South Island Fjordland

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Kiwi blog#4
We have had a great few days in Fjordland and experienced the weather from both ends - torrential rain, misty fog and glorious warm sunshine. We have also experienced the absolute little miseries that are the sand flies. We are now vigilant about door and Windows and have a can of Mortein but no insect repellent really works so keep covered is the answer. All bites so far have been hands and fingers but when you get one boy do you know about it!
We have spent time in Te Anau and have another campervan due to dead clutch on the second one. This van is bigger and fancier but has no heating if you are not on a powered site so we have had a couple of chilly nights freedom camping. It was just like the old days growing up when I would take my clothes into bed with me to warm them up for the morning. We also have finally recovered from the cough that plagued us for over a week and severely tested my pelvic floor integrity. Trying to have a conversation, answer a question or have an argument when you can't get 2 words out without coughing till you are cyanotic is not fun!
We took a day cruise on Doubtful Sound, so named as Captain Cook ( yes him again), saw the narrow inlet from the Tasman but thought there would be no favourable wind to get them out if they went in hence his charts show it as "Doubtful".
Anyway the trip involved a bus to Manapouri, a ferry across the lake to East Arm jetty, another bus over the Wilmott pass and then a cruise boat from Deep Cove up the sound, left of Secretary Island and round some small islands at the mouth of the Sound before heading back. There were LOTS of waterfalls as it was a very wet misty day and we actually put the front of the boat into a couple - I was in it - soaked but exhilarated!
We saw the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins and fur seals, but mainly just the kind of scenery that makes you slack jawed and gasping at the beauty. We finally got back to our camper and had been out for 9 hours, very good value at $199 each. By the way it should be Doubtful Fjord as it is a true fjord created by glacier rather than a sound created by fast running water.
We then had another cruise and kayak booked for Milford Sound (should be fjord also) but once again the road was closed so we had to wait a day but once we finally set off on the road to Milford I can say it is the best drive on Earth, no question. When we finally went through the Homer tunnel and began to descend into the valley I actually groaned with the sheer huge/gorgeousness of it all. It helped that it was a beautiful day with blue sky and lovely sunshine.
Our cruise was just fantastic with more waterfalls to stick your head in and a rather yummy picnic lunch. We then went to the Discovery Centre where there is an underwater viewing area of the natural area and fish coming and going. There was some black coral which apparently occurs in much deeper water normally but the layer of tannin stained fresh water over the deeper seawater makes it ideal even though it is more shallow.
Then a few of us went to the kayak shed and got into kayaks to paddle part of the Sound. I was in heaven, it was obviously a bit easy and short but just such joy to get on the water and Brian seemed to like it a bit- well maybe. On our way up from Te Anau we took the Remarkable Road to look out over the lakes and the town of Queenstown, just took your breath away!
So we are now up at Wanaka and have done a lovely walk up to the top of Mt Iron. Tonight we plan to visit the cute town Cinema Paradiso and from here we leave Fjordland and go over the Haast Pass and onto the West coast.
It is just so amazingly beautiful everywhere that we are spoilt for choice.

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Comments

[Karol Muir]

Morning from over here
It truly is stunning over there, an experience never to be forgotten.

[Wendy]

Just stunning