Tuesday, February 7th, 2023: Haast Pass to Te Anau

 As I anticipated my trip to New Zealand, I suffered some anxiety around the photographic opportunities it might present. I feared I would be limited in my subject matter to share little other than beautiful scenery. I believe that our journey from Haast to Te Anau, confirmed that this fear was justified!

Looking East Toward Haast Pass

We had a four and a half hour drive ahead of us, skirting around Wanaka and Queenstown, to get to a little town called Te Anau, the gateway for our travels in Fiordland, over the next few days.

The Roaring Billy Falls

We had read that there were several waterfalls along the route, with very appealing names, so we decided to indulge ourselves in a few walks. The first one we visited was called Roaring Billy Falls. It is 98 feet high and was quite full on this day.

Panoramic of Haast River Valley

I loved trekking along the pebbles of the river bed and seeing the clouds floating around the valleys. There were many other visitors on the roads, so we usually had company on these brief side trips.

Thunder Creek Falls

Clearly, Thunder Creek Falls has quite a different shape from Roaring Billy Falls; but do you see a theme here? Another beautiful waterfall! This one is 390 feet high, so it has a much greater drop and hence the name!

Rapids in the Haast River

So instead of another view of the falls, I thought a photo of the Haast River might please you all. There was a lovely wooden walk way coming down to the river, so it was easy to access.

A Biker at Thunder Falls

Imagine my pleasure when I came back up the stairs and saw this wonderful face. I thought for a moment I had landed in Lord of the Rings! He could have been one of the dwarfs! I figure New Zealand must be the land of beards.

The Three Bikers at Thunder Falls

He was one of three bikers we chatted with and after I'd told them him about my blog and photos of the bearded miners in Reefton, he proffered his face for a photo. Nadine thought my moxy was over the top, but as you see, they all ended up being perfectly happy to pose for me. You can see from their gear that these men were well protected against the wet. They said once we got over the pass it would be much drier.

Cameron Flat

We stopped at one more waterfall, Fantail Falls. It seemed very similar to Roaring Billy, so I spare you the photo. Near the top of the pass, we stopped at this lovely spot for a picnic lunch. It was still raining, so we appreciated the picnic shelter there, however it did not protect us from the midges, so heavy application of bug spray was required. This view of the grassy river valley with the Mount Aspiring National Park in the distance, evoked memories of the 'tramping' I had done back in the day. I really enjoyed this space.

Panoramic View from Cameron Flats

The bikers were correct. Once we started down the hill into the region called Otago, the vegetation and sky completely changed.

Panoramic View of Lake Wanaka

As we approached Wanaka, there are two very large lakes - Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. There was a very stiff wind blowing, but there was blue in the skies and the hills/mountains were much more barren. As the weather comes from the west, it makes sense - this eastern region, Otago, is a rainshadow.

Sheep Near Te Anau

As we had spent so much time taking side trips on the Haast Pass, we thought we'd better get busy with our south-ward journey, so it was 'heads down' and keep driving. We knew that we would return on the same road a few days later as our plan was for Nadine to drop me off in Queenstown to join my singing event.

Domestic Deer Near Te Anau

The photographs near Te Anau were taken on the return journey on Saturday, February 11th, along the same road. It is a very rural area, as you see above - deer, alpaca, cattle and lots of hay and other feed crops. I was surprised to see domesticated deer here, as they are a pest in the wild, like the possum. They were introduced for game hunting in 1851 and create damage by feeding on native plants, trees and seedlings. They would like to eradicate the feral deer.

Hay Bales near Te Anau

The signs of vigorous farming were abundant, but in an absolutely beautiful setting!

Plastic-Wrapped Hay Bales Near Te Anau

Other farmers wrapped their bales in plastic. We couldn't figure out why, unless it was an alternative to building a shed. We liked the sheds better! I thought the way they were scattered around this field in the photo above made me think it was a wheat graveyard!

Mountains East of Te Anau

And so.... as I said at the beginning, there was little on this day other than beauty; whether wet or dry. It doesn't offer much in the way of material for profound comments or insights....and it just keeps going on wherever direction one turns!

The next two days we will be travelling to the two northernmost sounds, here in New Zealand's Fiordland. I might struggle with the same issue on the next blog too. I hope you don't mind suffering along with me.

Sunday February 5th, and Monday, February 6th, 2023 - Haast - Washing or Washout!

 The day we were in Franz Josef, Nadine noticed that much rain was expected on Sunday, and our host confirmed that they were predicting over three inches. He also confirmed Nadine's fear that it could lead to troublesome roads and landslides. He reassured us, that should we get stuck between two landslides, we should just stay in our car and eventually a helicopter would  come along and rescue us!

