Murchison and the Buller Gorge

Thunder, lightning and torrential rain - the first consistent rain we've had since we arrived in NZ.  Awoken at 3am to the sound of rain on galvanised steel roof of the building. 

Up early to make our own breakfast ready for the drive out of the mountains and north along the west coast.  Luckily we had planned ahead and done some of the preparation last night. 

Still raining heavily as we left. Pass Lake Mapourika and it is still and calm.  Today would be a better day for kayaking. 

Passing river beds that are now barely showing any rocky beds, the difference is very marked.

If we had been quicker we could have had a great picture of a White Heron flying across the road. It must have come within about 5m of the windscreen. 

Passing through a former gold mining town the streets are lined with cherry trees in full blossom.

Our first impression of the gold mining town of Hokitika is that the council needs to clear up the abandoned furniture...

...only to discover it is actually a concrete armchair presented in memory of a bloke that loved this part of the coast. 

There's also a huge amount of tree trunks on the beach, washed up by the stormy Tasman Sea. 

It does have a very nice clock in the town centre though.

Those of you that have been paying attention will recall our comment about the single lane road bridges. Well today it goes a step further. You may spot in the picture below that the single track bridge below is actually shared with a railway line!  

No arguments who would get priority. Would a dispute class as a case of road rage or rail rage. Remember this is still the main highway not a minor road. 

We pass through Greymouth and it has little to commend it other than it's the terminus of the TransAlpine rail route to Christchurch which we will be catching on Sunday. Although we didn't go to the promenade or beach so it may have more to offer than first appearances suggest.

Still more views to see.

This area is known for its Nikau Palms.

They look like something from outer space that has landed on top of a pole.

A slight detour inland and we are back at the coast.  There is a picnic site at a memorial to miners who lost their lives.  It is rather a good spot so we stop for a bite to eat.

Before too long we are at what was intended to be our first scenery stop - the Pancake rocks at Punakaiki. These are best seen at high tide with a rough sea, but we are about 2 hours early. It is still pretty impressive. No one seems to know why they formed in these stacks, but they are certainly unusual. 

These pancakes don't look like they'd taste very nice.

The Surge Pool.

The blowhole area had very little action going on.

Eric says he can see a seal.

More coastline to cruise along, reminded us of a smaller version of the Great Ocean Road in Australia, and it is called the Great Coast Road. 

The road now turns inland and follows the Buller River through the lower and upper gorges.  

Sometimes we are very close, especially around one particular bend where the road looks like it goes through half a tunnel. In this direction it's the right half. You don't feel claustrophobic in a half tunnel but it's still a bit hairy with rock to the right and above, and about a 30' drop down to the river on the left. 

Looking back at the half tunnel. 

A bend in the Buller river. The panorama makes it look a tighter bend than in reality. 

The rain is back together with the wind and our intended stop at Buller Swingbridge (the longest one in NZ) is postponed until tomorrow. 

We reach the B&B at almost the same time as the other guests, a lovely young couple from Holland. Our host makes us a cup of tea with some Anzac biscuits.  The accommodation is a sort of small holding and the calfs are about to be fed - one is a Black Galloway (Billy the Kid 5) and the other a Black Galloway/Freisan/Hereford (Bella 2) cross. 

There are also some sheep and hens. 

Sheep really are very nosey.

There were some pigs but they are now in the freezer!  

Also a friendly dog called Kali.

We have arranged to have dinner here tonight and for the meat eaters it is beef with cous cous - the beef being from Billy the Kid 4.  Sun is out weakly at this point.

There is a walk down to the Buller River, which we stroll along a very short stretch. The rain is back. 

I hope this electric fence is not connected. I have a strange tingling in my tail. 

The moody landscape.

Dinner is eaten with the Dutch couple. The pudding is a chocolate cake made using home made stout. Our hosts have left some homemade Damson Gin for an after dinner tipple - almost makes you wish you drank alcoholic beverages. Instead we satisfy ourselves with two cups of tea on the settee in front of the log fire before retiring for the night.

Lake Mapourika and the Fox Glacier

Today's challenge is kayaking on the glassy smooth Lake Mapourika.  We had booked a morning session as the webpage said the wind gets up in the afternoon.  Re-read the website as booked it so long ago, and it says 'moderate fitness level required' - we should be alright. Eric opts for not getting wet. 

The weather has been kind to us as although they promised rain, the sun is shining.

Our guide is called Bronwyn and she kits us out in what are probably not considered high fashion items (although maybe would have been trendy in the 1980s). A splash skirt, life jacket and splash jacket later we are ensconced in a double kayak (more stable).  They have a rudder for steering so the one who knows left from right needs to sit in the back.  We didn't even have to get our feet wet, but Bronwyn (who was a slight girl) gave us a launch by pushing us and the kayak into the water from the beach! 

