Winter in the Mackenzie- A Hoar Frost; Part 2

 Real-time

Continued on from Part 1 (and apologies again for another delay, things are hotting up at Night Sky Cottages!)

I'm afraid this one's going to be a photo-fest but do you know how hard it is to chose photos from five days of shooting one of nature's most spectacular weather phenomenon; a beautiful hoar frost?

Hot Tubs Omarama Ice Sculpture

Many of you will know that I have been chasing a hoar frost around the South Island for four of the last five winters but not having much luck with them other than a few mini frosts or ones that were on their last legs. I did manage to take a few photos last winter after we made a mad dash from Fairlie arriving in the Mackenzie just as it melted off the trees.

Heaven on earth when it's sub-zero temperatures

We very nearly missed this one too. After two very cold early winter months in Twizel we decided to have a break and head down to the coast for a few days, say hello to Anne & Joe, our Lockdown hosts, at Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp and then do a loop stopping in Timaru for a few days, before heading back to Lake Tekapo and then home to Twizel. 

Hot tub outlook

We stopped for the first night just 30kms down the road in the Hot Tubs Omarama carpark; I'd given David a voucher for a soak in the tubs for his birthday, and if you use the tubs they allow you to stay overnight in the carpark. I listen to the radio when I wake early in the morning and I had a little chuckle to myself when I heard at 6.30am that Omarama had the coldest temperature for the day at -9c. Usually it was Twizel getting the mention. And then when I checked our gauge it said -12c! It sure was cold. 

Hot Tubs Omarama carpark

I cranked up the diesel heaters and went back to bed until it was toasty warm inside. Our water pipes were frozen (no water for dishes) so it was a brisk walk down the road to the Wrinkly Ram Cafe for a hearty breakfast and then we set off down the Waitaki Valley towards the coast. 

Ahuriri Pass

I was a little perplexed to see that the trees & vegetation through Ahuriri Pass and down into Otematata were coated in frost but didn't think too much of it, I assumed the frost would be gone by the afternoon and anyway, we had plans. We stopped in a sunny Kurow, beside the Waitaki River, for a cup of tea...

...and then it was off to Glenavy where we surprised our Lockdown hosts Anne & Joe. We set up camp for the next couple of nights near out old site and made a date for Happy Hour & a catch up the following night. The next morning I headed off to Oamaru for some half-hearted 'retail therapy'. 

Glenavys Waitaki River Motor Camp

All through the morning I'd been getting messages & was seeing posts from various people about a hoar frost forming in the Mackenzie Basin. Then I saw a few photos and weather forecasts predicting fog & sub-zero temperatures for the next few days. I called David, casually mentioning what was happening back in Twizel and trying to hide my disappointment at not being there. Of course I wanted to head straight back up to the high country but I also assured him that we really couldn't, we'd come away for a few days break and it wouldn't be fair. Would it?

It didn't take him long to talk me around. He figured that he'd heard about the missed hoar frosts for the last five years and if we missed this one, he'd be hearing about it for next five years as well! It was mid afternoon and by the time I got back to Glenavy, 30kms away (no time to do a planned grocery shop), David had the 5th-wheeler ship-shape and ready to hitch up. He'd spoken to Anne & Joe- "Sorry guys, no happy hour, see you next time. Oh and by the way we're pulling out 5 hours past check-out time. We love you too!"

Then it was back up the Waitaki Valley following our footsteps from the day before. We knew we'd made the right decision as we passed Bog Roy Station and approached Sailors Cutting and Lake Benmore. The landscape looked magical, the fog had departed and it was clear & still below the low cloud that blanketed the top of the surrounding hills and mountains. 

It was getting late and I was worried we'd not get back to Twizel before dark but when I saw the willows in the Sailors Cutting carpark we had to do a quick stop on the side of the road ('cause we'd already passed the gate) and I ran back, took a few shots and then we were off again. 

Sailors Cutting willows

Sailors Cutting

And then it was another quick stop at the Ahuriri River...

Ahuriri River- upstream

...before we reached Twizel's Wairepo Arm & Kellands Pond; two large ponds one on either side of the highway which are fed from Lake Ruataniwha & the Ohau B Canal. I'd finally reached heaven! And just in the nick of time, the light was fading fast. 

Kellands Pond- Twizel

Once again David parked the rig on the side of the road and I scuttled off on a major mission; to capture as many photos as I could before darkness fell.

Wairepo Arm- Twizel

Of course there was tomorrow but as always I photograph for the moment, anything could happen by morning and I'd be beside myself if I missed this one after coming so close. 

Roadside at Kellands Pond

There were many people stopping on the highway to take photos, I moved away from the road and down a familiar track to the other side of the pond where it was still and calm and the willows, dripping in icicles, hung low over the water. 

Trackside at Kellands Pond

I was thrilled to see two of my most favourite things; a hoar frost & a loved up pair of Australasian Crested Grebes/Kamana doing a courtship dance on the frigid waters in front of the raupo.

As long as the temperature stayed low and the ice crystals kept building up on the branches, it did looked like we were in for a few days of hoar frost. How exciting! 

Wairepo Arm Reflections

Both Kellands Pond and Wairepo Arm are favourites for many photographers (and birders) because usually the waters are silky smooth and calm, perfect for reflection photography through all the seasons. This stillness keeps the fog low too and allows the ice crystals to form on the surrounding landscape during a hoar frost.

Wairepo Arm

With night falling and happy to have captured a few decent shots of the frost, we headed home to park beside the cottages for the night, and keen to see what the morning would bring. 

To be continued....Part 3
(I decided I just couldn't do the hoar frost justice with just one blog, so there'll be another two posts before I'm done).