The Marlborough Sounds - is a body of sea water that has flooded a sunken river valley (see wiki). In this sense we will be paddlin around large valleys - althog this excellent shelter from strom swells and large seas adn strong scurrent flowing through teh Cook Strait to the North what you will experiecne out there is mroe localised conditions, especially funneling of wind down the central sound or branch valleys and bays. You can literelaly turn teh corner and come from a realtively flat and sheleterd conditions and come into a half meter chop as ou round the conrner into one of the wide and open bays.Whatmonga is a classic bay for this sort of conditions and is well known amoungest the guiding commmunity and has aquired several nicknames.You acan see fromt eh map how teh valley forms a large funnel for teh wind and pushes it through a narow opengin.
View Larger Map
The weather is alos unpredictabel due to the micor cimate casued but also the inablity to see beyodn teh mounaints surounding the sounds to see oncoming changes in teh weather. the weather is "upon you" quite sudenly.
One of the great advantages of the sounds is that there is always a nice beach or sheltered bay to ull into close by. the best advice is "If in doubt don't go out" - or if you are out there and it tunrs windy and wet - make camp, have a cup of coffee and read a book.
The OSunds in the central channel is typically 40 to 60 meters in depth
the Marlbough OSunds can see extreme weather and extreme gusts whistling down the valleys with hoszitonal winds and tadies washing ocer ajettys - always camp and store kayaks well above the high water. A storam adn a good spring tide can add a coupe of meters to teh high water mark.
Forecasted wind directions are often funneled int eh osunds nad some boaties report 180 degrees diffenrece
as wella s gale force winds in the starit being reduced to windy in the central and soutern reaches of the sounds
WIND
CURRENTS
Complex current are evident in tht outer sounds and there are a nuber of places where carfeul planning and high levels of skill are requred the Cook Strait is well known for extreme and dangerous weather and as you venture further out towards th Starit your exposure to it is greater and thus kayakers must be more vigilient not to get themselvves into trouble
The space startion image aboive identifyes a varying degeree and complex pattern of curetns around the MArlbourgh Sounds headlansd as the soudns comes into contact with the Starit - the differecnt clours identify differnet levels of turbidity (sediment held in suspension).
WEATHER FORECAST
weather forecasts are avaible via VHF, AM/FM radio as well as via mobile.
VHF WEATHER INFORMATION
( interestingly this site tracks in realtime large boats gonig into and out of the sounds (see here) - not much use when you out and about but interesting all teh same.
Curetn conditons at Pcton is alos povided by the laocl port - wich can be useful if you are plannign a day trip out of Picton.Live Picton Webcam (though not a very good shot)
Metservice - is the governemtn run weather forecasting service - good website though no speciifc informaiton about Marlbourogh sounds yu cna get a general idea from Blenheim forecast and influencing pattersn from Nelson and Wellington. Note on teh metservice website: top Right EXTREME WEATHER warnings for the area, just below the map a predicted average wind speed and wind gust speed (rememebr wind being the most important aspect of waeather in kayaking - it is wind not rain that will make it hard to paddle and also create chop on the sea).
Coastal Sea Warnings are also availbe. REMEMEBR to take special note of the wind direction, speed and gust strength. - metservice provide wind spedd in km/hr you convert these readings to knots here.
WIND SPEED & WAVE HEIGHT
Often a foreact will include wind speed in knots and predicted wave height - alos the forecast will inlcude the use of descritve words like "moderate winds" or "rough seas" - forecast descriptins arenot color added bybthe forecaster but are tied to a specific scale called the "beaufort storm scale". How this scale relates to kayaking an dhow you should plan yu day around the foreacst is detiled brillently here by the UK Sea kayakaers Guide Book . I print this out and take it with me it is a great asset along with the map to plan your day. (small guide on how to kayak in the wind effectively). There is a detailed explanation of how increasing wind affects akaysk here
TIDES
View Larger Map
The weather is alos unpredictabel due to the micor cimate casued but also the inablity to see beyodn teh mounaints surounding the sounds to see oncoming changes in teh weather. the weather is "upon you" quite sudenly.