A gentle practice paddle in the bay before heading off to the opposite side of the lake and the Kiwi Sanctuary.  We are not getting out of the kayaks there apparently but the guide will give a little talk as we drift around the gentle inlet.  Lake Mapourika is the second largest lake in New Zealand and is a 'kettle' lake, formed when the glacier that originally extended to here retreated leaving behind a very large block of ice.  This melted over time leaving a deep bowl, which filled with water to form the lake as it is now. 

As we get out into the open water there is a bit of chop. The water is 80m deep in the middle of the lake so we don't want to capsize here.  Bronwyn has assured us before we leave that if we capsize she will get us back into the kayaks (even after she has seen how heavy we are when launching it). The views back to the mountains and glacier are really good. There are some scaup, blue duck and heron around.

Notice the now not quite so smooth surface of the lake.

It is a three hour tour so we have plenty of time to reach the other shore.  As we approach the far side the chop becomes more wave like, occasionally as much as half a metre.  Going along now requires more strenuous effort, this must be good exercise for us.  Can't see what the person on in the back of the kayak is doing, but it is possible he's not paddling!

We stop on the other shore for a rest prior to paddling to the next bay around and the Nature Reserve.  Bronwyn recommends it's best to head into wind and waves as going across both makes for difficult paddling. The waves are hitting the front of the kayak and splashing my face and jacket. Don't feel wet though. Our guide decides that whilst we might make it into the next bay, getting out again will be very tricky as, even though it's sunny, conditions on the water are about as extreme as it gets in Lake Mapourika (what happened to the glassy waters?). Abandoning this part of the trip she asks us to stay close to her and follow the same line as we traverse back across the lake.  The other side is calmer and we stop for our info chat here instead.  A damselfly lands on my paddle as she chats.

You can just about see a red damselfly. 

A pleasant amble of a paddle back to the beach along this side of the lake. 

The guide takes pictures of everyone, plus a group photo - there are five of us, plus Bronwyn.  One lad from Milton Keynes, one from Dublin and one from Switzerland. All five kayaks are lined up for a piccie, she suggests a good idea would be for someone to stand up for a photo op. There is a deafening silence at this point. The guy in the back of the only double kayak volunteers, and sits down safely again without anyone toppling in.  Not to be outdone by an oldie one of the youngsters then has a go too. 

Find that the splash jackets (or in one case the splash skirt as well) do not keep you dry.  The only thing belonging to the gentleman in the back of the kayak that wasn't wet was his socks and shoes!  

The guide kindly offers to take our photo at the end of the jetty with our camera...we didn't realise the emphasis was on the end of the jetty rather than us.  

To be fair she took a whole load of lovely photos out on the water using her camera.

We had thought we might do the Fox Glacier Valley walk this afternoon and the young lad from Milton Keynes asks if he could have a lift, he's only 18. Arrange to meet him after a change of clothes and some lunch. Lucky we packed our waterproofs as the rain had started as we reached the beginning of the walk.  The hike is only an hour return but a bit more undulating than yesterdays, with three mountain stream crossings (one bridge, two stepping stones) plus a steep climb at the end. 

The view down the path behind us.

The lad goes off before us.  There are warning of water surges and some parts of the track are 'no stopping' zones because of rockfall hazards.  This is particularly difficult when it is on the steep uphill path and you need to stop to catch your breath! 

More warning notices.

Eric didn't heed the warnings today. 

We did rescue him.

Eric has recovered from his earlier mishap and leaps across the stepping stones with no problems.

Some alpine type plants, looked a bit like Antennaria but not sure about that.

A different viewpoint down the valley. Eric learnt from our guide yesterday that the red on these rocks is algae. It's presence means that they have not seen any glacial activity for 3 to 5 years.

We eventually catch up with the young lad at the lookout and walk back together so he can have a lift back.  

The front of the Fox Glacier, Eric reads out the history bits. 

We see some Department of Conservation Rangers just after one of the stepping stone streams - they are about to close the path as more heavy rain is expected and the route becomes impassable. Lucky we weren't stuck the wrong side of that when they closed it! 

The rain is persistent and on our return to Franz Josef we retreat to The Wild Side Experience Kiwi Centre.  See some young Kiwi in the dark house and an exhibition on glacier formation. 

The sitting room back at the 'villa' is warm and inviting. A self cooked dinner and a relaxed night in before our drive to Murchison tomorrow. 

Wanaka to the Glaciers

              Warning - Possible  Scenery Overload!

An early breakfast before the drive today,  as we had a helicopter ready and waiting for us at the other end.  Another Pass to negotiate today plus a number of lakeshores.  A passing shot of Lake Hawea before crossing a mountain pass through Mount Aspiring National Park (where the road was going to be closed after 6pm -there is no alternative route!) and stopping to take a shot looking back down Lake Wanaka. 

