After the Catlins we were off to Fiordland to kayak and then walk. The picture above is Doubtful Sound, where we started our two day kayaking trip. To get to Doubtful Sound (which is actually a fiord) you have to take a boat 30 km across Lake Manapouri, and then take a bus 30 km over a mountain pass; the picture was taken from the top of that pass.
It was much drier than when we went to Milford Sound, so there weren't as many waterfalls. There also weren't as many people. Once we got off the boat to started kayaking we didn't see anyone else, and we didn't hear any motors, it was really incredible. We paddled down the length of Hope arm and halfway back in some pretty strong wind.
The black line coming down from the saddle in this picture is actually a fault. Just a huge crack in the mountain, which is pretty much solid limestone. I have never seen anything like it.
It was cloudy the whole day and in the afternoon we got this eerie yellow light. It was caused by smoke that had travelled over 900 miles across the Tasman Sea from the Australian bush fires. It was stunning to be paddling on the ocean and have mountains shooting practically straight up over 1,000 m all around you.
Mae sat in front and took pictures while I paddled us over 10 km in some pretty strong wind, what a deal!
That night as we came back across Lake Manapouri they dropped us off on this island beach to stay the night and paddle back the next day. We had the whole island to ourselves, fulfilling all of our childhood dreams. In our dreams however, there was no rain and definitely no sandflies. In reality there was plenty of both.
The scenery on the Lake was just as mystical as the Fiord, partly due to the massive amounts of rain. We woke ready to paddle the circumference of the lake at least once, got into the kayaks and realized paddling straight back was questionable, but we made it. At one point I had my paddle straight up trying to sail on the wind like we did in Doubtful and a boat flipped a U-turn and came to rescue us. I was highly embarrassed and yet greatly tempted to fake an injury and get a ride back.
This was the sunset over Lake Te Anau that night, still largely due to the Australian fires. We stayed this night under a roof, recuperating for the next leg of the journey; the Routeburn Track
After the Catlins we were off to Fiordland to kayak and then walk. The picture above is Doubtful Sound, where we started our two day kayaking trip. To get to Doubtful Sound (which is actually a fiord) you have to take a boat 30 km across Lake Manapouri, and then take a bus 30 km over a mountain pass; the picture was taken from the top of that pass.
It was much drier than when we went to Milford Sound, so there weren't as many waterfalls. There also weren't as many people. Once we got off the boat to started kayaking we didn't see anyone else, and we didn't hear any motors, it was really incredible. We paddled down the length of Hope arm and halfway back in some pretty strong wind. 
The black line coming down from the saddle in this picture is actually a fault. Just a huge crack in the mountain, which is pretty much solid limestone. I have never seen anything like it.
It was cloudy the whole day and in the afternoon we got this eerie yellow light. It was caused by smoke that had travelled over 900 miles across the Tasman Sea from the Australian bush fires. It was stunning to be paddling on the ocean and have mountains shooting practically straight up over 1,000 m all around you.
Mae sat in front and took pictures while I paddled us over 10 km in some pretty strong wind, what a deal!
That night as we came back across Lake Manapouri they dropped us off on this island beach to stay the night and paddle back the next day. We had the whole island to ourselves, fulfilling all of our childhood dreams. In our dreams however, there was no rain and definitely no sandflies. In reality there was plenty of both. 
The scenery on the Lake was just as mystical as the Fiord, partly due to the massive amounts of rain. We woke ready to paddle the circumference of the lake at least once, got into the kayaks and realized paddling straight back was questionable, but we made it. At one point I had my paddle straight up trying to sail on the wind like we did in Doubtful and a boat flipped a U-turn and came to rescue us. I was highly embarrassed and yet greatly tempted to fake an injury and get a ride back. 
This was the sunset over Lake Te Anau that night, still largely due to the Australian fires. We stayed this night under a roof, recuperating for the next leg of the journey; the Routeburn Track
1 comment:
god. damn. it.
so.
jealous.
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