Sunday, March 26th, Milford Sound...

This day promised to be a real feast for the eyes. We left early to get to Milford Sound. The race was on...literally. It was like all the coaches were headed there full of people taking a boat trip through Milford Sound. John, our coach driver, really wanted to get us there first. I am sure there was a time slot for our boat trip he had to meet. But he really, really wanted to be ahead of all the others coaches.

The drive would be about four hours. We would have a few stops to stretch our legs and see some beautiful things. We left as the sun was coming up. It played on the tops of the mountains and caused clouds to rest at the bottoms of the mountains and over the lakes and streams. Simply stunning.

They bale their hay and cover it in plastic as we do in the United States. Their bales are often different colors. John explained they buy plastic in a color that represents a cause they support. Sometimes a field of hay bales would be very colorful as a family may support many causes. 

We stopped at Eglinton Valley to stretch our legs. This is how Claude and I are very different. Even in taking a break.

We would also make a quick stop at Mirror Lakes. This is a series of small ponds along the edge of the road in a valley between mountains. When the fish had not jumped in the water, it would be so still you could see a perfect reflection of the mountains in the ponds. Again, simply stunning.

Back in the coach to make more miles and time to Milford Sound.

I appreciated John more as I watched the coach in front of us struggle up the hill.

I can only call this stop the "Fountain of Youth". We were told when we made this stop that, if you wash your face in the stream, you will wake up the next day looking ten years younger. We did wash our faces. We did not look ten years younger the next day. But, you have to try, right? Okay, the real name is Monkey Creek!!

I loved these ferns growing thickly along the side of the roads. Their leave layered over each other. This really speaks to me.

And, before you know it, we were there. Milford Sound. A sound is formed by rivers. A fjord is formed by glaciers. Milford Sound was formed by glaciers so it is really a mistake in the name. It should be Milford Fjord. Too late now, it is known by all as Milford Sound.

The seagull on the left was running off all other seagull on this stretch of the dock. In the end, he won and had his territory staked out. 

We boarded the boat and began our tour. We brought our lunch and ate it first. Then we moved from the inside to the outside on the front of the boat and back inside again. Our cruise would take us from the harbor all the way to the Tasman Sea. The boat would turn around in the Tasman Sea and then return us to the harbor. We began our "2 hour tour". Our kids reminded us that it was a good thing it wasn't a "3 hour tour" like on Gilligan's Island!!

Can you see the kayaker at the bottom?

Lots of waterfalls.

A weather station.

The rock area is where the seals live. There were seals playing the water and a baby and adult seal on the rocks. 

Through the opening between the mountains is the Tasman Sea. We would go through that opening and turn around in the Tasman Sea.

A boat returning to harbor from the Tasman Sea.

Waves from the Tasman Sea crashing on rocks in Milford Sound.

The boat is now turned around in the Tasman Sea and is heading back into Milford Sound.

Our boat would take us under this waterfall. I was outside at the front of the boat to take this picture. I took video of us approaching the waterfall. A crew member came around as we got close and said he was locking the door on the side of the boat where we sat when inside. He warned us all we would get very wet if we stayed outside at the front of the boat. I followed him in and took video of the water pouring over the boat. I was happy I opted to come inside. Three of our group chose to stay outside. They were absolutely saturated with water when the boat moved away from the waterfall. They were happily saturated. Sometimes, you just have to embrace the moment. 

As we approached the harbor, we past another waterfall which the boat did NOT go under. This is a video of that waterfall. 

Back to harbor, we found our coach and John was there to drive us back to Queenstown. We drove through the Homer Tunnel to get to Milford Sound. This is a tunnel about a mile long through the mountain. As we returned to Georgetown, I got this picture of the outside of Homer Tunnel. It has a covered portion over the end to protect you from any falling rocks. 

Long day but a good one. Happy to see this lovely part of New Zealand.