One of the great advantages of the sounds is that there is always a nice beach or sheltered bay to ull into close by. the best advice is "If in doubt don't go out" - or if you are out there and it tunrs windy and wet - make camp, have a cup of coffee and read a book.
The OSunds in the central channel is typically 40 to 60 meters in depth
the Marlbough OSunds can see extreme weather and extreme gusts whistling down the valleys with hoszitonal winds and tadies washing ocer ajettys - always camp and store kayaks well above the high water. A storam adn a good spring tide can add a coupe of meters to teh high water mark.
Forecasted wind directions are often funneled int eh osunds nad some boaties report 180 degrees diffenrece
as wella s gale force winds in the starit being reduced to windy in the central and soutern reaches of the sounds
WIND
CURRENTS
Complex current are evident in tht outer sounds and there are a nuber of places where carfeul planning and high levels of skill are requred the Cook Strait is well known for extreme and dangerous weather and as you venture further out towards th Starit your exposure to it is greater and thus kayakers must be more vigilient not to get themselvves into trouble
The space startion image aboive identifyes a varying degeree and complex pattern of curetns around the MArlbourgh Sounds headlansd as the soudns comes into contact with the Starit - the differecnt clours identify differnet levels of turbidity (sediment held in suspension).
WEATHER FORECAST
weather forecasts are avaible via VHF, AM/FM radio as well as via mobile.
VHF WEATHER INFORMATION
Marlborough Marine Radio broadcast the most recent weather forecast on:
Channel 01, 05, 63, 65 and 66 at 0835, 1135 and 1735
Maritime Radio transmit the weather at 0533, 0733, 1033, 1333, 1733 and 2133 - listen on Channel 16 for a general broadcast and then go to the appropriate channel for your area.
Nelson Marine Radio also transmit the weather forecast on channels 28 and 60 at 0810, 1310 and 1810.
If you miss a broadcast then Marlborough Radio will be able to give updates on request.
Channel 01, 05, 63, 65 and 66 at 0835, 1135 and 1735
Maritime Radio transmit the weather at 0533, 0733, 1033, 1333, 1733 and 2133 - listen on Channel 16 for a general broadcast and then go to the appropriate channel for your area.
Nelson Marine Radio also transmit the weather forecast on channels 28 and 60 at 0810, 1310 and 1810.
If you miss a broadcast then Marlborough Radio will be able to give updates on request.
( interestingly this site tracks in realtime large boats gonig into and out of the sounds (see here) - not much use when you out and about but interesting all teh same.
Curetn conditons at Pcton is alos povided by the laocl port - wich can be useful if you are plannign a day trip out of Picton.Live Picton Webcam (though not a very good shot)
Metservice - is the governemtn run weather forecasting service - good website though no speciifc informaiton about Marlbourogh sounds yu cna get a general idea from Blenheim forecast and influencing pattersn from Nelson and Wellington. Note on teh metservice website: top Right EXTREME WEATHER warnings for the area, just below the map a predicted average wind speed and wind gust speed (rememebr wind being the most important aspect of waeather in kayaking - it is wind not rain that will make it hard to paddle and also create chop on the sea).
Coastal Sea Warnings are also availbe. REMEMEBR to take special note of the wind direction, speed and gust strength. - metservice provide wind spedd in km/hr you convert these readings to knots here.
WIND SPEED & WAVE HEIGHT
Often a foreact will include wind speed in knots and predicted wave height - alos the forecast will inlcude the use of descritve words like "moderate winds" or "rough seas" - forecast descriptins arenot color added bybthe forecaster but are tied to a specific scale called the "beaufort storm scale". How this scale relates to kayaking an dhow you should plan yu day around the foreacst is detiled brillently here by the UK Sea kayakaers Guide Book . I print this out and take it with me it is a great asset along with the map to plan your day. (small guide on how to kayak in the wind effectively). There is a detailed explanation of how increasing wind affects akaysk here
TIDES
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