Doubtful Sound

This corner of New Zealand is known as Fiordland and that is what the 2 most famous Sounds - Doubtful and Milford - really are, deep fiords carved by the ice. Milford is perhaps more dramatic with steeper sides but is also the more accesible and popular. I chose instead remote Doubtful Sound named by Captain Cook who passed by the mouth and was 'doubtful' that the prevailing winds would allow the ship out again. The trip began with a bus from Te Anau to Manapouri and an hour's cruise across the lake of the same name:


At the end of the lake is a giant power station built inside these mountains (like our own Ben Cruachan):

From the power station a road leads up to the Wilmot Pass with views down to Deep Cove (5m of rain a year!) at the start of the Sound. The wharf is cantilevered due to the depth of the water:


The day turned cloudy and this added to the atmosphere:


Here I am at the bow of the Fiordland Navigator (click for video). The boat sleeps 70 but it never felt like there were that many on board. Met some nice people, the crew were great and the food fantastic:


During the trip we saw bottlenose dolphins twice and heard penguins. I woke very early and looking out the porthole saw dozens of barracuda splashing at the surface in the running lights of the boat. We also spent some time watching this colony of southern fur seals at the mouth of the Sound:


We explored several of the arms of the sound. Here we were able to go for a kayak trip:


And swim (including jumping off the side of the boat):


It was cold (about 16 centigrade) and the top few metres is fresh water run off from the forested hills around stained a dark peaty colour. The next morning was magical with the mist clearing and the sun catching the mountains:



The trees come right down to the waterline. In places they have covered sheer rock faces by interlacing their roots. Sometimes a tree slip occurs and a patch of bare cliff is exposed taking decades for the scar to heal:


In this arm the engines were shut down and the generator turned off for 10 minutes and we all stood in silent awe at the amazing sights around us:


This was an undoubted highlight of my trip and definitely recommended!

Te Anau

Te Anau is a small town of under 2000 on the shores of a lake with the same name. There's a lovely youth hostel with a big garden out the back. It's mainly a base for people touring and tramping in the area. It has a little cinema built especially to show 'Shadowlands', a 30 min film of helicopter footage taken over fiordland over a period of 5 years. I have a copy so there will be showings! Just across the water is the start of the Kepler Track:


I made an early start and took the water taxi across to Brod Bay and walked the first section of the Kepler. The lake was covered by a thick layer of low cloud. I passed though this at the bush line. The Murchison mountains rise up to the north from the south fiord:


A bit further on was the Luxmore Hut, first stop on the track. This is another of the Great Walks, so very popular but well maintained. As I rested a family arrived by helicopter!:


The summit of Mt Luxmore is 1472m above sea level - actually to the right of the picture:


There was no wind and I spent an hour up there watching the cloud burn off and the lake emerge below the Murchison Mountains. These mountains are where the rare takahe were re-discovered in 1948:


Another view of the south arm which you get from the hut:


Here I am at the summit enjoying the good weather and the view. I later met people who had walked the whole 4 day trek in the rain:


Looking west deeper into fiordland:


The beach at Brod Bay whilst waiting for return boat:


Back at Te Anau, Mt Luxmore just visible as a bump on the skyline in the centre of the picture:

On the basis of several recommendations I then opted for an overnight cruise on remote Doubtful Sound rather than the more popular Milford Sound.

Dunedin

Dunedin is of course the Edinburgh of the South, with street names like Hanover, George, Princes and Frederick - they are even laid out on a similar grid to the Athens of the North. Then there was this chap, from Ayrshire, but an honorary citizen:


The names all seem to be from the New Town. It also has a big university, so lots of students and therefore cheap and cheerful places to eat:



Behind the university is a lovely botanic garden on and around a hill:


Not an extra from Lord of the Rings but a penguin as boy scout statue:


Also a good cinema. Saw Bright Star - a definite recommendation. Inside once very grand but now divided up into smaller screens:


The Otago museum was fantastic, free and filled a whole day. Here's a maori wood carving:


Also worth a visit is the Otago Settlers Museum. One room contains the severe portaits of the early settlers looking down on their descendants with a stern eye! In another section was a collection of toys including the rules to Little Wars, a role play war game, written by H G Wells. A committed pacifist he believed that people would act out their agression on the living room floor and so avert war - that was in 1913!

This is the YHA hostel. A former hospital and a real warren. Took me a couple of days to realise that there were 2 different TV rooms in the basement:

There were also lists of random facts stuck up in the bathrooms. Things like ' It takes an average of 7 minutes for people to fall asleep' or 'Hitler was Time magazine's person of the year 1938' (that one is true and it was Stalin in 1939!).

