There are bottle-nosed dolphins, fur seals, penguins and whales for companions, the intense green of moss and forest in every nook and the fabulous cascades of waterfalls that can fall up to 600 metres. So no wonder our kayaking guide Cecelia says there's no office wallpaper better than hers in Doubtful Sound.

As I nudge my sea kayak underneath the spray of yet another waterfall descending from a cloud-enshrined cliff, I have to agree. In fact you'd be hard pressed to see what is wrong with her "office" that runs through 35 kilometres of sheer-sided walls out to the sea in southern New Zealand.

Doubtful Sound lies in the same region as its famed neighbour Milford in Fiordland National Park. While Doubtful isn’t as well known as Milford it is still dramatic and imposing. It’s also the second largest of the fiords, the deepest at 421 metres and its isolation means it’s harder to reach. So Cecelia's wallpaper is not crowded with other tourists.

Where Milford Sound attracts about 1500 visitors per day on a 15km stretch, in Doubtful there are only 300 visitors per day over 75km of waterways. So once you turn the corner from Deep Cove where you put in your kayak, you enter a private world where it's unlikely you'll see anyone else out on the water all day. And for me, that's bliss.

New Zealand’s proactive Department of Conservation is also seeking to minimize the impact tourists are having on Doubtful and their interaction with the wildlife. Speed restrictions for boats and limited fishing are enforced and there are stringent rules about how to engage with the resident pod of 70 dolphins.

But really the only thing you have to worry about is drought. While it rains some 200 days of the year, the landscape alters drastically if it doesn't rain for three days - the locals equivalent of a drought. For one the gorgeous waterfalls that pepper the sounds disappear and perhaps more importantly, blue skies mean the arrival of marauding sand flies that devour any flesh you expose. Once you've spent some time in Fiordland, you realize how important it is for your well-being to avoid them.

In fact Cecelia informs us the drought broke just today, and yesterday there were no thundering cascades at all and the sandflies were out in force. So the misty mountain effect and melancholic gloom are good news even if it means it's wet and cold.

Doubtful Sound was discovered by Captain Cook in 1770 but he didn't actually enter it for fear it was not navigable and originally named it Doubtful Harbour. He missed much by not exploring further.

Today sea kayaking on Doubtful is one of the best ways to get around in the Sound. It's a real look and feel experience. You can paddle underneath the waterfalls, touch the moss sprouting from the sides of innumerable inlets, enjoy the softness of falling rain, gaze up at soaring cliffs above and wonder at scuba divers going into the depths beneath to look at black coral.

Of course when you consider how fantastically deep the waters are it's easy to believe Cecelia's stories about Doubtful's monster the Taniwha, a Loch Ness equivalent that eats cameras, sunglasses and anything else you drop out of your kayak.

The story leaves my companion in our two person kayak perturbed. He won't turn sideways, look up or anywhere else for fear he'll rock the boat and ditch us into the water. When our group paddles willingly beneath the first waterfall he refuses to follow. But at the next one he announces gallantly that sharing a kayak means compromising. He enjoys it so much he then wants to go under every single waterfall.

The other unique thing about Doubtful Sound are its two distinct layers of water. Around seven metres of rain falls here every year so the surface water is fresh but a coca-cola colour thanks to the tannins washed down from rainforest clinging to the cliffs. This water lies on the top few metres while beneath is saline seawater that receives little light and allows deep sea creatures and black coral to live in relatively shallow depths.

After several hours paddling, looking for dolphins, admiring moss and fern and watching clouds swirl around peaks there's just enough time to strip out of wet gear and have a cup of Cecelia's hot chocolate before we head back.

Unfortunately we've come at the wrong season for penguins and even the dolphins that live in the sound are absent today. But it just convinces me I'll have to come back again.

The wallpaper of Cecelia's office is clearer on the way back and the fog of the morning has dissipated. We've seen every kind of weather Fiordland offers in one day. Now with clear skies ahead I realize I prefer the veiling cloud and how mysteriously it hints at precipices and hanging valleys. Cecelia was right about her wallpaper, make sure you go and share it with her.

The great thing about paddling on Doubtful is you don't even leave footprints, just ripples.

HOW TO DO IT
There are just two sea kayaking outfitters to Doubtful Sound. Fiordland Adventure (www.fiordlandadventure.co.nz, ph. 03 249 6626) is the only operator offering a one-day experience. They also offer two-day trips with wilderness camping. Fiordland Sea Kayak (www.fiordlandseakayak.co.nz, ph. 03 249 7700) also operates on Doubtful Sound but trips are either two days or 3-5 days.

WHERE TO STAY
Te Anau and Lake Manapouri both have a number of places to stay. If you like style and comfort consider the delightful Fiordland Lodge (www.fiordlandlodge.co.nz, ph. 03 249 7832, $640 double) just outside Te Anau. There are also backpackers, camping grounds, hotels and bed and breakfasts. See www.fiordlandnz.com. Deep Cove Hostel (www.deepcovehostel.co.nz) at Doubtful take independent travellers for NZD $25 per night in school holiday periods. You will need to organize transport to the hostel via Real Journeys (www.realjourneys.co.nz, ph. 0800 656501).

GETTING THERE
You can fly to Te Anau with Air New Zealand Link (www.airnewzealand.co.nz), Air Fiordland (www.airfiordland.com) and Waterwings Airways (ph. 03 4423065). Or alternatively consider flying domestically to Invercargill or by international connections to Queenstown. From these places it is roughly 2.5 hours by road to Te Anau. Regular coach services provide public transport options for those without vehicles. Contact Intercity, Atomic Shuttle, Topline Tours or Spitfire Shuttle.

by Joanne Lane