It’s Not Called a Rainforest for Nothing

Realtime

We are back in Te Anau again after five rain soaked days down the Milford Road. Yes, the weather forecast was for rain before we left but we figured we’d head to Cascade Creek and see how we went. It’s the middle of summer, right? The rain wouldn’t last for too long, right? Wrong. The forecast just got worse by the day, a stalled weather system above Fiordland National Park brought rain off and on for the first couple of days and then heavy rain for the next three and even now back in Te Anau the forecast is still for heavy rain for the coming four days as well. As I told a few tourists who asked if the rain would stop soon, “you can't have a rainforest if you don’t have rain”.

It’s just as well the last time we visited the Milford Road we had fabulous weather for the nearly 2 weeks we stayed at Cascade Creek exploring the National Park and Milford Sound. It was sunshine every day bar one- the one we walked a section of the famous Milford Track. That day it was torrential rain, the track was flooded, we couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of us and we were soaked to the skin by the time we returned to Milford and our vehicle. But the drive home was magic, the mountains came alive with hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the sheer rock wall faces as we drove through the valleys.

We’d seen the park in all weathers so we weren’t too concerned this time, we were re-visiting Milford Road to complete a couple of walks we’d missed the last time, do some bird-watching and see some of the areas in a different season.

We stopped at the DOC Camp at Cascade Creek again, the last DOC Camp on the Milford Road and still 43km from Milford Sound itself. It felt like coming home when we pulled into the camp, our same patch in the wilderness was available too! Although if we’d arrived much later in the day I’m sure the site would have been taken. It’s the height of the tourist season and by early evening there were over 120 vehicles parked around the perimeter of the camp and I’m sure more arrived later in the evening. Lucky Cascade Creek is a large area and most campers headed for the bush. This was taken from the doorway, there are nearly as many vehicles in the other direction as well.

The 45 minute loop Lake Gunn Nature Walk is right beside Cascade Creek and is, in my opinion, one of the best short walks along the Milford Road. For people on a tight time schedule or those with less mobility, this walk is a must. The understory is phenomenal, a thick carpet of emerald green mosses smother everything in sight, fallen trees which litter the forest floor are quickly reclaimed by the moss and fungi- moss and fungi that require rain to work their magic. Rotting trees fall apart at the slightest touch. It’s no wonder the Lake Gunn walk and surrounding mountains were used by Sir Peter Jackson in the Misty Mountain scenes in the Lord of the Rings- The Fellowship of the Ring.

The bird life is also amazing…if you stop to listen and observe. It never fails to amaze me how many people comment about the lack of bird life in our bush. I’m sure they must be the ones that stride along the tracks loudly proclaiming to their fellow walkers that there’s nothing to see. Hidden behind trunks, running along branches, flitting about in the undergrowth, are some of New Zealand’s tiniest birds. These little birds are a bit like Kiwis (the people,  not the bird), quiet and reserved- ok, just kidding. If you listen carefully the forest is alive with tiny pips and tweets; contact and alarm calls between birds and their families.

This is New Zealand’s smallest bird, a juvenile Rifleman/Titiponamu (female). She was part of a family of 5 hunting for insects through the lower canopy of the forest.

A male Tomtit/Miromiro is just a little large than the Rifleman but a lot easier to spot as they launch themselves off trunks to catch insects on the fly. Their call is also a little louder, their alarm call a lot louder.

The clouds hung low over Lake Gunn (Misty Mountains?) and Cascade Creek most days, rain squalls passing through on a regular basis for the first two days.

One of the walks we missed last time was the walk to Lake Marian, a small alpine lake in a hanging valley high above the Hollyford Valley. We could see the lake from across the Divide when we walked to the top of Key Summit, part of the Routeburn Track, on our last visit. That was a gut-busting walk and this one proved to be as well.

The Marian Falls, a series of cascading waterfalls are a major attraction at the bottom of the walk, a swing bridge crosses the Hollyford River and a short walk leads to a board walk and viewing platforms that hang off the side of the rock walls.

Beyond the falls the track becomes a seriously tough climb (especially if you take a wrong turn), up and onwards towards the lake that feeds the falls below, it's a 3km, 3hour return walk. We took an extra half an hour as it was very slow coming down, David twisted his knee and had to step carefully and go backwards. Luckily he did no major damage, I had visions of setting off our EPIRB at one stage! :)

It was raining and the cloud was low when we left Cascade Creek but by the time we arrived at the lake carpark (just 8kms or so down the road) the cloud had lifted, the rain stopped and blue sky appeared. It was the only blue sky we were to see on our visit to Milford.

