November 20, 2015 Milford Sound NZ

After yesterday's long and not overly rewarding day in the various buses and boats, we were wondering exactly why we had loaded ourselves onto an already almost full bus for another day.

Milford Sound is a 2 hour drive from Te Anau, and this bus was picking us up on its way from Queenstown. It is a 2 hour drive from Te Anau to Milford, but our schedule had us taking 3 and so we expected a few stops.

At the first stop, the bus pulled over next to what I will call a fell, a flat area of grassy / marshy looking land backed by mountains. OK, so they were capped with snow, but that by now is pretty common to us. Oh, well humour the man and take the obligatory snap and get back in out of the rain. Did I mention that it was raining still?

First stop, about an hour out of Te Anau toward Milford Sound

Then we stop again and are dropped off at the beginning of a boardwalk which promised a short walk alongside the Mirror Lakes. The walk itself was just a stroll past these bodies of water, which because they are stained with tannin, would have produced a good mirror of the mountains, had it not been pelting down. Anyhow, someone has a sense of humour, on the far edge of one they have put a 'Mirror Lakes' sign, upside down. The rest of the walk is through a Beech forrest, the trees covered in fantastic array of lichen and moss and ferns.

Sekal Rorrim or should that be Mirror Lakes?

Judy taking a stroll among the Beeches, Mirror Lakes NZ

We piled back onto the bus at the other end, and waited for the stragglers. Highlight of the day so far was the 3 Chinese ladies who mistook the big white bus for our even bigger bright green bus and wandered past us and boarded it. Our man had to go and rescue them.

Away again and we are just settling to a rhythm when he announces that the next and last stop for 2 hours toilet stop is at  a place called Knob's Flat where there are special built toilets for the passing bus bound hoards.

All refreshed,  soon we are climbing up away from the ends of Lake Te Anau, and we are told the  tale about how and why this road was built during the 1930 Depression years. We see the remains of avalanches and are told how there are 50 odd known avalanche sites and how they occur during winter with enough frequency to make it a fairly dangerous place to be. I am amazed to see just how big those rocks are that come crashing down with the snow, some as big as the proverbial houses. The scenery is dead set amazing though with towering snow studded peaks on both sides of the road and waterfalls all over the place.

Avalanche territory. Toward the top of the pass near Milford Sound.

And then we hit the Homer tunnel, a single lane one bus-wide, hand built engineering feat that goes right through the mountain for 1.2km. And when you pop out at the other end we are treated to a view of the valley dropping away below us toward the head of the fiord.

The Milford side exit to the Home Tunnel. Milford Sound NZ

Then we stop again at a place called the Chasms and despite the fact that its pouring, we get out and take to the path: it must be special, there are 10 other buses parked here. To cut a pleasant walk short, it is one hell of a sight. The Chasm is where a raging torrent of water rips its way down the side of the valley, under your flimsy wooden bridge and plunges out the other side down into these huge holes it has cut in the rock. Absolutely awesome.

Water comes roaring in here, under the bridge and ...

...out here. The Chasms, Milford Sound NZ

Milford Sound is now only a few minutes away and we are finally deposited at the terminal, where there are half-a-dozen big boats waiting to go out. Our turns out to be a surprise, a purpose built triple masted ketch, that apart from us day trippers, is designed to take tours out and say overnight.

Even though it is raining on and off, its brighter than yesterday and Milford Sound lives up to all expectations: it truly is spectacularly magnificent.

It's also shorter than Doubtful, so the cruise is a more comfortable time, aided by the captain sticking the nose of the vessel right up to a few of the innumerable waterfalls, us getting close to fur seals, the chance spotting of a small group of the endangered yellow-eyed penguin frolicking in a sheltered cove and us generally having a lovely few hours on a delightful boat.

Harrison River entry into Milford Sound

One of many ,many waterfalls. Milford Sound NZ

Some 'hero' braving the waterfall at Milford Sound NZ

An some of us stayed inside. Milford Sound NZ

Random waterfall. Milford Sound NZ

Can't possibly do the height of this cliff justice. What was it 700m or something. Milford Sound NZ

The big waterfall right near the Milford docks. Milford Sound NZ

At the end of the day we take our seats in the bus and enjoy the scenery as we go non-stop back to Te Anau. When we do arrive back it's too late to do anything and probably too early for dinner and we are way too tired for anything much anyway, so hey ho! It's off to the pub for a drink and dinner and a glass or two of wine. Pretty damn nice day all round.