From: "Philip Merryman" <phil_merryman@hotmail.com>

Date: Sun Mar 31, 2002 04:35:27 AM Etc/GMT

Subject: Sensory Overload Part 3 - More Fiords and other stuff

Welcome back to part 3!

But first I found out this morning about the death of the Queen Mum. Even at the magnificent age of 101 it is still a sad time and a surprise. She had been here so long that you almost began to imagine she would be here for ever. Still, it comes to us all eventually. However I am wondering if there is going to be anyone left when I get home with the losses also of Princess Maragaret, Spike Milligan and Dudley Moore, not to mention those amongst you who have lost close members of your families while I have been away. My condolences to all concerned

It just goes to show that the only certainties in life are Death and Taxes as I have also just found out that the huge Dutch Tax return form for last year is waiting for me in the UK!! And as I cannot fill it in until I get home I have got to write them a letter (and it must be a letter - remember those?) from here to say so!!

Anyway, back to the Fiords.

Having just joined this magnificent new boat we set off with the rain falling steadily and the clouds low over the mountians. Even so this was a powerful place. The dark clouds created a moody atmosphere and as you looked into the side arms and hanging valleys, with their waters and mountains disappearing into the gloom it had a sense of dark mystery as to just what really lay down there. Each of these arms were as long as Milford sound itself, so this really is a system on a much larger scale. There were many waterfalls, of all sizes, some of which are permanent and others only when it rains.

The prevailing winds in this area are from the West. The warm dry air from Australia crosses the Tasman Sea where it picks up all the moisture and when it hits these mountains it just unloads it! Hence the area is covered in dense rainforest. The annual rainfall is in the region of 5-7 metres and it rains on average two days in three. I was in the fiords for 3 days, and I had the dry one on my first day so it was not looking too good! However this wind is also strong, and as the Fiords lay West-East it funnels down the narrow gaps picking up speed. So as the boat was heading outwards towards the sea it was heading into this wind. It became so strong that it was hard to stand up on the top deck at times, you had to lean into it and hang on! So when another batch of rain approached it was back inside to avoid an instant soaking! The boat got as far out as it could. This was a point where another fiord joins to the North, thus making a bit of a crossroads in the fiords and creating a large island on the seaward end of both. It was too rough to go out to the sea itself. The boat was perfectly capable, but the ride would have been too rough for the landlubber tourists and it risked breaking the crockery and worse still spilling the drinks!!! :-) Although the wind was very strong in the fiords the surrounding mountains, and islands at the mouth of the fiord, keep the large waves and swell out so the waters are actually quite flat with only the surface waves whipped up.

So the boat turned round and headed up one of the other arms to the night's anchorage. Once in there, at a point called Precipice Cove (!) we were completely out of the wind and we had our activity: kayaking!! We each got into an open kayak and with a leader ahead and another crew member at the rear, set off on the fiord in the rain! I had never kayaked before but they were so stable, and the water so smooth, because of the sheltered nature of the spot, that it was really easy! In fact you got more wet because of the rain and not the sea water! You were able to paddle right up to the water's edge, but being a fiord the cliffs just dropped straight into the water: there were no shallows. However such is the amazing nature of this place that these cliffs are covered with trees, so you end up paddling under the overhanging branches! There was one landing point at the head of the water, but I didn't get that far. After about half an hour or so we made our way back to the boat, which had actually sailed ahead to the final anchorage for the night. Despite the steady rain with a waterproof top on it was actually quite warm. When you stopped paddling it was silent, the loudest noise being the other people paddling! We were spread across quite a large area so even that was a tiny amount of noise. This was really a very peaceful experience.

Back on board after a rub down and change of clothing it was dinner! An excellent hot buffet and carvery! A few drams of Glenfiddich were also very welcome! By then it was night time. I went to the open back of the boat to look out and all you could see was total blackness!! In the depths of the fiords you are totally cut off from the outside world. Also because of the rain there were no stars or moon. So there was no light whatosever. It was almost as though a thick black velvet curtain had been hung over the side of the boat, but when you reached out there was nothing there! It really was quite a peculiar feeling!

