Left Queenstown shortly after breakfast to make our way down to Manapouri - where we were staying - a long drive - dumped our gear and it was of to
Milford sound for a cruise - this in itself was quite a long drive. We were sort of half tank-ish when we left Manapouri - drove via Te Anua to
Milford Sound - we were assured there was a 24 hr petrol available - so we set off . . . only later did we discover that petrol bowser was not working and it was cool runnings all the way back to Te Anua - we all strated leaning into the corners - I don't think it made any real difference and no doubt we were worrying about nothing but it didn't quite seem so at the time. We surviced to tell the tale.
Were off - Sam & Hud Fjordlands in teh background
The rock face is visible here - this is after the moss and little bit of soil has slid off into the water - a very precarious balance - which allows trees and other shrubs to grow - but every now and again there is a landslide - and the rock face is once again bare - the cycle starts again and months later it is again covered . . .
It is difficult to convey the sense of how small you are - insignificant in the grand scale of things - the vastness of the fjordlands - glacial valleys carved out of solid rock over hundreds of thousands of years . . . it was beautiful - a humbling experience. I lost my sunglasses over the side watching the boat turn around for someone's hat which blew off . . .
Seals doing what seals do - during the day
Very interesting - if you look at the photo below - you can clearly see the fault line that runs the length of NZ - South Island alps - an actual fissure in the rock face.
The Homer tunnel is quite dramatic - about 1750m - very steep descent to Milford Sound
Hud feeding the birds -
Tomorrow we are off to the Doubtful Sound . . . .
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