Milford Sounds (Continued)
Next day morning we were awaken by the announcement systems . This time, seals were resting on those rocks near to those cliffs. Too lazy in the morning. 😛 (It seems that they prepare that way for the busy day. They got to find 10% of their total weight of fishes to call it a day. They swim between meals). Those pups were too cute. Rich shiny black color gave a sheen that’s still in our eyes. Little later, our cruise went to the possible closest place to the Stirling falls. Here no matter what, it may look small. As these places were the handy work of nature, they downplayed the role and made it simple but magnified sizes. They look at the pretty normal size from below. If the real height to be realized, as our captain advised, Try to look reverse standing next to the handrails of the ship. I did, but the water droplets messed with my eyeballs and I said no thanks.. 😛
We got dropped at Underwater Observatory as we wanted to cover that too. It’s a nice secluded house that has an observation chamber going under the water for 10 meters. This is place where they protect and study about the black coral (Antipathes Fiordenis) which is supposed to grow at the depth of 30 meters below the sea. But here its grows here within 10 meters. Its named after its thorny look. The living coral community that cloths the skeleton in a white frosting of tiny, sea anemone-like animas are called polyps. Each polyps consist of fleshy cylinder with an open top circled by 6 tentacles. Those tentacles armed with stinging cells for protecting itself. Best part about this coral is it looks just like the plant.
Spotty fishes can be seen in those aquarium style observatory windows. An interesting thing about this fish is until they grow for 20 centimeters, they grow as females. Butterfly perch and Sea perch also can be seen here.
We had been picked up by a small boat as the vessel left to the shore. Later, we collected our stuffs from the cruise.
Weather started to get worse in no time. We had plans to check out Hollyford town when returning. Weather had different plans. We zipped through that place without seeing the road to Hollyford.
In no time, we reached Te Anau. We went to the Ranch again for lunch.
Manapouri
Before heading to Queenstown, we wanted to look at the Manapouri that’s another lake town down the road. Real Journeys offer Doubtful Sounds trip from this place but not as famous as the Milford Sounds. I recollected that the Doubtful sounds is equally beautiful . Manapouri’s power generation site is widely quoted on websites. Just before reaching Manapuri town, we get access to the lake via the mud road that takes us to the Fraser’s beach. This place is isolated and hardly has a road between the lake and the bushes. When we went, dark-ash colored clouds made no difference to the distance horizon camouflaging with water or the vice-versa.
Our next stop was at Wilderness Scientific Reserve (Te Wahipounamu). Here beautiful Bog pine (Halocarpus bidwillii) spread over the entire reserve. This is one of the things that forgot the evolution. They stay as they were 10000 years ago.
After these sight-seeing, drive to queenstown looked to be monotonous. Little bit of fatigue settled on my face. Right after Kingson I believe, a straight road at least for a KM came. Yes, I did accelerate. With nice music, and a car that supported every one of my move, it shown no discomfort . At the distance horizon, a police car was waiting. Damn, had I realized that would have saved 400 bucks. Cop came out of the car and cross the road and flagged down my car. I had no clues and slowed down. His machine recorded 137. I was just lucky enough not to breach the 140 level, had I been, they wouldn’t have allowed me to drive. Guess that’s the good thing in the bad thing. Anyhow, later I had to pay that online. I was little upset about that but later in Queenstown, hotel staff told me that they get all the time. Hmmmm..
From this time on, I kept an eye on the odometer and never allowed it to stay above the 100 range. Learning!.
Download Milford Sounds Part 2 slides here
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