Te Anau and Doubtful Sound

We arrived at Te Anau from Arrowtown late afternoon. Another lakeside town and I take a walk along to the boat harbour, after which we have pizzas sitting out in the evening sun.

An early start next day to get to Lake Manapouri where we pick up a boat to take us across it. The clouds were low over the surrounding mountains and there is occasional rain as we speed to the far side of the lake, where we disembark on to a coach.

We are taken via a 2k spiralling underground passage to the power station machine hall carved out of solid rock. This was built to power an aluminium smelter situated 170k away at Bluff opened in 1971. A massive feat of engineering employing drillers, tunnellers and engineers from around the world. The generators are powered by the water falling down intake tunnels from Lake Manapouri, whose level was raised to much controversy and hard fought compromise, through them into Doubtful Sound.

We left the power station and crossed Wilmott Pass in rain and saw water gushing down the mountainsides. We went down to Deep Cove to board another boat to take us more gently through Doubtful Sound.

 

 

 

This is Fiordland and it is one of the wettest regions on Earth. The moist westerly airstreams cross the south Tasman Sea and crash into the high landmass, releasing the rain as they are swept up the mountains.

 

Annual rainfall can reach over 5m at Deep Cove, whereas it is little more than 1m in the 'rain shadow' on the eastern side of the mountains at Manapouri Village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We sailed out to rougher waters as we reached the end of the Sound and saw fur seals on the rocks at the Nee Islands.

 

 

 

We also saw a couple of rare Fiordland crested penguins hopping around. Unfortunately my iPhone camera and its operator were not efficient enough to record these.

As we returned down the Sound, the weather was improving and we started to sea Fiordland in a changed mood.

At one point we stopped, the boat's engines were turned off and we all stood quietly listening to nothing but the sound of the water and the calls of the birds. A magical moment.

 

Then back to Deep Cove and on to our coach to cross Wilmott Pass. This time, with the improved weather, we were able to see down into Doubtful Sound.

 

We return across Lake Manapouri at the end of a long but delightful day.

 

Then back to Te Anau for another evening's meal in the sunshine.

 

Robert Cole

Arrowtown

Denise drove us from Queenstown to the nearby Arrowtown and to the home of Colin and Mary Bellet. Mary has known Denise all her life since when their respective parents were friends in Winton. She married Colin when she was only 20 and they went off to Papua New Guinea as missionaries when their first child was only 18 months old. There they had two more of their 5 children before returning to New Zealand. Colin then engaged in various activities and obviously showed great entrepreneurship, as he prospered sufficiently to buy 10 acres of land on which he literally himself built the most beautiful spacious home with beautiful views over Lake Hayes.

The sitting room with its superb views. The whole property and Colin's development of it would have made an excellent 'Grand Designs' programme.

 

Mary provided an excellent supper, after which we were shown to our bedroom and bathroom for which there was no need to draw the curtains as one could only see mountains in the distance.

I was up early in the morning, as was Colin, and I much enjoyed chatting to him about his remarkable life. We went for a walk and then all joined them for the service at their local church, in which both Colin and Mary are much involved.

 

We walked around Arrowtown, which is an old gold rush town and has retained much of its frontier town appearance. We lunched their together and then made our way to Te Anau reflecting on what incredible lives Colin and Mary have lived.

 

Robert Cole

Queenstown

We woke in Wanaka to much improved weather and I walked down to the lake in pleasant sunshine.

The view of the mountains across the lake had changed with the snow-capped peaks shining in the sun. We had a drink at the lakefront bar and then drove the short distance to Queenstown.

 

 

We took the Skyline Gondola up 'Bob's Peak'. This provides a steep climb of nearly 1,500 feet over 2,400. Beyond that there is a further cable lift.


 

 

 

Superb panoramic views are provided over Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables mountains.

 

 

 

It also provides plenty of activity from bungy jumping, mountain biking and parascending...

 

 

 

 

...to two luges - one set at a faster incline than the other as they looped down the hillside.

 

 

I envisaged our grandchildren having immense fun here. Not far away are ski slopes for which one of them is already prepared - photo courtesy an email from Tony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clodagh and Denise enjoyed the sunshine as I moved up and down viewing the various activities. We had lunch up there and returned down to the town. There Clodagh and Denise shopped in the Mall and I walked round the gardens set on a peninsula into the lake.

 

Robert Cole

Wanaka

Denise drove us first south from Dunedin and the north-west soon following the valley of the Clutha River. After nearly 3 hours driving we stopped at Alexandra for a snack lunch and then on following the Clutha. This is the fastest river of New Zealand and its force is used for hydroelectric power. We soon came across the dam and beyond it Lake Dunstan, which it has created.

We followed the long lakeside to Cromwell where another river converges. The town had to be reconfigured due to the raised water created by the dam lower down. Where there were two relatively narrow rivers joining, there is now a large expanse of water burying the old town bridge.

As we drove on the weather deteriorated and sadly the mountains were shrouded in low cloud. We drove on through showers of rain and reached Wanaka mid afternoon.

Our hotel is about 3k up from the centre of town in a beautiful spot backed by the mountains. Denise went off to one of the hotel's hot pools while I walked down to the town and found a pleasant bar where I had a beer. Clodagh and Denise joined me later for dinner in town.

The morning's weather was no more promising with occasional showers but I donned my shorts and cagoul and set off on a walk down to the lake and along its shore.

 

 

 

There is a well maintained track through the trees and shrubs.

