January 2025, Part 16

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January 2025 (Part 16)

New Zealand Trip - Day Fifteen: Milford Sound

Another big day on a trip full of them. We headed out in the morning toward Milford Sound. Our guide, Christina met us with a van at a nearby hotel. After picking up a couple more people, we were off on the five hour ride to Milford Sound. Given the length of the drive, we stopped several times along the route.

A cloudy, overcast day, which was a worrisome development for the day. We were hoping the forecast calling for it to clear held up. Here is a stop in Eglington Valley.

Our next stop was as Lake Gunn.

Another stop along the river had a number of ducks and a nest in the trees right next to the walkway.

Another stop along the way next to a river and a waterfall.

We simply couldn't stop at every view, so resorted to some pictures through the windows as we sped by.

After passing through an amazingly long, one-way tunnel, we eventually reached the fjord and boarded our boat to head out. The open seats up top were already taken when we boarded, and we didn't want to sit behind glass, so we settled down on bench seats at the stern of the boat. The sky was slowly but surely clearing as the boat got under way.

Immediately after leaving the dock, we passed Bowen Falls on the north side of the fjord. Harder to take pictures when we were all busy trying to eat a sack lunch.

These are looking back at the dock on our way out.

As we headed out we made our way to the left/south side of the fjord, and would return along the other, north, side. Waterfalls and more waterfalls everywhere

I believe this is Stirling Falls, the second tallest falls in the fjord at 155 m, and which was featured in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

A fairly big cave to the right of this waterfall.

Here is Bridal Veil Falls (I think).

These images were taken maybe halfway down the fjord, looking back toward the dock on the left, then out toward the sea on the right.

We eventually made our way out of the fjord and into the Pacific Ocean (or Tasmanian Sea depending on where you look). As we exited, there were seals on the rocks along the northern shore.

It was pretty clear once we got only a bit offshore why the sound wasn't discovered until very late, as there is no clear way to see any passage leading inland unless you came very close to shore along the northern arm which juts out into the sea.

Some amazing fissures and caves along the southern coast outside the entrance to the fjord.

Hard to decided whether to look back into the fjord or at the southern coast.

A bit more coastline to the south and then nothing but ocean before Antarctica.

Here is the entrance looking back in from only a half-mile out. Hard to see there is an anchorage there.

As we headed back in, we got to see seals resting on the rocks along the northern shore on Seal Rock.

Several birds flying around, including some terns.

Here is the view looking back into the fjord as we headed back in.

Even more waterfalls.

Back at Stirling Falls on the north side, the pilot got the bow of the boat really close to the waterfall, so Andy hurried to the bow to get splashed.

Amazing how there was so much green up close, but in the distance it was all washed out to grays due to the cloud cover and humidity.

We also went into Harrison Cove after Stirling Falls. Named after the inventor of the chronometer and winner of the Longitude Prize. This small cover is now the home of the Milford Sound Discovery Centre, a research facility. The natural anchorage was used by whalers and sealers in the early 1800s. It had a great view toward Mount Pembroke.

Almost back at the dock.

We had arranged something truly special for the trip home. Instead of another long ride on the bus, we were taking a small plane ride, turning the return trip into a 45-minute amazing ride. A shorter ride and an unforgettable view made for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just thoroughly enjoyed this. So happy to meet Hamish, our pilot, who was amazing.

David had to slouch down a bit to be seen in the window.

Andy got to sit up front next to Hamish the pilot. Big grin for that.

We circled over the fjord twice to gain altitude,

Once at altitude, we headed south-west in an amazing valley along the Arthur River and over Lake Ada.

We soon turned east to pass south of Mount Christina.

Neat mountain lake hidden up high.

Another hidden mountain lake up high. Out pilot said some pilots actually used to land on this when it was frozen, well at least they did before there was an undefined accident. I think the peak rising beyond the lake is Mount Christina ... maybe.

Here is Mount Christina from another angle as our route took us somewhat around it.

Here are Lake Gunn and Lake Fergus, with Lake Fergus smaller and to the north. We drove by both of these in the morning.

We eventually intersecting Lake Wakatipu and flew over Pigeon and Pig Islands. This gave us a great view looking back up the Dart River.

Here is Lake Wakatipu and the outlet of the Caple's River at Elfin Bay near Greenstone.

We even flew over Walter Peak Farm where we had our Farewell Dinner with Adventures By Disney.

Here is Don Lomond on the left as we approach Queenstown, which Andy hiked to the day before. The saddle where we ate lunch and where Steve and David turned around is visible between the two peaks.