Kayaking on Milford Sound

The water was deep blackish-blue and glassy when we set off in our kayaks. I took the rear seat with the pedals that control the rudder while Amanda sat in front. It was her first time in a kayak and I thought she'd like the unobstructed view. Milford Sound is stunning, breathtaking, remarkable, mystical, gorgeous.... Pick an adjective. Huge mountains jut straight out of the water all around. Two channels indicate there's more to explore beyond those great stone monoliths but since the mountains hide the ocean, it feels incredibly secluded. I tried to imagine what early British explorers must have felt when they came upon this majestic place. The clouds kept moving and changing during our morning on the water. We paddled down one side, then across, then up the other, stopping to take photos of a waterfall. Amanda called the sheer rock faces the Cliffs of Insanity (from "The Princess Bride"). I eventually got the hang of steering with the pedals. Turning left and right was easy but going straight took a little more practice. We spotted fur seals swimming and sunning themselves on rocks. I stared and stared at our surroundings, trying to etch them forever in my memory.