Scenery near the university:


The grand railway station. Not built squint, that's my photography:

A good city to visit for a couple of days but I was hankering after the hills so headed west to Te Anau in Fiordland.

Invercargill

So after a bumpy catamaran ride back to Bluff from Stewart Island I took the bus up to Invercargill. There is no Cargill river here but William Cargill (born in Edinburgh) was superintendent of the province from 1853. More Scots followed including my hosts below. Ann on the left came from Shetland in the 1970s on a teacher exchange and met Eric Mouat (the other lady is Annabelle his sister) and his great-grandfather came from Shetland in the 1800s, exploring deep into unknown country to the west:

Invercargill was home to Bert Munro of 'World's Fastest Indian' fame. He features in the excellent town museum as well as a great section on New Zealand's sub-antartic islands - a future visit perhaps? There are also some nice green spaces:


The Scots legacy is everywhere:

There are a few grand buildings and some from the post art deco era:

The umbrella sculpture works as a giant sundial and star map:


After a pleasant stay here - including a room to myself (no snoring or people getting up early!) - I took the bus to Dunedin. On the journey met and interesting lady who sailed to England in 1953 for the Coronation and told me of her trip hostelling around England. Only Portsmouth had hot showers in those days!

Stewart Island Part 2 - Rakiura Tramp

The Rakiura track begins here at Lee Bay where you walk through the links of a giant chain sculpture which reflects the role Stewart Island has in Maori legend as the anchor stone of Maui's canoe when he fished up the North Island and his canoe became the South Island:

A bit of humour:

At Maori Bay this boiler is the last relic of an old sawmill, many of which once dotted the island's coastline:

Today the beach is a tranquil spot on Port William bay:

The hut at Port William sits on the site of a barracks built in 1873 for a group of Shetlanders who were brought here to begin a new settlement. They had little support and left within a year. Had an entertaining eveing with an American family, Ives, a Swiss guy and 11 women on a girls' weekend away from kids and husbands:

The old wharf sometimes sees visitors from passing boats:

On the second day the track climbs to a lookout tower with views here back towards Port William:

Got to the North Arm hut quite early so walked on to Sawdust Bay where there were hundreds of oyster catchers:

That evening some people gathered and cooked mussels, adding shells to the midden which may intrigue future archaeologists. Some lovely skies that night:

Heavy rain early the night morning, but it had passed by the time I left the hut. Only found out about the tsunami warning once back at the youth hostel! That night I headed to the South Sea Hotel bar and Ives and I joined the American family to make a team for the weekly quiz - we came third!

The next day I took the high speed catamaran ferry back to Bluff - a strong wind was blowing and we fairly bounced around!

Now in Invercargill and heading for Dunedin tomorrow.

Stewart Island (Rakiura) Part 1

Last Tuesday I flew down to Invercargill by way of Christchurch then headed to the check in desk for Stewart Island flights. My bag was limited to 15kg and I myself was weighed! The same chap then turned up at the gate, didn't check tickets but simply counted the 6 passengers (and dog!), led us to the wee 2 engined plane and got in the pilot seat It was a beautiful day for the 20 minute flight with views like this one over Horseshoe Bay:



On the flight over I was invited to the community centre for the Thursday night sports evening - currently football. It was an impressive building that the islanders mostly put up themselves with help from a local builder. The game wasn't too serious thankfully and we headed to the only pub on the island for well earned drinks!
The main settlement in Half Moon Bay is called Oban which is where most of the 400 islanders live. Lots of Scottish connections, especially to Orkney and Shetland with place names featuring the immigrant families like Peterson, Leask and Thomson. Other names like Thule and Vaila Voe Bay reflecting where they came from.
Lots of short walks around the village with connections to the sea everywhere:

The island has a super primary school of 20 pupils and big grounds (plus swimming pool) right on the bay:

Despite being on the lookout I didn't spot any of the island's 20,000 kiwis:

Half Moon Bay is packed with boats, many ready to take visitors off on all kinds of exciting trips:

From Golden Bay a small ferry takes people across to Ulva (passing Iona) a bird sanctuary where all ground predators have been eradicated:

You arrive at Post Office Wharf bay where the Orkney born postmaster Mr Traill would receive the irregular postal delivery then run a flag up the pole on a hill nearby to alert the residents of the inlet. The island has some lovely beaches like Sydney Cove below:

Over at Boulder Bay I watched the wekas hunting for insects on the beach:

I also saw a kaka tearing the bark off a branch to get at insects, a south island saddleback, a NZ parakeet and this friendly robin:

After a couple of days in Oban I headed out on the 3 day Rakiura tramp.