Milford Sound

POSTED BY SOPH

Yesterday we took a coach to and boat out on Milford Sound. A "sound" is a flooded valley which was originally created by a river. A fjord is a flooded valley originally created by a glacier. Technically Milford Sound should be named Milford Fjord.

The journey through the mountains to Milford was spectacular. All rain forest again, so raining obviously, with glimpses of misty ethereal mountain peaks through the trees. 

We stopped a few times, here to see a Chasm formed by the river creating a series of spiral rocks and holes - my camera doesn't do it justice. 

We also met this guy in the car park

Many men, many years ago, took pick axes and, by hand, hacked their way through the mountains to make a tunnel to get to Milford from Te Anau. Mad. But crazily beautiful, the things we do just because we can. 

The waterfalls over the mountains only flow when it rains. So we were fortunate it rained - these "fairy falls" are streaks of bright white punctuating the giant grey never ending slabs of mountain. 

We got up close to the mountains on the boat. They are shot through with minerals  - copper, gold, iron - which give the water it's azure colour. 

There's a floating 'discovery centre' in the calmest bit of the sound, which goes 10 metres down below the surface, like a sort of reverse fish tank - the fish look in on the people.

We saw fur seals, who are (ridiculously) nocturnal. But that meant they were lounging around on rocks, sleeping. 

We also got right up close to one of only two permenant waterfalls, permenant as they derive from glacial melt not rain, for a Glacial Facial - witty guide banter! 

It took 9 hours to do the full coach/boat/coach trip. A long day, again. But all good!