Climbing up this rock slide was tough work, we had just emerged form our ‘wrong turn’ track to see people that had been behind us, out in front.

We have no idea where the wrong turn was but others had done the same as the track was formed although really rough and hard to negotiate. Later on we spoke to another couple who had done the same thing. David think’s it was when a side track led to a view over the river, instead of turning back we carried on along the track. We should have clicked though, as there were no orange DOC markers. I looked for the turn on our way back down but still didn’t see where we went wrong.

Finally the track levelled out and after a short distance the bush opened up to reveal a beautiful snow fed alpine lake, Lake Marian…

…and a mermaid!

Not quite what you expect to see high up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere on a relatively cold day. And not one mermaid either, but two and a few Neptunes as well! It must be a thing they have on their ‘must do’ list when visiting NZ- ‘swim in an alpine lake’, there were two other groups that arrived and had a swim too. I say swim but in fact it was more of a quick dip, a yell of surprise and a quick dash for the towel.

We had lunch on the rocks beside the lake listening to the calls of the kea soaring about above us, the squeals of the swimmers as they splashed about in the water and exclamations of joy as others arrived through the gap onto the lake shore behind us.

After lunch I walked around the lake edge to see if I could find the river outlet but it was hidden amongst the boulders in an unreachable corner where the water was this beautiful colour.

The blue sky had disappeared by the time we reached the lake with the cloud rolling back in. By the time we got back to our vehicle the rain had arrived again. We had timed the walk just right! On the way back down the track I found a tiny patch of native NZ Greenhood Orchids poking their heads out of the jumble of overgrown ferns.

It rained heavily overnight and all through the next day which suited us fine as we took the day off to rest our weary bones after the climb to Lake Marian.

It was still raining the next day but we decided to drive through to Milford Sound anyway, well in fact as the rain got heavier and heavier as we progressed through the mountains, we thought we might only go as far as the Homer Tunnel.

We stopped at Monkey Creek, a very popular lookout point down the Upper Hollyford Valley (when the weather is clear), it’s also where Kea (NZ’s alpine parrot) sometimes hang out and sure enough there were 4 or 5 bouncing around the carpark, one pulling at a guys shoelaces as he was preoccupied with his head under the bonnet of his car. A couple of tour buses pulled in behind us and as soon as the people started to appear the kea quickly came over to check them out. Well most of them did, a couple disappeared under the nearest bush.

I know the feeling mate- wet and bedraggled a kea and it’s juvenile chick take a back seat for while.

Even in the heavy rain there was plenty of traffic moving to and from Milford Sound, so many tour buses and motorhomes along with rental cars, the road was extremely busy. I’ve read figures on the DOC blogs that mention on peak days there are over 1,000 vehicles visiting Milford Sound each day.

We pulled over at the Homer Tunnel to check out the waterfalls cascading down the rock walls.

Many others did too, some venturing close to the water. Can you see the person at the bottom of the falls?

We decided as we’d come this far we might as well carry on to Milford Sound where we found the carparks overflowing and the rain gone for the moment.

We’ve already cruised Milford Sound- on a fine day. We wandered down to the wharf to check it out. Mitre Peak had its head in the clouds.

Most of the tour boats were out on the Sound…

…with a couple waiting to board passengers or just departing on their next cruise.

Looking back towards the tiny village of Milford from the wharf with Sheerdown Peak behind.

We left Milford and headed back into the mountains where is was still raining. We pulled into the Chasm carpark thinking we might have lunch in our vehicle while watching the tour buses arrive and depart but it was just too wet for me to organise a cup of tea on my seat while standing in the rain so instead…

…I joined the throng of tourists with their colourful umbrellas and wet-weather ponchos and walked the short distance to view the Chasm, a place where the Cleddau River is forced into a 22m deep and narrow ravine. I’d seen it on our last visit but thought I might as well see it again, who knows when or if we’ll be back this way in the future.

I did feel sorry for the busloads of tourists, most would have left Queenstown in the morning where it was fine and sunny. This would be their one and only chance to visit Milford and while the waterfalls are spectacular there’s nothing that can compare to the stunning views of the mountains along the Milford Road on a clear day.

The cloud lifted and the rain stopped for a brief moment as we drove up the Cleddau Valley towards the Homer Tunnel…

…but just a minute later, both were back.