 

 

 

 

 

The lake is lined with willows interspersed with wild lupins.

 

 

 

 

 

I passed the large Rippon vineyard

 

 

 

and walked on to and crossed Waterfall Creek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up on to rising ground and looked back along the lake to Wanaka. I then returned there to meet up with Clodagh and Denise for lunch, which I much enjoyed after about a good 10k walk.

 

Back at the hotel I joined Denise in one of the hot pools for a relaxing dip. I then walked back down to town for a beer at what was becoming a favourite spot. What a lovely place Wanaka is and would be even better in the sunshine. Again the ladies joined me later and we went off for a Thai supper.

 

Robert Cole

Touring around Dunedin

Denise drove us along to Dunedin's container at Port Chalmers and showed us the space where they once lived - the house is no longer there, as the cliff upon which it stood has eroded away. Good views across the bay to the Otago Peninsular.

Then back to Dunedin and Denise drove us around the impressive university campus. Then down to the lovely sea-side resort of St Clair where again the family once lived. What we saw all confirmed what a lovely setting the city of Dunedin has.

The following day Matt drove us along the Otago Peninsula on the other side of the harbour from Port Chalmers. Our drive started along the ridge of the peninsular with great views all around and then down to its end at Taiaroa Head. Here there is a wildlife centre predominantly for the Northern Royal Albatross. Nearby is Penguin Beach where one can see Yellow Eyed Penguins. Unfortunately we saw neither of these; only a couple of seals. We lunched there and then back along the harbour. A wonderfully scenic drive.

Back to Denise as our tour guide the next day for a drive to the top of Signal Hill with again superb views over Dunedin and towards Otago Peninsular.

 

From there Denise and Clodagh drove down and I did the 4k walk down to and through the Botanical Gardens and met them there.

The gardens are well maintained with a wide range of specialist gardens. The rhododendrons past their best but the summer flowering plants and the roses beginning to look really good.

 

 

The weather was warm and bright and the gardens looked magnificent in the sunshine.

We had coffee there and looked further around the gardens with many statues on a Peter Pan theme.

 

A superb morning and back home for a late lunch, after which catching up on this blog.

 

Robert Cole

Dunedin

Matt is having to go off each morning for radiotherapy and Denise took Clodagh down to Dunedin to do some shopping while I did the superb 5k walk steeply downhill to the bay and then around it to the town. There I found an array of impressive buildings.

First to the superbly detailed Flemish Renaissance-style railway station. One can see why the architect, George Troup, was nicknamed 'Ginger-bread George'.

 

The exterior is detailed in the beautiful local Oamaru limestone, with two imposing stained-glass windows. These are at the mezzanine balcony level.

 

Inside, the booking hall has a Royal Doulton porcelain mosaic floor. Regretfully it does not provide a splendid start to a railway journey, as it has been disused as such for many years. It does, however, remain one of New Zealand's finest historic buildings.

Across the road from the railway station are the law courts. This is built in local Port Chalmers bluestone and the lighter Oamaru stone. It conveniently stands just round the corner from the prison.

 

 

Next up the road to The Octagon, the centre of town, and to St Paul's Anglican Cathedral standing high on a prominent site above it. It's prominence is surprising in a predominantly Presbyterian settlement and owes it to the generosity of an early whaler and trader, Johnny Jones.

Inside it too uses the magnificent Oamaru stone for its columns. The Cathedral remained unfinished for 50 years but now has a contrasting modern clear-glassed chancel of stark simplicity, added relatively recently after a local architect won a competition to design it. The clear windows are intended to link the Cathedral with the world outside.

 

 

And next to the Cathedral, the Municipal Chambers built in 1880 from the fortune brought in by the gold rush. I fear not obvious from the photo, but it too is another example of using Oamaru stone. As the crane indicates, it is in the course of considerable restoration and refurbishment b

In front of both these buildings, in a prominent place in The Octagon, is a statue of Robert Burns to emphasise the strong Scottish connection. And nearby is the high-spired First Church, the flagship of the Presbyterian church in Otago.

 

 

A great introduction to a beautifully architectured city.

 

Robert Cole

To New Zealand and reflections on Hong Kong

Another Air New Zealand experience of their excellent service, food and wines. A shorter 10 1/2 hour flight this time and so less time to sleep, if one is to fit in all the fine dining and reflection on our visit to Hong Kong.

What an exciting place HK is. I think I would have so much enjoyed its buzz, as a young professional, advising the businessmen in such a commercial environment. I'm not sure I would have liked living in one of the very high rise apartments but the lifestyle would have been such great fun that one would have spent little time there. I feel I'd like to go there again.

A further 5 hour time difference and we arrive at Auckland airport at 10.30 local time to meet John. He took one of our cases containing clothing for our Christmas stay in Auckland and winter clothing for our later transfer to Vancouver. He then took us for a ride up to the top of Eden Hill, a now defunct volcano, which gave us a 360 degree view of Auckland, with the CBD (Central Business District) near the coast on the east and near where we will be staying over Christmas, and towards the coast on the west where Simon and John live. It gave us a great orientation before John drove us back to the domestic airport for our 2 hour flight down to Dunedin.

Matt met us there and drove us to their suburban hilltop home with superb views from their sitting room over the bay and central Dunedin.

 

After catching up with Denise and Matt over tea, I went for a good walk yet further up the hill to Rotary Park and even better views over the long bay towards Port Chalmers. Back at the house Denise provided supper, after which we were ready to catch up on sleep.

 

Robert Cole