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| MILFORD SOUND |
What was your
favorite place?: a common question most of us
are asked when we
return from a trip, and sometimes I don't have an obvious answer. One
highlight of my trip to New Zealand in November was the Milford
Sound. In fact, this two-hour cruise on the fjord out to the Tasman
Sea and back was one of the most spectacular scenic boat rides of my
life. I stood outside on the deck, most of the way, observing the
incredible beauty of this ten-mile long, narrow inlet (fjord)
surrounded by steep cliffs capped with fresh snow. Dozens of
waterfalls completed the scene. The towering beauty and majesty of
the famous Mitre Peak (5,522 feet) stands above them all. It is so
named because of its resemblance to a bishop's mitre.
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| SEALS IN MILFORD SOUND |
The ship moved
slowly up and down the inlet for the 10 miles to the sea with our
commentator pointing out sights along the way. Passengers could move
around and choose to sit or stand on any of the three floors of the
catamaran, both inside and out. Seals, penguins, and dolphins
frequent the waters here; we were fortunate to see them all. Our
captain went up close to the rocks and slowed the boat so we could
get a good view of the rare Fjordland crested penguins—I think the
staff was just as thrilled as we were to see them as they will depart
soon when the nesting season ends. They also pointed out seals
sunning themselves on a rock. We then had the benefit of observing
bottlenose dolphins that are among the largest in the world.
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| WATERFALLS OF MILFORD SOUND |
One of the popular
events of the cruise is to give interested passengers an opportunity
to stand outside on the front deck and experience what it's like to
be directly under a large waterfall. I happened to be at the bow of
the boat when they announced that the waterfalls were ahead of us. I
decided to stay on deck to see what it was all about. After all, my
new hooded jacket was suppose to be waterproof. We did get drenched,
but it was fun. I stayed dry, except for my jeans. The crowd was also
singing “Happy Birthday”
to a woman whose friends apparently thought that getting drenched
under a waterfall was the perfect birthday present.
Milford Sound
(pop.120) is known to be the wettest inhabited place in New Zealand
and one of the wettest in the world. The annual rainfall is 252
inches. It is still beautiful in the rain as they say, however, I
don't think it could match the perfectly sunny and warm day that we
experienced. Like everything else in life, a little bit of luck
helps. (The week before, it snowed here, and the road to Milford
Sound was closed for a day.).
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| JOHN, ARE YOU READY FOR THE MILFORD TRACK? |
For most visitors
the two-hour drive on winding mountainous roads with single lane
tunnels and bridges is a requirement to see the Milford Sound. The
road was completed in 1953, and the 75-mile drive to Milford Sound
from Te Anau has earned World Heritage Highway status for its beauty.
Milford Trek, acclaimed as one of the great walks of the world, ends
at Sandfly Point in Milford Sound. The challenging 55 km (34 miles)
hike goes in one direction only and takes fours days to complete.
Reservations must be made in advance.
Milford Sound is
located in the Fjordland National Park on the west coast of the south
island of New Zealand. With over a half million visitors per year, it
is the most popular of the 15 fjords located in the park, also
notable are Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound. Although named otherwise,
the sounds are fjords which are valleys carved by the pressure and
power of glaciers during successive Ice Ages. They were later flooded
by the sea as the ice melted and sea levels rose.
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MILFORD SOUND
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