Mail Run Cruise, 4 Hours

Overview

This is a working mail run, not a sightseeing cruise with a script. The boat is the only officially licensed New Zealand Post rural delivery service by water in Queen Charlotte Sound, and mail has gone out by boat here for over 150 years. You ride along as the skipper drops post bags, groceries and freight at jetties serving the remote outposts of the sound, and the route shifts each day depending on where the deliveries are going. No two runs cover the same ground.

The four hours move at a delivery pace rather than a tour pace. Between stops there is commentary on the history of the Marlborough Sounds and on the people who live along its shores, past and present, and the skipper takes questions throughout. Wildlife turns up regularly: reviewers repeatedly mention dolphins, sometimes in large pods, along with seals, nesting cormorants and the local dogs that wait at jetties for the boat. The vessel itself varies with passenger numbers, from a small single-hulled boat to a large double-deck catamaran.

It suits travellers who want a slower afternoon with a genuine purpose behind it. The off-peak runs are noted by reviewers as uncrowded, which appeals if a full boat sounds less appealing. If you like the idea of watching a mail round unfold on the water, with commentary and wildlife woven between stops, this is the trip.

Itinerary

1. Meet at London QuayCheck in at the Beachcomber Cruises office on London Quay in central Picton. Hotel pickup is not included, so make your own way to the quay.
2. Board the mail boatThe vessel depends on passenger numbers on the day, ranging from a single-hulled boat seating a handful of people to a double-storied catamaran.
3. Cruise the SoundThe skipper follows the day's delivery route through Queen Charlotte Sound. The area covered changes daily, and commentary covers the history of the Marlborough Sounds and its residents.
4. Mail and freight stopsThe boat calls at jetties along the route to deliver post bags, groceries and freight to waterfront homes.
5. Wildlife and sceneryKeep a camera ready. Dolphins, seals, cormorants and jetty-side dogs are all commonly reported.
6. Return to PictonThe run finishes back at London Quay about four hours after departure.

Common Questions