We pulled into a layby just below the tunnel and decided we’d now have lunch overlooking the valley below- the rain started just as we stopped. A few tour buses on their way to Milford also stopped to let their passengers out to see the view. We were soon surrounded by trigger happy tourists but thankfully the heavy rain soon had them scurrying back to the bus. Though our view disappeared too- underneath the approaching rain cloud and behind the fogged up windows!

We waited for the lights to change before we pulled up to the head of the queue to wait for the tunnel lights to change again, it's a 6 minute wait which is great if you’re wanting to take photos. Last time we stopped here we were accosted by a lone kea begging for treats. There were none waiting today.

We made it home safe and sound and not too wet all things considered. With heavy rain forecast for the next few days (at one stage, 500mm for the weekend) we decided we’d head back to Te Anau. We’d done the one walk we’d missed last time and a couple of the others I had in mind we would have been re-doing some sections so they can wait until our next visit…if there is another visit. I was disappointed to not get some bright time in the forest with the birds but again, all things considered, I still managed a few half decent shots.

Milford is definitely a fabulous place to visit, but I think I prefer it when it’s sunny. But…as I kept telling anyone who’d listen, you can’t have a rainforest without rain.


Realtime- I thought I’d add either Realtime or Catch-up to the start of my blog posts because I know I sometimes get confused when I look back at the blog posts as to whether they are current or a catch-up post and I’m sure some of you do too, so now you’ll know.

And Finally, Milford Sound

You can’t travel to Milford without “doing” the Sound surely? Milford is all about the Sound. It’s the reason why a long, winding & difficult road was hacked over & around the mountains, why a kilometre long tunnel was blasted through a mountain, why dozens of tour buses & hundreds of cars arrive daily to disgorge thousands of people. Milford Sound wouldn’t be Milford Sound without the Sound. But honestly, for me “The Road to Milford” was the masterpiece, the Sound; more a wonderful consolation prize.

Milford Village

We weren’t in any hurry to repeat our wet weather experience of the Milford Track so we gave the weather a few days to settle before we made the hour long journey for the third & final time back into Milford Sound to arrange a boat cruise.

The three carparks for the public were once again full of rentals; cars, sleeper vans & motorhomes of every shape, size & style. Private cars were few and far between & once again we felt like strangers in our own country. The bus parking at the boat terminal was full, tour buses lined both sides of the park and still more were arriving. The late morning & early afternoon cruises are always busy as this is when the buses arrive form Te Anau & Queenstown. Having now driven the Te Anau – Queenstown road, I can’t imagine what a long day of travel tourists put themselves through. It’s bad enough one way, Queenstown to Te Anau but then they have the 2 hour Milford Road to travel & then the Sound cruise, I think most would be asleep on the return journey!

We decided, after experiencing Doubtful Sound on a big boat, we’d do Milford, mid afternoon on a small one & chose Mitre Peak Cruises. Unfortunately at that time of the day & after all the rain and now the hot sun, the haze on the mountains surrounding the Sound was quite bad. I thought perhaps these should be called the Blue Mountains of Milford. There were many boats out on the Sound but not enough to detract from the beauty. Our first view, as the boat pulls out from the wharf & taking centre stage, is the iconic 1700 metre high Mitre Peak. I’d love to see it in winter when the air would be clear and the peak covered in snow.

Being on a smaller boat meant the skipper could follow along the edge of the Sound very close to the towering rock faces. We were able to see many of the smaller waterfalls & any wildlife on the very few ledges along the way including these seal pups sleeping in the sun.

We wait our turn to check out a small waterfall that sends a gentle spray over the deck.

Milford Sound is quite a bit smaller than Doubtful, only 16kms long compared with 40km, and it’s also a lot narrower. Before long we were out the entrance and into the Tasman Sea on the West Coast. Being narrower than Doubtful the sheer rock walls appeared to rise more dramatically out of the calm waters, or perhaps that was because we were exploring much closer to them than when we were on the bigger boat.

After seeing the seals I had two little girls from America standing beside me on the bow scanning the water. They “really, really” wanted to see a dolphin and according to their father if they didn’t they were going to be very upset. New Zealand was their first experience of the sea, they were from landlocked Nebraska. I explained to them that while it might be possible, the dolphins didn’t always visit the boats in Milford. The pod didn’t live in the Sound they roamed the coast and came into feed sometimes.

And then just as I finished explaining, the cry went out “Dolphins to port” and there steaming very fast towards us were a mother & her calf, just as the boat had turned and we were heading back into the Sound. The girls were ecstatic, jumping & waving about. Way off to the side the rest of the pod splashed and jumped but only these two came close and rode our bow wave (slowly) back to the entrance, where they then peeled off and swam back to their family.

