Pontoon bound for Deep Cove

A familiar sight around the marina in Lake Wanaka for the past 18 months will soon reappear in Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound.

The privately owned and used motorised steel pontoon has been bought by Doubtful Sound Kayak.

Late yesterday afternoon the 12m-by-6m craft began its journey by road to Te Anau where it will undergo some maintenance work before being transported by barge across Doubtful Sound and trucked across the Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove.

New owners Clint and Jill Tauri said even though the pontoon had motors on the back it would be used as ''a floating wharf'' to store kayaks and gear.