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Cruising in mid-autumn in the southern lakes probably doesn’t sound like everyone’s cup of tea but it seems very common to the yachting fraternity from Otago.
The late summer months generally bring cold evenings and often frosty mornings, but this tends to make the warmth of the morning sun more enjoyable. Lake Benmore at Easter is one of the Otago Trailer Yacht Squadrons most popular cruises with 15-20 boats attending each year.
This year saw a smaller fleet of about 12 due to the storm conditions and rain forecast which lashed the country but in its wake it left behind beautiful calm days along with every cruisers dream; still nights. Fires were lit to make the nippy evenings feel warm and cosy and many of the days catch were shared between the crews over a beverage or two.
In my opinion Lake Benmore is one the best cruising lakes in the south island. It offers a similar climate as central Otago and has a huge amount of sheltered bays and creek beds to overnight in, in all conditions. Fishing can be great and lake temperatures in summer months are warm enough for swimming.