The mother kept very close to the calf and nudged it out of the way occasionally, she also kept herself between us & the baby as they surfed the bow wave & swum under and around the boat. It was like she was showing the calf the “tricks of the trade”, how to have a bit of fun with the many boats that visit each day.

 

 

Our next port of call was 146 metre glacier fed Stirling Falls, one of only two permanent falls in the Sound. The falls drop from a classic “hanging valley” carved out between the mountains long ago.

 

 

I knew what was about to happen as I’ve seen plenty of photos and as we approached  I ducked back inside the boat to watch. The skipper did warn everybody that he was going to dip the bow into the falls but a number of people were either talking or didn’t understand and were still standing there watching the approach & taking photos. Then suddenly they were blasted from above by hundreds of litres of water. One guy’s cap went west, another slipped and slid over in his rush to get out of the way. The guy in the Harley Davidson jacket (from Indonesia) was having a ball, he couldn’t stop laughing. His wife couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Our last point of interest is just along from the cruise terminal. The Lady Bowen Falls drop 161 metres into the Sound and are the termination of the Bowen River. The falls provide Milford village with their electricity from a small hydroelectric scheme, and are also the water source for the settlement.

We both enjoyed the cruise very much but if I had to choose I think it would be Doubtful Sound. And maybe that was because it was an early morning cruise when the sun was still low and the water calm making it much easier to photograph. That, along with the size & isolation, the feeling that you were exploring a hidden gem that not too many people get to see (not that Milford isn’t isolated, because it is). Then again Milford is more dramatic where the walls seemed to be closing in on you. They are both different but equally beautiful.

On our way back along the covered walkway to the car we had one more encounter with the local wildlife, a very large stick insect heading out onto the road, she (females are much larger) started swaying as we approached (trying hard to look like a twig in the wind) which actually gave her away, if she had stayed still I probably would have thought she was a twig on the path. David got her to walk onto his hand and moved her into the bushes. We were ahead of the crowd and I’m sure if we hadn’t spotted the insect she would have been squashed under foot.

 

 

And that was it. The road to Milford, done & dusted. We had a fantastic time, walked some beautiful tracks, saw some amazing scenery, enjoyed many encounters with the wildlife & thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Cascade Creek. And the best bit of all? Taking twelve days to do it.

Cascade Creek

After 10 days at Manapouri it was finally time to move on. Next stop was Cascade Creek, a DOC campground located on the remote & isolated road from Te Anau to Milford Sound. I say remote & isolated in relation to any towns and cities. It’s definitely not isolated from people. The Milford Sound Highway, part of the Te Wahipounamu- South West NZ World Heritage Area & would be one of the most tourist travelled highways in New Zealand. It is a “must do” on most people’s itinerary and every day hundreds of rental cars, rental motorhomes & tourist buses make the pilgrimage along the 120kms of winding, scenic & spectacularly dramatic highway into the Milford Sound village where they then usually board a boat for a cruise on the Sound. Over 400,000 people visit Milford Sound  each year and most of these are during the summer season.

Then the journey is repeated in reverse later in the day as most people push on to complete their busy schedules. The busloads of tourists that leave Queenstown early in the morning have a 12-14 hour day of travel and over 600kms ahead of them before arriving back in Queenstown later in the evening. People camping in tents, sleeper vans & motorhomes have another option. They can explore the highway over 2-3 days as they are able to stay at any one of the 10 DOC camps that are located along the road. We intended to stay at least 10 days so we had plenty of time to sight-see & explore.

Other than a DOC camp the only other option for accommodation is a lodge carpark at the Sound itself or a small “old time” campground with cabins located along the Hollyford Valley Road, the only side road on the highway. This is the wilderness though and there are no luxuries out here.The DOC campgrounds are very basic and really only offer a minimal amount of long-drop toilets & a few firepits for cooking & warmth and a safe place to camp (freedom camping is not allowed anywhere on the highway). Water is available usually from a stream or river that passes by the edge of most of the camps. Being self contained and self sufficient we had no issues with parking up well away from any “amenities”.

Cascade Creek, located at the eastern end of Lake Gunn is the second closest camp to Milford Sound and one of the more popular sites as it large & sprawling, the tiny Lake Gunn camp at the western end of the lake is the closest. These both are still 45kms from Milford.
The only minor issue we could see was that travelling back & forward to camp each day would use up our valuable diesel and with no fuel stations on the road & only a 24hr credit card pump at Milford itself we would need to make sure our tank didn’t get too low.

