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John, Edel and I were on the road together again to head towards Milford Sound. What is this place I hear you say? A sound is technically a glacier valley which has been taken over by a river. This is what some of the first settlers here called Milford. It is actually a fiord. A fiord is a glacier valley which has been covered over by sea water. It is one of the most visited and easily accessible tourist trips in New Zealand but it was also reported to be one of the best. So off we headed in the Mysteron.
The road there was a mix between back county flatlands at times to high mountain and lake valleys. The weather was dull and cloudy with rain so lots of them were covered along the way, unfortunately. One of the most impressive parts was at a tunnel that led under the mountains to a deep valley on the other side. Just before this were lots of high mountains with glaciers seeping along their top and edges. The mountains were rocky and there was evidence of lots of rock falls and slides. Some were snowy some had waterfalls popping out of
the rocks. The tunnel was old and mad. The walls were uneven; it was so dark and eerie. On the other side the valley was beautiful.
When we got to Milford sound, we booked onto a nature boat cruise. Edel had a ticket for another boat so we split up for a few hours. The boat pulled out from the harbour and immediately was our first spectacular view, a large waterfall to the right, gushing water heavily down below. Next up was the mighty Mitre Peak. Rising out high above the sea and shaped like a bishops hat. This is the most photographed rock in NZ. As we cruised along it was really really calm. We heard about the native flora and fauna, the depth of the bay and that it is drops steeply below the cliffs, allowing the boats to go close to them. All of a sudden we are right under a waterfall, the spray floating along the bottom deck.
The cliffs and mountains are covered in deep forest green and are so dramatic as they touch the sea. This is what makes here so different and what attracts the crowds. As well as the many
towering waterfalls, the fur seals, the dolphins (we didn’t get to see any), the massive Albatross, gannets and the fact that when you reach the mouth of the bay, it’s like a different world in an instant. At the mouth, the swell of the sea is fierce, the waves crash along the rocky bays and it’s wild. Further into the sound, it’s laid back, calm and relaxing. It was easy to stand and stare into space admiring the beauty.
On our way back we stopped at a waterfall 150m high. Boy was it high. And as we pulled in right under it, the sheer amount of water falling was stunning. I couldn’t help thinking that John basically jumped that and I swung higher. Scary! The sound is also unique because the top 3-4 metres is in fact made up of fresh water that lies on top of the sea water. This happens because of the amount of rainfall that they get here and it has had an effect on the marine life below. They have seen marine life here that is usually found much deeper in darker waters which was very interesting.
As our trip along the sound
came to an end about 2 hours later, it is clear to see why it is a big draw for tourism. But if I was honest, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe like Fergburger, I had hyped it up too much in my head. Don’t get me wrong, it is beautiful, scenic and interesting but I couldn’t help thinking that it isn’t near the top of my list.
That evening we all stayed in this quaint little camp called Gunn’s Camp just down the road from Milford Sound. This place is made up of little cabins, a museum and campsites. Edel booked into a cabin by herself. She had a lovely fire and the man working their explained that this is where the workers who built the tunnel lived! She was staying in a family cabin. It was really cool. The three of us had a look around the museum which was full of lots of old stuff from years gone by that was used by the locals. They also had guest books dating very far back. The sense of humour in parts of the museum was quirky and the hosts couldn’t have been nicer.
Edel and I
went on a little nature walk after dark with a group staying here. The man who runs the place took us to see glowroms nesting under rocks, to taste pepper leaves and to see a 1000year old tree. It was something different for the evening!
The only negative about this little gem were the sand-flies. I don’t know if I have mentioned these before but at the start of the trip John and I had severe reactions to these little buggers where we both had swollen boxer eyes. Here they were everywhere, so as we hopped into bed that evening it took us over half an hour to kill them!! We were only hoping we could open our eyes normally the next morning!
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