Milford Sound

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May 16th 2012

Published: May 16th 2012

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Maranade

Milford Sound

lunch

It is Saturday 28th April and we have arrived in our "Go Milford" bus at the boat charter terminal in Milford Sound. Having enjoyed the trip up (down?) from Te Anau where the 2 hours went so quickly we were hoping that our trip on the sound would be as exciting. We needen't have worried.

Might say here that we have cracked a stunning day. Yesterday as we drove over from Gore the weather was ordinary (dull) to say the least and tomorrow the forecast is for rain and deteriorating weather and possibly some snow, yet here we are in brilliant sunshine which looks like holding for the duration of our trip. Magic!

So much has been written about Milford Sound that it is pointless to go on and on describing it and it's countless statistics but the most important thing that we learnt was that it is NOT a sound as such but should be called a Fjord! Or, as it is spelt in NZ English, a Fiord. This southern area is known in the South Island as Fiordland and the west coast abounds with them. For those interested, a fiord is created by the movement of a

Harbour & jetty

glacier carving out huge deep steep sided waterways to the ocean whereas a sound is just an opening to the sea caused by ocean water. OK, you geologists, yes that's the simplified laymans version I know, just wanted to point out that Milford "Sound" is actually a fiord.

This area is known for it's heavy annual rainfall and has an average of 7 meters! Up to 9m has been recorded, so to get a day like this is nothing short of lucky.

As soon as we disembarked from the bus it was straight onto the huge charter boat (see pics) and we were immediately invited to have our lunch having arrive at midday. The dining deck had a fantastic bufffet lunch laid out and catered for all tastes and cultures. We had a big contingent of overseas tourists on as well. As soon as we started eating the boat pulled away from the jetty and began our tour of the 'sound'.

All I can say is WOW! To sit there at your comfortable table with panoramic windows gazing at the splendid vista opening up while eating your lunch will long be a very pleasant memory.

After(quickly)

Our Boat

finishing desert we hurried up on top to the open deck, zipping up our spray jackets and pulling beanies over ears to take photos and enjoy the scenery. The boat takes you right thru the sound and out to the mouth where it turns around in the chop of the Tasman Sea. The return leg passes up close to the mighty steep sides of the sound and up close and personal to seals and waterfalls. Under the biggest waterfall the boat noses in under the spray and you get the chance to get wet as you risk your camera. This is why we had our waterproof one.

We had paid for the option of calling into the underwater observatory which was interesting and the boat dropped us off and another picked us up later.

The day was all we had hoped for and after we had returned to the jetty and boarded our bus we still had some treats in store for us on the way home, such as stopping at the Homer Tunnel and places like the Chasm and reflecting pools.

Milford is a stunning place and like all scenic places has to be seen with