Sheets Drying at Haast AirBnB

Well, as you might imagine, THAT got our attention! You might also notice from the photo, that yes we did make it to Haast, but the rain also came down in sheets, just like the ones hanging above our heads when we got there! Our successful strategy was to be up at dawn, with car already packed, and get on the road as early as possible. It was only a few hours drive through the coastal mountains and using keen eyes and ears, we arrived for an early coffee/tea break and an AirBnB host who graciously allowed us to check in early.

Sheets Drying at Haast AirBnB

The sheets were on a ceiling-high drying rack at our AirBnB. You can see Nadine at the bottom of the photo, hauling on the ropes to bring the rack down to take the sheets off. It was the only one we've stayed at where we had to make up our own beds, but it was also the only one that was completely 'off the grid' with solar and wind power, backed up by a generator. In spite of the overcast skies, we survived without fossil fuels and felt very virtuous in knowing that at least our accommodation didn't help glacial retreat! LOL!

That afternoon we lerned there had been a landslide on the road behind us, and it was closed for several days after. The road ahead to Wanaka, also had a downed tree about 9-miles out of town, so in fact we were trapped between two road blocks, but we congratulated ourselves that we had planned to spend several nights here and settled in for a day of nothing other than listening to the wind and rain! We ended up getting 2.7 inches .

Looking South From Haast Toward Mt, Aspiring National Park

So why bother to stop in this remote town with four restaurants, a gas station, a wool shop and a mechanic? The population in 2018 was 84 and Google said the school for Grades 1-8 is the most remote in New Zealand - it is 20km south in Jackson Bay with an enrolment of 10!

I wanted to stay in Haast because reviews said it was a lovely valley and from the map, I imagined I might be able to see the snowy peaks of Mt. Aspiring National Park. This was important to me, because my earlier trip in the 1970's had involved mountaineering training, during which we summited the beautiful Mt. Aspiring and did an extensive hike to the Olivine Ice Plateau where we spent several nights in an igloo we built. As you see from the photo above, this Land of the Long White Cloud said - NO WAY - and kept any sign of snowy peaks hidden!

Anonymous Poem Displayed at Haast National Parks Visitor Center

On Monday the rain had eased up a bit and we stopped in at the National Park Visitor Center where there was much information about the plate tectonics that formed this region, the birds and animals found here, the vegetation and succession from the coast to the mountains etc, etc.

It also mentioned the early explorers and I could relate to an anonymous poem that this display told us about. The photo above shows you the poem. (I tried typing it out, but couldn't format the line-spacing in this blog platform - so once again you get the photo!)

Maori Flax Leggings and Sandals at Haast National Parks Visitor Center

As you might imagine in a place this cold and wet, the indigenous Maori needed clothing. One of the fibers they used was New Zealand flax - which is a ubiquitous plant we have seen frequently. The display above explained that they used these leggings and sandals when they were walking over the Haast Pass. Apparently they would take a spare pare of sandals, and if they needed more, could pick some flax and make a new pair!

New Zealand Flax Plants on the Right Hand Side of the Trail at Hopuka Estuary Walk

I discovered that the Maoris arrived in New Zealand from Polynesia between 1200 and 1300 AD.  The flax plant was new to them and they figured out how to process the leaves to use it in the same way they had used the pandanus at home. The green flesh you see on a fresh plant is scraped away with a sharp shell and the remaining fiber is pounded until it is soft, then washed, dried and woven, twisted and braided etc.

Maori Dress Made From Flax

I thought this dress was attractive, but not what I would call warm!

Maori Baskets Made From Flax

These baskets were very nicely constructed and I would be happy to use them for my shopping.

More Flax Plants at Hapuka Estuary Walk

Following our visit to the Interpretive Center, we drove south a few miles to take a short walk, called the Hapuka Estuary Walk. 

Uh, oh!

 It was quite flooded and Nadine turned back to protect her boots that would have been hard to dry.  I was just wearing sneakers so on I trekked. It was fun. (No snakes or alligators in New Zealand! Phew!)

Hapuka Estuary Walk

 

As you see, we were not the only folks on the trail! The kid thought it was fun, too, but his feet weren't the ones getting wet! 

Lookout on Hapuka Estuary Walk

Nadine was able to come around from the end of the trail to meet me at this outlook facing the ocean. It was so far away you could barely see the line of the beach off in the distance.

