Picton is to explore the Edwin Fox Museum, which juts out from the foreshore on Dunbar Wharf. This is home to the world's second oldest surviving merchant sailing ship — the Edwin Fox — and the only surviving ship that transported convicts to Australia. Built in 1853, she also carried settlers to New Zealand and carried troops in the Crimean War. But unlike the Vasa in Sweden or the Mary Rose in the UK, what I love about the Edwin Fox is you can walk down into its hull and up on its deck, to the bunk beds previously slept in by Australia-bound convicts. It's a magnificent nugget of maritime history.

Where to stay? In the heart of Picton I stayed at the well-appointed, generously equipped Aldan Lodge Motel. If you're travelling with your furry friends, they're very welcome too. I locked in the Aldan through Booking.com who offer an array of options from hotels and apartments to holiday homes and campsites, no matter what your budget is.