This was my first visit to Milford and I was eagerly looking forward to travelling the highway. And it didn’t disappoint. It was magnificent, around every corner the views were spectacular. Our first stop was at the beginning of the beautiful tussock covered Eglinton Valley formed by a glacier thousands of years ago and surrounded by the Earl & Livingston Mountains.

As we moved up the valley towards the head where Lake Gunn is situated the steep walls of the mountains closed in on us and we moved away from the tussock plain and into the beautiful beech forest with it’s lime green moss covered forest floor.

Cascade Creek camp ground is located at the junction of two rivers; Cascade Creek which flows down from the Livingstone Mountains which you can see in the photo below & the Eglinton River which leaves Lake Gunn in the bush at the end of the camp ground in the other direction.

Sadly, in the 10 years since it was first discovered, the introduced and very fast spreading didymo or “rock snot” as it’s sometimes known, has virtually taken over many of the once pristine rivers & waterways of Fiordland and elsewhere around the South Island. It is thought that the algae was unintentionally introduced via fishing gear from overseas visitors. The irony is that these visitors come to NZ to fish our world renowned trout fishing rivers. The algae kills off valuable food sources both for trout & wading birds. So far, with intensive prevention procedures in place, Didymo has not made it to the North Island.

We found a flat site in the tussock half way along the gravel road and just after it branched in two. Most of the sites were in under the bush and along it’s edge with a few small gravel patches formed here & there for vehicles to park on. We didn’t want to be near the bush because we know how vicious the sandflies are come a dull day or in the cool of the evening. It amazed us how many did camp along the bush edge though, and spent most of their time dancing about or swatting at their arms, legs & faces. Once again, thank God for our flyscreens.

David had been to Cascade Creek before. A very long time ago though. It was Christmas Eve 1968 and he had just arrived with his English wife from the UK. His sister Carole & her husband, who were already here, took them on a tour. There was a lodge at Cascade Creek then (long gone now, although we saw a few of the foundations) and David remembers beating down the flowering lupins while trying to pitch the tent. The lupins are mostly gone now too, DOC have been religiously spraying and removing them every season although I managed to find one hardy flower for him. The lodge owner invited them for Christmas dinner the next day, goose & all the beer they could drink for $3 a head. He remembers being overwhelmed by the hospitality of his newly adopted countrymen.

We had some great weather while we were at Cascade Creek, although the mornings were crisp & cold especially with a good frost on a couple of the days. Like Mavora Lakes the sun took it’s time reaching the valley floor in the morning and disappeared over the opposite ridge early in the evening. Fog & mist settled over the river most mornings & evenings.

Every evening a steady stream of vehicles would arrive to set up camp. It was fun watching as they drove around deciding where the best place was to park, some missing out on their choice as others, more savvy with the way the camp grounds work, grabbed the first available site. I have never seen so many different varieties of rental motorhomes & sleeper vans in one place before, rental businesses are obviously doing a roaring trade. Being Kiwis we felt like the odd ones out, occasionally another member of the NZMCA would drive past & waving out to each other was like greeting an old friend.

 The prize for the weirdest tent goes to this couple below, it’s suspended between trees and they climb into through an opening in the side. It’s like a big sleeping hammock. I guess it keeps them off the damp ground but what about “roll together” and I wonder what happens when there are no trees. Certainly the strangest thing we’ve seen.

In the little blue sleeper tent next door were two of David’s new friends, a young Cech couple who are travelling & working in NZ for a year. He joined them for a beer around the camp fire a couple of nights and they certainly made sure he enjoyed happy hour; one night in particular!

Not only did we have all the camp traffic passing through we also had a few tour buses (& Downer road trucks accessing the shingle pile at the back of the camp). The Lake Gunn Nature Walk started near the entrance to the camp and sometimes the bus drivers would carry on in to show the people on board what a DOC camp looks like I suppose, or perhaps to use the toilets (yuck). One morning the smell of bacon, onions & sausages filled the air. Tucked into a corner of the camp beside the Creek was this BBQ tour bus with a whole load of Japanese tourists sitting round on camp chairs enjoying a cooked breakfast! Now that is initiative, a tour with a point of difference to offer the masses.

We loved our time at Cascade Creek & all the comings & goings at either end of the day and having the peaceful mid-day solitude after everyone had disappeared on some of the days was awesome. The bird life was prolific and the sandflies nasty but best of all, the beauty and tranquillity of this section of the highway surrounded by mountains, was inspiring.