After some medical issues on our previous big tramp (Tararua 3), including my fall resulting in serious injuries to my sternum and vertebrae, it was decided to try some "Glamping" where one only carries a day pack, with food and accommodation supplied. The Queen Charlotte Track fitted this category well, and although cost was a factor that didn't seem to prevent quite a large contingent of 15 coming. Ian was unable to come for health reasons but both Dianne and Sany represented the Bardsleys!

For most of us, travel included transport to Wellington by car on Friday 15th February 2013:, crossing the Cook Strait by the Aratere Interislander Ferry and a night in Nelson. We had booked the "Freedom Walk" with Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co (1995) Ltd which included resort accommodation, daily luggage transfers and packed lunch, but not guides. They used the Cougar Line for transport to and from the track ends. We were taken from Nelson to Ship Cove by the fast Couger I, an 10.8m catamaran and collected from Anakiwa by the more sedate MV Sounds Adventure, a slightly bigger (17m) monohull.

Saturday 16th February 2013: Leaving Nelson:

The team, as shown in the below left photo was:-
Back row from left: Keith Blayney, Viv Taylor, Barry Crisp, Joan Staples, Jim Glass, Noelene Glass, John Barrell (very back), Verne Barrell, Pauline Huston, Alan Rogers, Dianne Bardsley, Sandy Bardsley;
Front row from left: Neil Taylor, Graham Thompson and Cathy Thompson.
I had my camera (the new Nikon D3200) set for time delay balanced on a jetty pile, centimeters from dropping into the sea, forgotten tripod still in the day-pack!

From Ships Cove we had a gentle climb of 250m, a descent to Resolution Bay then a slower climb to 200m providing views of Resolution and Tawa Bays and the Endeavour Inlet as we dropped back to sea level and Furneaux Lodge, a 14km 4-6hr walk.