The rain continued through the night, but the anchorage was so well protected that you had no idea that you were on a boat. It was totally flat calm! Next morning the boat headed out to the seaward end of the fiord again. The worst of the wind had passed and so the boat was able to get out to the final few rocks to see some seals. Turning back to head for the jetty, the clouds did lift a little and there was even a hint of sunlight in a small patch, but the showers kept coming and going too. However, all this rain had had its effect on the waterfalls: they were everywhere! More than you could possibly count. Some had swollen considerable in the night and others only existed dring the rains. It really did seem that just about every possible high point had water falling from it. Again there is no way I can describe it, it is something you need to see to understand. They tell you that just because it is a wet day you will not be disappointed, because you see things like this which you will never see on a dry day, and they are correct! Like the day before the side arms and valleys had a moodyness and a certain menace about them when dark clouds were loitering within them. However as we looked into the final one, the Hall Arm, you could see the rain a few hundreds of km away (this one arm was also the size of Milford sound) but we were treated to a brief rainbow which tried, but did not quite last long enough, to form an arch over the water from the cliffs on one side to the other!

This truly is an awesome place!

Back on the bus over the pass. By now the rain had pretty much ceased though the clouds were still low, however you got to see more of this magnificent valley. By the time we reached the power station for the boat back across the lake it was dry and so you could see the surrounding scenery in better conditions than the day before. By the time we were on the bus back to Quennstown it was mostly clear blue and sunny. All the rain gets dumped on the fiords so the inland area is actually quite arid!

Now these clear skies had me rather hopeful. As I said earlier Queenstown is the white knuckle ride centre of the world. I have also said that I see no point in leaving a perfectly serviceable aircraft in mid air! True! Why jump out when you can have much more fun by staying in it! On arrival in QT I had booked myself a seat in a Pitt Special for an aerobatic flight! I waited for the pickup at the YHA, but after half an hour nothing had turned up. I rang to find out what had happened: not flying - too windy!!! :-( So I got a refund. As I was leaving first thing in the morning I this was my one and only chance. Unfortunately this is the only place in the country which does this so I have missed out. It seems I just cannot win with booked flights here!!!

Next day was a straightforward bus ride to Dunedin. Dunedin is the Gaellic name for Edinburgh, so this time I really am in Scotland! There is even a statue of Robbie Burns if the centre which is know as the Ocatgon. There is Princes Street, George street and various other Edinburgh and Scottish references! My time there was mostly a take it easy and get the washing done time after the hectic time in the fiords. So I have not seen as much of this town as I would like. Apart from its Scottish connections it has streets on hills like San Francisco. It even has the world's steepest street: steeper than 1 in 3 !!

However the main attraction just out of town is the fact that on the head of the Otago Peninsula, which forms the other side of Dunedin Harbour, is the only mainland colony of the Northen Royal Albatross. These huge birds have a 3 metre (10 feet) wingspan and spend years at sea circling the world on the southern oceans. Ther is a conservation project there for them and you get into an observatory where you can see the nests. Three were visible all with chicks on, though these chicks weighed several kilo! However there were no adult birds about. Why? Dead calm!! Zero wind!! Just what I needed the day before! Here the birds need the wind to fly, 3m wings are not designed for much flapping! So at the end of the visit I left the centre to get the bus back. You could see that the anemometer on the roof was stationary! Just as the bus appeared on the road below another sqaull came across the harbour. I got onto the bus and complimented the driver on his timing with the rain. We had just sat down when he said "Albatross ahead!" The rain had brought the wind. The birds had been waiting offshore for a chance to come in. So we got off the bus and he waited as another one appeared. The rian didnt amount to anything so we were able to watch these magifcent birds,(almost small aircraft!) circling the headland. A great end to the day!

Another wildlife special along this coast are the penguins. I didn't have time to see them yesterday at Dundein, but after writing this, here in Oamaru, I am off to the observatory to see them here.

Just some facts and figures for you:

Millford sound was Day 62: half way in time on my trip!

On the journey from QT to Dunedin the bus went through the small town of Milford which at approx 46.2 degrees South is the most Southerly point on my travels.

Dunedin is about as near as I can get to being diametrically opposite home on land.

I have spent perhaps a little over half my money so far!

So on the whole pretty well synchronised!

So now I am on the way back!

Cheers

Phil