We have been planning to hike the Queen Charlotte Track from Ship Cove to Furneaux (5 hrs., 14-15 km, leave Picton at 8 am), weather permitting, using Cougar cruise line (because they have the most liberal cancelation policy). (This will be on Saturday, Feb. 17.) I have heard this is the best part of the QCT, and we would be interested in seeing the Cook monument and the informative panels. However, I have become a bit concerned reading about the first, steep uphill, part of this part of the track. My husband and I are in fairly good shape. I think we can probably do it, though I don’t know that we want to totally beat ourselves up in the process. However, the husband of the couple we’re travelling with has had knee problems and hasn’t hiked (or done something similar) in about a year.

There are several alternatives. I would appreciate opinions about the pros and cons of these (compared to Ship Cove to Furneaux). Costs are pretty similar across these, so that it not an issue.

Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove (4 hrs., 11 km., leave Picton at 8 am) - the flattest part of the track, but apparently not a scenic as Ship Cove to Furneaux.

Resolution Bay to Furneaux Lodge (3 hrs., 10 km., leave Picton at 10 am – also less difficult. Our friends could meet us there and skip the Ship Cove to Resolution Bay part, or we could sleep in a bit and all do this.

Another possibility is to go to Motuara Island, leaving Picton at 8 am, and then go to Resolution Bay and do the Resolution Bay to Furneaux Walk.

Last possibility would be to just go to Motuara Island and skip the QCT.

I guess a final option is to go kayaking instead of hiking, though at least one in our group (the guy with the bum knee) doesn’t like kayaking.

In replying, please let me know whether your recommendations might vary with the weather -- whether it is raining the day of or rained recently. I know that weather may mean that we won’t be able to do any of these.

Thanks very much!

Could the husband of the couple just get the boat to Furneaux and enjoy the morning there until you arrive? I'm assuming that it's the same boat that will drop you at Ship's Cove that will also be dropping others at Furneaux either before or after your drop off? Perhaps the cruise line could confirm this. Furneaux has a lovely relaxed restaurant/bar set up that would be a very nice way to spend a few hours relaxing inside or outside.

I have not done the walk from Ship's cove to Furneaux in many years, but have no traumatic memories of the steepness, so it either wasn't that bad, or my memory is being kind to me. No help in that regard sorry.

I've done the walk from Ship Cove to Furneaux several times. I have a bad knee and I'm no spring chicken. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. However, hills are part of my daily trek here in the Colorado mountains, so I have a leg up on the husband of the couple.

The worst bit of the walk is the first 45 minutes and frankly, it's not all that bad, just more challenging than the rest of the walk. It is so worth the effort, particularly on a pretty day.

I've also walked other sections of the QCT - Punga Cove isn't right on the track - the track is accessed via a road, which is about a kilometer uphill from Punga (down in your case). I've just looked at my trip report from that visit and here's what I wrote about that section:

"To access the Queen Charlotte Track from Punga Cove, we had to first walk uphill 1 km along the road. Before long we were on the track working our way up to the ridgeline. We took the side trail up to Eatwell’s Lookout; a difficult 20 minute climb. We were rewarded with an awesome, 360 degree view of the sounds. It was absolutely gorgeous and the perfect spot for a picnic.

We enjoyed this section of the track, and found it more challenging and scenic than the walk from Ship Cove. It was also different; at times we felt like we were in the mountains surrounded by pine trees, and then we’d find ourselves back in the rainforest. Wild pigs had torn up the track in spots and we saw firsthand how destructive those beasts really are."

Note that we walked from Punga Cove to Craglee Lodge - I definitely would not recommend the descent to Craglee to someone with a bad knee - in fact that's where I blew out my knee the first time - it also crosses private land so you need permission from the owners of Craglee and this section (private track) isn't always well maintained.

If I were in your shoes, I think I'd walk from Ship Cove to Furneaux and meet up with your friends at Resolution Bay for the balance of the walk. Win-win.