Advertisement
Published: February 10th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Franz Josef Glacier
We hiked about 80% up the black line (medial morraine) in the middle of the glacier. After arriving in Franz Josef on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, we went straight to yet another Lake and jumped in that to cool down, followed by some sunbathing. The main reason for being in Franz Josef is the really cool (ha) glacier that sits above the town in the mountains. The next day got a chance to go on a full day hike up to the glacier terminal face , climb up and hike on the ice for over 6 hours. Grabbed some boots, metal tallons, warm coat and an ice pick and hiked to the terminal face. Up close the glacier looked massive, and really dirty looking - a sort of grey/brown muddy colour that was really cold to touch. Funny that. *Insert small geography lesson* I hear you shouting "how can there be a glacier in a town that you were sunbathing in the day before. Surely it has to be cold there?" Well, the reason for the glacier is because warm air crosses the Tasman Sea from hot Australia, picking up moisture. When it reaches the New Zealand's West Coast, the Southern Alps funnel the air and force it to rise up suddenly to
a height so that it falls as snow, gathering in a neve at the mountain top and forming a glacier. Did you know, that to go from snowflake at the top, to water in the glacial stream at the bottom takes 8 years? Lesson over.
Our group of 12 followed our guide up some steps that had been hacked out of the terminal face and hiked up and up for quite a while to reach the cleaner blue ice. Up there the scenery was spectacular, with crevasses and even small glacier ice caves everywhere. I was the only one who voluteered to crawl into the cave and have a look. Was rather cold in there, but pretty amazing to be standing IN a glacier. It advances over 80cm a day at the moment, so every day the guides take people on a different route as the glacier is always evolving. Got to do some mini abseiling down a 8m cravasse also and even had to squeeze sideways through certain parts. Walked over 11Km throughout the day, mostly steeply up or down on the ice. Got pretty dirty too due to all the morraine (sediment) all over the glacier and
Franz Josef Glacier Blue Stuff
The group in front going up the glacier and us on the lateral morraine on the edge, with ice underneath it slipped over a few times, which was a giggle. Took some amazing photos (some of which are here). It was so wierd hiking on something I learnt so much about in school and at uni, especially as there is rainforest (thats what the guide says) growing right next to it.
Next few days were spent on the bus travelling (or not as much of the case was). Our poor little coach kept breaking down, so after visiting Lake Matheson and getting some shots of Mt. Cook (the tallest in New Zealand) reflecting in the Lake waters. Also saw the Fox Glacier (not as good as the Franz Josef!) and a few dolphins way out to sea at Ship Creek. Then had to ascend over the mountains at Haast Pass - but the coach didnt want to do that so concked out on the steepest incline you could imagine, with a bend and massive drop behind us. After much swearing and 1.5 hours the bus driver (amazing Dave) got it going again. At Lake Hawea the bus broke again. This time we sat there for nealy 3 hours. But the view was spectacular (as you can see).
Next day,
the bus broke some more, so we got a new one and went to Puzzling World which had some huge maze that took about 25 minutes to finish that involved stairs and lots of frustration. The journey today took us to Queenstown - the adrenaline capital of New Zealand. Got to watch the bus driver bungy off Kawarua Bridge (a mere 47m drop into water). Then decided to book my own for the next day...
So, woke up to the day of the drop. The Nevis High Wire Bungy took over 45 mins to reach up an insanely steep private road leading to a gorge cut by the Nevis River. The pod which you jump from is suspended by wires above the gorge with a see-through floor so you can watch everyone else jump. Jumped in the harness (round the thighs, waist and over your shoulder, so its not your ankles taking all the pressure). You get to the jump point by a small cage. The bungy jumps proceed according to weight - heaviest to lightest - and out of the 20 jumpers, I was the second to last to go! So watched the 18 others go first, which
really helped me get myself ready for it. Jumped up onto the wobbling chair and got the ankle straps attached. Hobbled over to the edge and got the first proper look down in order to get my toes to the edge... 3 2 1 JUMP! Yup went first time. This is the 3rd highest bungy in the world at 134m (440 ft). To put that into perspective, Big Ben is only 96m (316 ft high!!). Apparently you over reach 128km/hr (80 mph) as you plummit for 8.5 seconds before the giant elastic band attached to your ankles kicks in and pings you up again. The width of my ankles was a concern ie will they snap, but the harness is around your waist and shoulders to help absorb it. Initial thoughts after jumping: well, involved nothing for about 5 seconds, then a slight panic that nothing was happening (which involved some shouting of unrepeatables) and then pure joy as you bounce back up. Was the most amazing feeling ever and sooo fast, such a rush, and just wow. After you bounce a few times, then you pull a cord that releases your ankles and puts you the right way up.
From that they pull you back to the pod. Massive personal challenge and feeling of achievement as they dont push you off. Its all up to you. Petrified to thrill in such a short amount of time is awesome. You should all go do one! Even got photos, postcards, DVD (ha), t-shirt and a bit of bungy cord. Really leaves you thinking you can do anything in the world and smiling all day.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.084s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 7; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0378s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
simone
non-member comment
OMG
i can't believe u did a jump!!!! well done u! I so wana do that! Glad to here all is going well! not much to report here theres been lots of snow so i haven't been able to go out in my car! Can't wait for your next stop take care love sim: )