As we travel along the lake the road disappears under a recent rockfall, which we assume was the reason for the early road closure notice, perhaps they needed time to clear up the debris. 

Our next stop was at a place called Fantail Falls (do I hear the groans of 'oh no not another waterfall'). This one was singularly unimpressive.  I guess they haven't had much rain since we've been here so we should allow some leeway. 

You call that a waterfall? Pah. 

There was a short walk through the bush to reach it. The trees were very tall but thin.

The road opposite also had a rock wall covered with mosses that looked like a gorgeous jewel coloured carpet in the early morning light.

Well perhaps I exaggerate a little, but the colours were lovely.

We leave the Southern Alps heading for the coast over the Haast Pass. Yet another sign warning of major delays - are we going to get to our helicopter ride?  This time it is because of a land slip caused by boulders tumbling down a small waterfall (Dove Falls) and the associated remedial/future prevention work. There are men half way up the cliffs on ropes at the side of the falls putting a giant cage type thing in place (technical term). The workman on the side tells us there will be about a twenty minute delay, and that the netting is designed to catch a 19 ton boulder falling at sixty kilometres and hour.  I wouldn't want to be there when that happens, just in case they've only tested theoretically!

Lake Moeraki and Lake Paringa pass by and yet more waterfalls as we wend our way just behind the coast, plus another bit of missing road. 

The road reaches the coast at Haast and runs to Bruce Bay and there is photographic must do stop at Knights  Point. 

Eric had read the interpretation board and knows this is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He is suitably impressed.

On the river bit of beach at Haast Beach people are camping - let's hope there's no flash floods. 

The Visitor Centre at Haast Village was very scenic.

At Knights Point there is a plaque that marks the official opening of the route linking the road to the north with the road south from the glaciers.  There is also a closed viewing platform as subsidence is causing cracks (possibly a prelim to that bit of coast falling off the edge). We might be giving the impression that this country is falling apart, which it actually is as a result of the two tectonic plates that are twisting and pulling the Islands apart. 

The cracks extended out beyond this bit of board to the car park.

Thunder Creek - our appointment with the helicopter meant no time to make it to the falls (whew). 

We also missed seeing the 'not to be missed'  Blue Pools (too long a walk) and stopping for 'essential to try' whitebait pattie (too full from breakfast and one vegetarian who doesn't eat fish).  The patties apparently contain whole whitebait.

This may be the main North-South Highway but all the bridges are one lane. 

Single file please. 

Turn inland and back to the mountains again. We are now on the other side of the Mount Cook (Aoraki) range. 

Another of those braided rivers.

A single lane suspension bridge that had a very dodgy roadway...

...and it was even worse when we entered Franz Josef over a single lane Bailey Bridge that looked like it had seen better days. We learnt later that it has had to be raised three times in the last forty years because of flooding from the glacial activity.  It was put in as a temporary structure and has stayed that way.

Our helicopter awaits and it's off to the top of Fox Glacier after an aerial scenic tour of the Franz Josef Glacier.  Bit of a tight squeeze in the helicopter - six people and the pilot in what felt like the size of an old Mini. Probably was a bit bigger than that in reality.  

The Franz Josef. Glacier as viewed from the (cramped) helicopter.

Pic of neve at the glacier from the helicopter - where the snow accumulates at the cirque or head of the glacier.

Mount Tasman (the second tallest peak in NZ) as viewed from standing on the glacier!

The helicopter may have been a bit claustrophobic but the views when standing on the glacier were stupendous.

Biggles and the whirlybird. Six people, a pilot AND a dog in there?

Don't have my helicopter pilot's licence with me mate, you'll have to fly it back.

You can just about make out the shadow of the helicopter on the ground.

View of the glacial river bed at the bottom of the glacier in Franz Josef as we come in to land.

Straight off the helicopter and into a minibus for a Glacier Valley Eco Walk with a local guide.  There are only the two of us - fantabidozy.  The walk is to the viewing area for the bottom of the glacier and the moraine.

There is a path that you have to follow, but as we were with a guide we were allowed to go off piste at certain points. The rocks are schist with bit of mica running through. They break part very easily and also contain some gold and garnets.

Eric studies the garnets embedded in the rock and thinks it will be a long time before the rock erodes from around them. No point in hanging about here then.  

The side of the valley have been sculpted by the glacier and water.

He takes us to the front of some dead ice.  This is bit of the glacier that was left behind when the rest of it retreated. It is covered in debris and this forms an insulating layer.

It's OK, we're allowed to be in here with a guide Eric.  Well they don't have any depictions of dogs in danger of being hit by falling rocks, so I'm alright.

We reach the viewing point.

As close as you can get.

A long day, but very rewarding.  Our beds await.