Located in the north of the South Island the Nelson-Marlborough region includes the townships of Nelson, Picton, Blenheim, and Kaikoura. The area is known for its coastal parks, and inland lakes.
At its narrowest point Cook Strait, the storm-swept channel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, is only 23km wide. The ferry crossing takes nearly 31/2 hours. The first hour (from Picton) is spent sailing through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds; then follows an hour and a half in the open sea, and finally three-quarters of an hour in Wellington's huge natural harbor.
Tall ship Spirit of New Zealand in the Cook Strait.