Raised Fishing/Boating Piers, Haast Beach

Following the estuary walk, we tried to find access to the that beach to get a better view of it, on our return trip to Haast. We found these odd fishing piers. I thought they were picturesque and had a Dutch 'feel' to them - maybe they have a windmill look?... or they reminded me of the locks on English canals we operated in my teen years. We couldn't figure out what purpose they serve, unless flooding also brings a lot of debris, like trees, that would demolish them. By pulling the piers out of the water, they protect their property from damage.

There Were Crayfish (Lobster) Traps

We also found a bunch of lobster traps as we tried to reach the beach. The catch gets flown around to markets around the the world within 32 hours.

Haast Beach

Getting to the beach was not easy. I was surprised that the public access was very limited - any little roads we saw had 'Private Property' signs or ended up in huge puddles, so I was only able to get on to walk along Haast Public Beach. When I got there, I found a 'Boneyard' that was Little Talbot Island, Florida, on steroids. When you consider the only landmass directly to the west of here is Argentina, you know that these trees came from the rivers and fiords of New Zealand. I see why they don't want their fishing piers sitting around at sea level when this lot comes down the pike!

Haast Beach

The beach was wild, steep, deserted and filled with fluffy brown sea-foam blowing around in the strong wind. The gulls were the only moving creatures sharing the space with me.

A Soaring Black-Backed Gull on Haast Beach

I watched the gulls soar in the strong wind, against the backdrop of the wild ocean. They are a different variety of gull, with their black backs. No surprise to discover that they are called Black-Backed Gulls!

Haast Beach Looking South

It was wonderful sitting in the wind, contemplating distant lands and looking south where we were headed next.

Haast Beach, Looking to the Mountains to the East

Throughout the day, I had kept my eyes on the mountains. They were constantly firm friends with the clouds - never a glimpse of snowy peaks. The tree on the road south has been cleared, so tomorrow we head over Haast Pass for three days in Te Anau to visit New Zealand's Fiordland.

In spite of the wet, we really enjoyed our little sojourn in Haast. It was not a washout, at all! And yes, we left the sheets washing in the solar-powered machine for the next guests! (It's OK, there's a person who comes in to clean, too!)

Friday February 3rd and Saturday February 4th - Hotikika and Glacier Country

 Having enjoyed our three days in Greymouth and our introduction to this beautiful land, we headed south to Franz Josef via Hokitika and the Hokitika Gorge.

Hokitika Beach Entrance

Hokitika was smaller than Greymouth, but had a bigger tourist feel to it. No doubt this beach access is quite striking when all the lights are lit at night.

Town Clock - Hokitika

It has a rather grand clock tower in the middle of town. It was built in 1903 to commemorate its citizens who had served in the Boer War, including 4 who died. It also was intended to commemorate the Coronation of Edward VII in England. At that time, New Zealand was still a British colony and the Governor of New Zealand at the time was a former resident of Hokitika. No doubt his influence led to a much grander monument than we've seen in any other town on the west coast to date.

An Old Theater

We had a very nice hot beverage at this art deco theatre, which operates a coffee shop during the day as well a screening movies.

Ooh, Shopping!

Staring in our face on the other side of the street was an enticing shop offering delicious warm clothing - something that always piques the interest of both Nadine and me. You'll notice that the sign says 'Possum'. Yes, indeed, it's that lovely, cute Australian bush possum that is a protected species in Australia. New Zealanders don't confer that same regard to the little critters. Instead, they try to eradicate them. It is another story of a failed introduction of an exotic species. They were introduced in 1837 for the fur trade and now wreak havoc in the native forests here. Being enterprising folks, New Zealanders have figured out how to create commercial value for these pests. Their pelts are used to make hats and fur goods, but processes have been developed to remove the fur itself and create very warm and soft yarns used in hats, gloves, sweaters, etc. Suffice it to say, we walked out with more than we had when we walked in!

Sock Making Machine at the Sock World & Sock Knitting machine Museum, Hokitika

I was also intrigued by the antique sock knitting machines that were on display at a little museum in a sock store. Most of the socks were wool, many of them merino wool,  New Zealand's third largest export. Merino wool is a fibre that New Zealanders excel at. If their sheep were not happy to stay in paddocks and wanted to wander, it would most likely be another failed introduction of exotic species. We have seen many sheep, recently shorn, happily chomping away in the fields. They were introduced in the 1850's from Australia and the New Zealand farmers drew from European stock to improve quality. Both Australia and New Zealand produce excellent merino yarns, but I favor the excellence and innovation I have found in New Zealand products.

On the Way to Hokitika Gorge

Following our brief engagement with the commercial world, we headed off to a nearby gorge, Hokitika Gorge, which had a walk that appealed to us - not too long or arduous. It was our first venture into more mountainous country and into the forests.

Hokitika Gorge

Due to recent rains, the water was very grey and silty - apparently it is generally a lovely glacial blue color, but not on this day!

