Well before the pier, the port call has already begun. To reach Picton, the ship enters Queen Charlotte Sound, one of the arms of the Marlborough Sounds, and for more than an hour folded hills, roadless coves and forests running down to the water slip by. This network of drowned valleys, at the north end of New Zealand's South Island, totals some 1,500 kilometres of coastline. The small port waiting at the head of the fjord seems almost a peaceful conclusion to this introduction.

A village-scale welcome

Modestly sized ships moor at Waitohi Wharf, about ten minutes' walk from the centre; larger ones use Waimahara Wharf, in neighbouring Shakespeare Bay, from where free shuttles reach the town. Picton is explored without effort: crossing the town from one end to the other takes less than twenty minutes. The waterfront concentrates the essentials, with its palm-lined promenade, its war memorial facing the Sound and its cafés where residents take the time to chat.

The Edwin Fox, elder of merchant ships

On Dunbar Wharf, a hall houses one of the port call's surprises: the Edwin Fox, considered the oldest surviving merchant ship in the world. Launched in 1853, it served during the Crimean War, carried convicts to Australia and then migrants to New Zealand. Its hull now rests in a custom-built dry dock, and the adjoining museum traces the lives of those who sailed aboard. You leave the visit with a clear idea of what crossing the oceans meant in the 19th century.

On the water, up close to the Sounds

From the harbour, several outings let you return to the scenery glimpsed on arrival. Launches ply Queen Charlotte Sound, kayaks can be rented to follow the sheltered coves, and water taxis drop off hikers and swimmers on isolated beaches. The calm waters are well suited to a first paddling experience. Some outings focus on wildlife: seabirds and sometimes dolphins that accompany the boats.

To the Marlborough vineyards

Picton also serves as the gateway to New Zealand's best-known wine region. About 28 kilometres away, or 25 minutes by road, Blenheim and the Wairau Plain line up the rows of vines that built the worldwide reputation of Marlborough sauvignon blanc. Several estates welcome passengers for morning tastings. History buffs can add the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, which showcases aircraft from both world wars in striking displays.

A few pointers for the day

• A tour of the waterfront, the memorial and the Edwin Fox can be combined in two leisurely hours.
• A cruise on the Sound or a kayak outing takes up half a day.
• Also allow half a day for the Blenheim vineyards, transportation included.
• The trails around the village, including some accessible sections of the Queen Charlotte Track, offer views over the harbour.

The return through the fjord

The departure is worth staying on deck for. The ship retraces the morning's route in reverse, and the hills of the Sounds slowly close behind it, all the way to the exit into Cook Strait. Picton leaves that particular feeling of small, successful port calls: that of a place from which you expected nothing in particular and which, between a historic sailing ship, a glass of sauvignon blanc and a peaceful arm of the sea, filled the day without a single dull moment.