New Zealand

Overnight in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Having traveled by plane, train and van over the last week or so, traversing both the North and South Islands, we are now ready for a two-day excursion to Fjordland in New Zealand’s South West corridor. From Queenstown, we head toward Manapouri where we take a short boat ride across the lake. We are then picked up by a coach that starts a steady uphill climb across Wilmot Pass, with great views of the imposing fjords in the distance. As we slowly ascend on the sub-alpine road through dense rain-forest, the van stops so that we can take in the vista of sea and waterfalls below. I’m amazed at how the threatening sky makes this landscape look both sinister and inviting at the same time.

After several hours in the coach, we arrive at Deep Cove where a large vessel equipped with cabins and dining facilities picks us up. It is still very cloudy and cold, although there has been no precipitation yet. I’m hoping to stay dry while photographing the fjords since remaining warm seems to be out of the question.

Fjordland is composed of two sounds. Milford is more widespread and is New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. Doubtful Sound, in comparison, is the second longest, measured at twenty-five miles. It is the deeper of the two fiords, with a vertical drop of 1381 feet. The cliffs are taller and nearly vertical.

Doubtful Sound contains two layers of water, with fresh water on top and salt water from the sea beneath it. The fresh water is fed via the runoff from neighboring mountains. These two layers have the interesting effect of decreasing the amount of light that can penetrate the difference in refractive index between them, resulting in many deep-sea species, such as black coral, growing in relatively shallow depths.

Numerous attractions are keeping me busy along the way. While Browne and Helena Falls look majestic as we make our way through the sound, the captain occasionally announces the spotting of beautiful wildlife, including bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, and penguins. I’m finding that capturing a good photo of these animals is very difficult, as they swiftly dart out of sight.

At one point on our excursion, the captain turns off the ship’s engine and tells us that everyone should go up on deck. We’re encouraged to use all our senses, as we experience the profound serenity of this fjord. This is truly the “Sound of Silence,” no doubt reminiscent of what Captain James Cook experienced when he discovered this vast territory in 1770.

As our time in Doubtful Sound is ending, It occurs to me that traveling to this remote destination has been challenging, but exhilarating. Having seen photos of this area from one hundred years ago, the otherworldly scenery 'I’ve been photographing appears essentially untouched. Now, how many places in the world can you say that about?




A Day Aboard the Tranz-Alpine Train, New Zealand

A Day Aboard the Tranz-Alpine Train, New Zealand

We are now encountering grassy plateaus with multiple little hills dotting the landscape. In the distance are more mountains, partially hidden by shrouded mist. The scenery has been spectacular!

Well, we've finally reached Arthur's Pass. This is the end of the show for us, as we depart the train, and head for a van that is ready to take us to the Franz Joseph Glacier. I'll have to say, if you like the great outdoors, unspoiled by humans, the Trans-Alpine train ride is well worth experiencing! Bring your cameras.

Touring Christchurch, NZ, in the Wake of Two Recent Earthquakes

Touring Christchurch, NZ, in the Wake of Two Recent Earthquakes

We've made it to the South Island of New Zealand, and are ready to experience some of the truly awesome examples of nature in the world, including the Trans-Alpine train across the Southern Alps, Franz Joseph Glacier, Queenstown, and the fjords of Doubtful Sound. The first stop, however, is a tour of Christchurch, the site of the catastrophic earthquake of 2011, and the second quake in nearby Kaikoura in 2016. Coming from Florida, I've lived through a hurricane, which was bad enough. Seeing first hand the havoc wreaked by an earthquake, however, is very unsettling.

Touring the Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua, New Zealand

Touring the Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua, New Zealand

It's late afternoon, and we've finished seeing the incredible glow worms, stalactites and stalagmites in the Waitomo Caves in Raglan. We're now ready for an excursion to the Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua to learn about the customs, protocols, and stories, that have been passed down through the generations of the Maori people. This should be interesting!

A Daytrip from Auckland to Waiheke Island, New Zealand

A Daytrip from Auckland to Waiheke Island, New Zealand

We've completed the 5-hour flight from Melbourne to Auckland, and as soon as we are out of the airport, it's obvious that New Zealand is quite different than it's huge neighbor 5 hours away. This city is fairly good size, with a population of approximately 1.5 million. Nevertheless, we're about to find out that outside of Auckland, the North and South Islands are quite rural. Our first taste of the bucolic nature of this island-country will happen today, as we head by ferry to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf to take in some rugged coastline vistas, and to hit a few well-known vineyards.