Look for places to visit and the Marlborough Sounds is high on the list. Some people are lucky enough to live nearby while others travel a long way to visit. But just how many Sounds are there?
There exist 1,500 kilometres of coastline within the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand, rendering it a favoured destination among tourists and residents. Key areas worth exploring comprise Queen Charlotte Sound, Kenepuru Sound, and Pelorus Sound. Each locale presents a distinctive experience, ranging from picturesque strolls and treks to aquatic pursuits such as kayaking or boating. But more on this later.
Marlborough Sounds: Nature’s Harmony
In the Sounds, one does not merely listen to the environment; rather, they become fully immersed in it. The symphony is orchestrated by a plethora of creatures, culminating in a harmonious blend of sounds resonating through the hills and over the serene waters. There’s a unique timbre to each: the clarion call of the bellbird, the high-pitched chatter of a group of dolphins, and the comforting swish of the wind, a grand crescendo of activity throughout the day.
For ornithologists and lovers of the avian offer, this place rings with calls of the wild. Native bird species such as the tui and weka, and their chittering, cooing, and sometimes melodic utterances, add depth to the soundscape against a backdrop of rustling leaves and lapping waves.
Three Main Sounds
Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui, Kenepuru Sound, and Pelorus/Te Quiere Sound are the showstoppers. These primary sounds are like the principal sections of a vast orchestra, where each brings its own character but complements the whole.Queen Charlotte Sound, often the first stop and Jewel in the crown, teems with birdlife, from the kaka’s raucous calls to the morepork’s haunting hoot. Kenepuru Sound’s conversational waves lap against forested
peaks, offering a quieter, more introspective note. Meanwhile, Pelorus Sound, famous for its meandering pathways and bush-clad hillsides, sees the wind harmonise with the environment in ways few elsewhere can.
But the aural experience doesn’t end with these main acts. Venturing into the myriad of minor sounds, inlets, and bays reveals further complexities, like a tapestry of sounds that changes with the landscape.For the nature enthusiast or the casual traveller, the Marlborough Sounds is a place to rediscover the nuances and wonders of a world in natural balance. However, the environment here is a delicate one, and just as symphonies are composed to be timeless, so must we seek to protect this natural treasure for future generations to hear.
To end, perhaps it’s not about the exact count of sounds one can see in this paradise, but the quality and richness of the experience. The Marlborough Sounds are nature’s mixing board, blending myriad notes, tones, and timbres into a composition that captivates all who lend an ear to it. In the quiet coves and shadowed valleys, the land sings its song of millennia, and we are but lucky guests, treated to its timeless melody.
