Milford Sound
Trip Start
Jan 30, 2010
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23
30
Trip End
Ongoing
Te Anau, South Island, New Zealand
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Just a brief update as we know we have been posting rapidly as of late. Today we visited one of the wonders of the world, Milford Sound. The Sound (which is technically a fjord) is part of the 14 Sounds of the south island, and is some of the most stunningly beautiful scenery in the world. We did a cruise into the sound on a small ferry boat, which got us right up against the monstrous mountains jutting out of the water. Essentially the sound is a valley that was created by glacier ice, and then flooded by the ocean. The mountains shoot straight out of the water, some reaching thousands of feet above sea level. It is cool because you can get very close to them without having to worry about the boat running ashore, because just feet from the mountains the water depth is still hundreds of feet deep. Imagine taking a boat through the valleys of Yosemite after the ocean has come in and flooded some 500 – 700 feet worth of water on the valley floor. Our necks were sore by the end of the day from craning up to try to see the tops of these things.
Also, these mountains are primarily granite and are apparently loaded with precious minerals, even silver and gold. However it is all nationally protected land, so no one can touch it. Joy happens to believe that this is temporary and when NZ gets down in its chips, you will probably see multiple expeditions mining in the area. I tend to agree.
Most of the photographs however cannot do it justice for 2 reasons: 1. there is no way anything other than actually being there could actually encapsulate the experience and 2. The weather was not cooperating, as the day was primarily overcast and rainy. Our views were typically obstructed by the encroaching fog, and on the way back into harbor the rain hit full blast. Oh well, it is just water and we had a great experience nonetheless.
Hope everyone is well and will post again soon, once we are dry!
Alex & Joy
Comments
Wow! Those pics are spectacular! Even with the fog, it still looks stunning. What an adventure you're having! Keep those entries coming... :)
Pat
A&J,
I love to hear your stories. Stay safe. I love you,
Uncle Rusty
Stop with all these gorgeous pictures, enough already. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that what we are really interested in seeing is.... the scabs on your sand fly bites. A little less of the lording it over us with God's great Nature trip. More human interest, please, in the form of agony, suffering and scratching insect bites.
I have some of the same pics from there. Awesome place. Cool ride out to the tasman sea. Look forward to seeing you guys when you make it back stateside.