Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound

From the Lord of the Rings Safari, we follow the Remarkables Mountain Range, so named because it is one of very few ranges that goes straight north to south.  Or maybe  for the view.  Or both.  Either way, we’re en route to Fiordland National Park

The drive offers us vistas that overwhelm with the immensity and grandeur of mountains.  This beautiful alpine region and park, known in Maori as Te Wahipounamu, is a Unesco World site because of the work of glaciers, waters, and weather over billions of years.  The resulting cliffs, lakes, waterfalls, and opportunity for lush vegetation are exquisite.

First stop is Mirror Lakes-- the name says it all.  Unfortunately,  the inclement weather that recently cancelled our helicopter flight is still with us, rippling the water with precipitation and breezes, making images a little less mirror-like,  dampening our walk through the woods.  We can imagine what it would be like on a clear day... 

We return to the road, heading for the Homer Tunnel, a 1.2 km (3/4 miles) ‘shortcut’ through the mountain.  A 20-year project that began in 1935, its purpose was to provide access while minimally disrupting the beauty of the mountains.  Homer Tunnel begins about 420 feet (130 meters) above sea level and exits at 3750 feet  up (1141 meters).    Over the decades, the tunnel’s been widened to accommodate increasing traffic, but not really enough to allow two tourist coaches to pass each other.  Hmmm.

The mountainous road to Homer Tunnel

Homer Tunnel entrance through a rain-flecked windshield.  The warning signs may not be clear, but you get the idea when you see more than 6 signs at the tunnel entrance.

A brief digression: I base my blog on my travel journals.  Some of the trips go back a bit, so I always try to verify information.  The route  we take from Queenstown to Milford Sound is circuitous and long and takes us through some of the stunning vistas I described above.  The tunnel poses some hazards (like the one-large-vehicle-at-a-time situation, which can be quite a hazard if there's an emergency in the tunnel).  Over the years, plans to shorten the route and eliminate the Homer Tunnel dangers have come and gone--there was the new tunnel plan, talk of a monorail, and more.  So far, none of those plans have proceeded and Unesco is happy with that.  Having seen the views of the existing route, I have to say I’m happy with that, too. (I know, no one asked me.)

We arrive at Milford Sound (Piopiotahi in Maori) to see Mitre Peak rising up 3600 feet from the immense and dominating waters of the Sound.  Rain forests cling to the cliffs, seals and penguins populate the rocks.   

We board a ferry into the fiord.  To give you some perspective...that little toy boat out there in the water is the same size as the ferry I’m on.

Milford Sound

The writer stands still for a photo. 

 Waterfall in Milford Sound

Again, the magnitude and power of nature make me feel small and humbled in the face of stark and forbidding beauty.  The grey weather, occasionally broken by a hint of blue sky, adds to the foreboding look of the cliffs and open waters ahead.

I have to credit Gary with most of the photos in this post.  Thanks to the photographer, below

Diving in Milford Sound
I learn after my trip that it’s possible to participate in scuba diving expeditions in Milford Sound. The underwater environment has coral, starfish, anemones, tube worms, and some unique features: the Brachiopod--a shellfish unchanged for about 600 million years, and the scarlet wrasse which can change sex when propagation is limited by too many of one gender (now that’s an interesting trait).  Neither time nor weather allow us to try it, but if you’re going to New Zealand,  you might want to add the dive to your list. 

#     #     #

Next:  Penguins!!!!!

-----------------