Boat Hire - Marlborough Sounds

About Marlborough Sounds

The Marlborough Sounds coastline of New Zealand are vast; stretching over 1500km, you can discover numerous secluded bays, beaches, marine reserves, and historical sites. The Marlborough Sounds is also teeming with wildlife, where you can encounter dolphins, seals, penguins, and other seabirds. 

The Marlborough Sounds, as the name suggests, is made up of several Sounds (large ocean inlets); Queen Charlotte Sound, Kenepuru Sound, Pelorus Sound and The Outer Sounds. 

The Queen Charlotte Sound is the easternmost sound located in New Zealand’s South Island. Its calm waters, which contrast with the notoriously rough waters of Cook Strait, make it popular destination. At the head of Queen Charlotte Sound lies the picturesque seaside town of Picton, Picton's Waikawa Bay is also home to New Zealand's third-largest marina.

Other small, isolated settlements dot Queen Charlotte Sound and often comprise of individual properties or holiday homes. Due to the rugged nature of the coastline, many of these properties are solely accessible by boat. 

The Kenepuru Sound is the shallowest and smallest of the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island of New Zealand. The Kenepuru Sound is known for its turquoise waters and is surrounded by sandy beaches, resorts and holiday houses.  

Due to the large number of mussel farms in the area, it has been touted the green shell mussel capital of the world.

Kenepuru Sound runs parallel to Queen Charlotte Sound, from which it is separated by a narrow spine of land. 

The Pelorus Sound has a shoreline of 380km and has several major arms including Tennyson Inlet, Tawhitinui Reach, Keneperu Sound and the Crail/Clova/Beatrix Bay complex.

In the 1860s, timber mills were set up in the Pelorus sound and native timber from the area was transported around New Zealand and to Australia. Later, these timber camps gave way to sheep and dairy farming.

Today, marine farming is the primary industry that occupies the Marlborough Sounds. Marlborough marine farmers grow approximately 80 per cent of the marine products farmed in New Zealand, including Greenshell mussels, salmon, oysters, paua and seaweeds.  

Private cruises, half day cruises and full day cruises are plentiful to experience The Marlborough Sounds in the best way possible. We have several of the best boat hire options available to help plan your trip.