ACCESS TO PORTAGE
Before the coming of the pakeha, Maoris living in Queen Charlotte Sound wishing to gain access for themselves and canoes to Kenepuru, Mahau and Pelorus Sounds, had two choices.
They could paddle up Queen Charlotte Sound into the open sea and swing north past Cape Jackson for a very arduous journey for several days before re-entering the sounds at what is now known as East Entry Point.
The other choice was much simpler , much less arduous and time consuming — a paddle to Torea Bay and the carrying of the huge canoes over the hill and down to what is known today as the Portage. This feat has been captured in colour on the wall of a downstairs bar at the Portage Hotel (pictured above). Today visitors to the Portage also have two choices. They can drive hotel, or they can take a water taxi from Picton and be picked up by car from the wharf at Torea Bay.
The hotel remains one of the prime tourist attractions in the sounds. It is pleasantly isolated from the “rat race” has great fishing at its front door and facilities for all the other water sports sought by visitors. Some idea of the fishing can be gauged from this catch (pictured right) brought ashore after a brief time in the sound. Very often there is time to get up, get out and bring back a fish for breakfast.
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Press, 7 July 1977, Page 26
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238ACCESS TO PORTAGE Press, 7 July 1977, Page 26
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