At Indian Island we saw the site of the huts of Maru's family, that worthy having attracted Captain Cook by a loud hallo. With the axes and other gear given him, he within a fortnight, became in terms of real wealth, the richest native in New Zealand.
In Facile Harbour we retrieved bits of the Captain Bampton's teak-Calcutta built, Endeavour which went down there in 1795. In Supper Cove, at the head of Dusky, with ice on the surface of the fresh water we thought of Cook and his "gentlemen" being rowed about. Probably nowhere in the world is it possible to feel the presence of that great seaman as it is in Dusky Sound. All is as it was then, which is more than one can say of Ships Cove in the Marlborough Sounds, Gisborne or Botany Bay with its oil refineries. It seems sad to me that New Zealand yachtsmen sail to the Islands and to far lands when these superb fiords are so close at hand. It is possibly the most magnificent cruising coast in the world for the well found yacht.
During the Endeavour's stay at Pickerskill there was a good deal of traffic by oars to Goose Cove-so named because Cook released geese in that place. In our first attempt to visit the area we ran aground on an uncharted bank. Interested in revisiting the spot we joined three young members of the Auckland Tramping Club who like us were keen about seeing all of Dusky Sound and during their holidays had flown into Supper Cove and were moving about in a 13' aluminium dinghy with 10 h.p. outboard. Having anchored Haparanda in Facile Harbour we donned inflatable life jackets and in company with the boys set out for Goose Cove. It has been noted by those who have visited Goose Cove that the geese released by Cook could be presumed to have perished. Without being in any way certain as to their origins we were happy to find wild geese there, the only ones we saw in Fiordland.
The anchorage at Beach harbour, Breaksea Sound. In the foreground where the dinghy has can be seen the rock free "sealers run" where the boats of these hardy types were dragged ashore. Their campsites could be easily identified as we cruised about the fiords.