Milford Sounds – Piopiotahi
We reached that departure terminal (for boats/ships) just 30 mins prior to our scheduled time. We redeemed our confirmation with standard boarding tickets and joined those people who were waiting for the same.
A bit about this place before we head to our vessel.
A little excess to 6 meter (yes – meter) it rains here in generally every year. That makes this plae one of the wettest places in the world. This place is extremely vibrant right after a heavy rain.
Maori story – piopiotahi
Maori legend has it that Tuterakiwhanoa a god was given the task of shaping the Fiordland coast. He chanted powerful and attached the with hiss weapons. He carved perfectly on the north side where the water can be calm even during tough weathers. Milford sounds said to the perfect work. Our Maori hero was called off before he made that inlet to go further to mainland. Piopiotahi – few call that’s a canoe that came to buy greenstones. Few say that’s a bird name that’s extinct.
European Version of the story
In 1770s, Captain James cook visited this coastline but thought that nothing is there as this Fjord is perfectly hidden. People say later one of the mariners who born in Milford haven in Wales found this place and named. As they wrote, “On the left hand side of this place is a deep and narrow passage between two tiers of mountains which we called the flue and through which the wind blows at time with great violence” – we felt that very very clearly. You will see the wind lines in the pictures below. 😉
This place is bit of surprise for the new comers. Am overwhelmed by what I heard. This is one of the rainwater harvesting basin that collects from various hills and forms a good layer on sea water. It takes 3-4 days to merge with sea water. Until that period, it just get strained and lookslike like tea. Science quote that the stain is caused by tannin and few other organics. This makes the place ideal for few creatures that I will cover under Underwater Observatory section here.
Milford Mariner – Real jouneys
We have got tour operators running scenic tours starting from small boats to cruises. The biggest players are Real journeys and the other one Southern Discoveries. Both are good in their own senses. Southern Discoveries use smaller but limited seats which reach up close to the falls there and its almost personalized trip. Real journeys offer big interesting mighty cruises with more options.
Real journeys offer Nature cruises, Scenic Cruises, Milford Mariner and Milford Wanderer. First two are day trips and in hours to be precise. Whereas Mariner and wanderer offer night stay options. Wanderer has quad-share bunk style sleep options with shared toilets (wetclean). Milford Mariner offer private suites with attached toilets. You know which one I would have chosen. Yes – Its Mariner. It not cheap option compared to Wanderer. Next time am going to choose day cruises for obvious reasons. 😉
Cruise is built very nicely with limited number of rooms to accommodate us. Crew was very very helpful and well informed about this place. They love their jobs and are best at it. Cruise has two levels one is for rooms and the upper layer is shared for dining, mini entertaining place and a micro bar. On top of that its open space, we proudly share with the captain’s room. This place is very windy and cold. We had jackets that helped us bit.
We were explained with ground rules (ship rules :-P) after boarding the cruise. They care to give an experience of a lifetime – hence they don’t encourage to be up after 10. We were told that the vessel will be anchored at Harrison Cove that night. By this time, cruise started to sail. We were curious and joined the crowd at the top layers. It was extremely windy and cold. I couldn’t even stand there. Shortly picked jacket and managed to go back for few shots. Water looked stained tea colour which was bit disappointing. But having a clean weather was good enough to compromise that.
Vessel was gliding at this time and was passing the Bowen falls. This is vertically measured to 160 meters. As the wind was tearing up the water, falls had spectacular spreads of water.
Copper point
This rock has much of copper in it and that explains why ‘this’ name. This place is strategically designed by nature which makes the wind to enter this place at more than 180 Kms of windspeed.
Anita Bay
This is the place where maoris found their good amount of greenstones. We will hardly notice this place unless explained by the crew.
Rahotu – Mitre Peak
Highlight of this place is Mitre Peak which rises from the sea to the giddying heights of 1692 metres. This is believed to be one of the highest mountains that rise out of sea.
This place offers very mystic looking sea-scape. It will scare us completely if sailed alone. Exactly the eerie looking scenes from the Pirates of Caribbean. Our cruise anchored at this place and we were given options to choose either Kayaking or a speedboat ride. We happily opted for the speedboat. A crane mechanism pulled the speed boat from its shelves and gently placed on the water. We boarded with life jackets and precautionary words. Few others opted for Kayaking and the rest opted to relax.
Within minutes we started to explore that place, a herd of dolphins flocked the mouth of Milford sounds. Our speed boat engines came to life and we reached near them in no time. They were happy and fearless to dance around us. Many shown interest to guide our small speed boat and shown who owned the water. Our speedboats are nothing in front of those champions. It was really a nice experience to see them at their natural places. Little later, we went back to explore the edges of the Milford sounds. Nothing looked easy to our eyes. Everything were the remains of the millions of years of nature-at-work. They look unfriendly but very interesting.
After this we passed through St Anne point which was a lighthouse in yester years. Dale point which is little ahead marks the entrance of the Milford sounds from sea.
We took a U turn to mark complete the journey and headed to the Harrison cove for anchoring. Stirling falls is also the same as Bowen but this falls directly in to the water. On an extremely adrenaline filled day, I would want to take plunge. But now. 😉
By this time, we refreshed ourselves and settled for dinner. Dinner is quite exquisite and really appreciate them to get them at that place for us. Am pretty sure they travel all the way from Queenstown but tasted fresh by all means. After that lovely dinner, we had a multimedia presentation which showed the seasons out there and how worse the weather could go. We were thrilled and felt lucky to have that decent weather. That presentation was humorous, entertaining and quite informative. They were happy to answer our silly questions too. 😛
After that most awaited moment of that day came. Dark started to eat the light and the place looked too dramatic. I was scractching my head with the confusion about the lens to be used. Finally I made my mind to take pics on both. However, wind and the shaky vessel gave me hard time to get a decent picture. After a while, I just settled down started to breath those few minutes. At times, time will make you light. Mine was even more lighter as I had a cup of New Zealand Merlot at the other hand. 😛
Download Milford Sounds Part 1 slides here
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