Halfway through the day, and I don?t feel like I am on the same ship which has been racing with the blue on blue of boat-sized rolling waters. No white caps on the crossing from Australia, just a feeling of being rocked in a giant?s cradle. The sights today became a wonderland of whales, dolphins, and seals outlined by walls so beautiful that only Mother Nature could have dreamed them up: a rare and special treat for such beauty right off the bow of the ship.

An occasional bird broke the sound of the wind flapping the scarf across my face. I climbed over deck chairs roped in place and in my way to unfamiliar sounds not heard before from the decks of the ship: waves crashing against rocks.

Thousands of fjords or inlets walled in by rocky cliffs lined the coastline, and although our rather young Captain had never sailed into anything like this before, he made the choice to give us the rare opportunity to feel the magnificence of their beauty. At times I felt I could reach out and touch the sides of the steep hills. A narrator was talking during portions of the several-hour passage, commenting about the wildlife, weather, and lack of human interaction in the area. We passed one tiny fishing boat the entire distance.

I have to admit that I?d rather choose the hot and sweaty feel of the Suez Canal passage, compared to the blustery cold of these Fjords of Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, and Dusky Sound, all off the southwest coast of New Zealand. Standing on the bow of the boat gave me the feeling of conquering the day while silently gliding past the majesty of nature on either side. And now, several hours later, the cold is long forgotten, but engaging face-to-face with that undisturbed land was a privilege not taken for granted.