Tree Ferns in the Path at Hokitika Gorge

While the water may not have been blue, there was no disappointment in the greens of the forest! The mosses and ferns left nothing uncovered! Such lushness was astounding to us!

Pathway in Hokitika Gorge

The path was really well constructed and was easy walking.

Rimu Leaves

We both spent a great deal of time trying to capture the details of the vegetation with our respective cameras. This photo of the fine and droopy rimu leaves was my best effort, with the turbid water showing in the background bokeh. The rimu tree is an evergreen conifer, which was used by the Maoris to make spears, canoes, torches and other tools. It's gum is bitter, but edible and it has medicinal properties.

Other Walkers Enjoying the View

It was a popular spot, and I appreciated those walkers who put on bright clothing (rain jackets, in fact) to provide a lovely photographic contrast to all the green. I met this couple later on a swing bridge and we compared cameras and lenses. Their names are Kathy in the yellow and Tony in the red. They are from Sydney.

An Inviting Bench

We loved the red of this inviting bench to the side of the trail, but we needed to push on to get to our AirBnB in Franz Josef.

The First Glimpse of Franz Josef Glacier in the Distance

The sight of snow on mountaintops is a visual delight, but when you add in a glacier - Wow! How exciting is THAT! I loved learning in school of the pressure and power behind the compacted ice and snow, with the resulting carving of enormous valleys through the hardest of rocks!

The Maori story to explain Franz Josef Glacier instead tells the tale of a love between an adventurous young woman, Hine Hukatere ('avalanche girl') who loved mountaineering. Her lover, Tawe, was not so keen on it but Hine managed to persuade Tawe to join her. He ended up often climbing with her until one day he slipped at the head of the Franz Josef Valley and plunged to his death. Hine's tears were so abundant that they flooded the valley and were frozen by the Gods as a memorial to her grief.

Main Road Through Franz Josef Town

There are many businesses in town that offer plane rides and helicopter rides to go visit the glacier up close and personal. Apart from the cost (NZD $200 to $400 each), we found it counterintuitive - as the use of fossil fuels contributes to the warming of the planet and the rapid retreat of this landform. It is entirely possible that we were really just being cheap, but instead of the modern approach we decided to take a relatively short walk to get us as close as is allowed without a guide.

 Franz Josef in 1908

If we had visited in 1908, we would have been able to lean over and touch the ice from where we were standing at the lookout. This photo on a sign showed us the size of the glacier at that time.

Same Vantage Point in 2023

The glacier has been retreating since well before 1908, but it was very startling to see how much has been lost in the last decade. In the next ten years, it is quite possible that even the small tongue that remains will be completely gone!

One of the Many Helicopters We Saw and Heard!

 If you look at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josef_Glacier#The_Waiho_Loop, you will also be startled at the enormous change between 2001 and 2016. While my small decision to walk rather than helicopter is inconsequential in the scheme of things, it does occur to me that our flying and driving around to see such sights is contributing to its demise. 

Detail of Ice on Franz Josef

Having watched my share of Everest movies, I tried zooming in with my lens as close as I could get, to see the ice formations typical of glaciers - crevasses, snow bridges, fissures and other features whose names I forget (and Google won't reveal to me). I imagined seeing little people hacking their way through with ice axe, crampons and ropes. In reality here, there is plenty of rock to use on the sides, so it is unlikely anyone ever enters this treacherous space.

The dirt you see is due to the rocks that are being shaved off the valley sides and suspended in the frozen mass.

Terminal Moraine, Franz Josef Glacier - at the Bottom of the U-Shaped Valley

When the ice melts, all that rock and dirt gets dumped on the floor of the valley in a pile called moraine. The pile at the end of the glacier is called the terminal moraine. 

This Was Terminal Moraine in 1600 AD

Later in the day, we went over to Fox Glacier, 30 minutes south. (It is worth noting that these are two of the most accessible glaciers in the world for tourists to see, being close to sea level and right on the  road down the west coast.) We walked over piles of moraine that had been deposited in 1600, which now grows a thriving forest. It was at least several miles away from the current location.

Fox Glacier

As you see, Fox Glacier is not as accessible and is even smaller than Franz Josef. No doubt there are many scientists studying the issue of glacial retreat here and I am certainly no expert. It is just sad to see them disappearing.

Panoramic View of Franz Josef Valley

So I leave you with this photo showing the beauty of the surroundings here, regardless of the size of the glacier. We were very fortunate to have blue skies on this day and see the glaciers without them being shrouded in cloud. I hope you have enjoyed visiting NZ Glacier Country with Nadine and me.