Guided kayak tours of up to 15 passengers, on up to four trips a day, in Harrison Cove, Milford Sound, could begin this summer if approved by the Department of Conservation and Environment Southland.
Milford Sound Red Boats Ltd has applied, under the Marine Reserves Act, to this summer add a kayak operations facility to the existing Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, to be renamed Discovery Centre, and a boat cruise as part of a whole package.
The proposed single-storey kayak facility would sit alongside the observatory, joined by an elevated walkway, and sit on a new pontoon which would replace an existing structure.
Milford Sound Red Boats general manager John Robson said the aim was to provide guided kayak tours in Harrisons Cove.
It would involve a full interactive boat trip of two hours or more, a visit to the Underwater Observatory and a one and a-half hour guided kayak trip in Harrison Cove.
Mr Robson said the complete boat, observatory and kayak package would take about four and a-half hours.
"Our target market is the person who wants to have a short, gentle paddle," Mr Robson said.
"Experienced kayakers and those with a relatively high degree of fitness are well catered for in Milford, but we plan to offer a slightly tamer experience," he said.
Trips would be run with a designated leader and the group would be divided into manageable sizes.
Inexperienced paddlers would be buddied up with either the guide or an experienced paddler.
Average fitness was required.
The kayak guide would describe rock formations, flora and fauna and name the peaks within the Pembroke Valley and Harrison Cove.
Guides would be in contact with each other and the base via VHF radio and trips would not venture out into the main sound used by daily sightseeing vessels.
Other Milford Sound kayak operators and major boat companies had been notified as a courtesy about two months ago and no-one had said outright they would object, Mr Robson said.
Milford Sound Red Boats will open its first stand-alone retail outlet in Queenstown in the first week of June.
