Surrounded by bush and sea in the Sounds

It started with a glass of pinot gris - a fruity, grape-laden glass of Sanctuary Pinot Gris to be precise.

We had arrived at the Portage Resort, tucked in a sheltered arm of Kenepuru Sound in the Marlborough Sounds, an hour before. By the time we wandered into the restaurant, the dark moonless evening had enclosed the resort like a security blanket. The sea and the birds had fallen silent. There was nothing else to do but tuck into a great meal and enjoy a glass, or two.

The next morning, however, was a different story. The sea was calm, bright blue and inviting, belying the fact it was still springtime and the water was a chilly 14C. Plans for the day were simple. Breakfast, swim with dolphins, lunch in the sun, relax in the spa, dinner and several more glasses of pinot gris.

We met the Dolphin Watch boat at Torea Bay, just across the headland that separates Queen Charlotte Sound from Kenepuru Sound. This low pass was the portage point for Maori and early settlers crossing between the huge waterways of the Sounds.

And the old Portage Hotel, on the same site, had been built to serve as an overnight stop for families undertaking what was sometimes a three-day trip to get into town.

Dan, the Dolphin Watch skipper, took us to a large pod of dusky dolphins playing at the inner entrance to the Tory Channel. Wetsuits, fins and masks on and we were into the water.

Concessions for this activity state that people may swim with the dolphins but not touch them. The dolphins, however, had no such limits and swam up close, spinning and turning as they sped up from the depths to break the surface beside us. Sometimes they swam drive-by style, brushing past and turning on their side to watch us as they sped by. They were as curious about us as we were about them.

Back at the resort in time for lunch, the day was warming nicely.

Portage is surrounded by bush and sea. A long outlook down Kenepuru Sound is framed by the seascape of green and grey layered hills dropping steeply into the sea.

In the warmer months the waterways are busy with boaties but this time of year they are quiet and remote. We wandered down to the small marina, empty but for a few charter yachts, and lay in the sun on the pontoon. It was a demanding afternoon.

We wandered around some of the short tracks near the resort, soaked in the spa and wondered if the rest of the world still existed.

The Portage is what I would call stripped luxury. There are no fluffy white robes, broadband connections or mini-bars but an elegant simplicity that lets the eye wander past the window to what lies outside. Designed with a nautical eye, the comfortable units are pleasant to stay in.

The chef dished up fabulous fare of a standard that would pass at any overseas resort. Long after we were satisfied we ate just for the sake of it - it seemed a waste not to. Artichokes, feta and spinach tartlet, a perfect millefeuille, and more of that fantastic pinot gris.

Our two-day stay was not long enough. We hadn't even touched on the wine and mussel tour, the Queen Charlotte Track, and the diving further out in Queen Charlotte Sound and Cook Strait. They would have to wait till next time.