Cascade Creek- Fiordland National Park

Catch-up (Sept 2019) 

It's purely by coincidence that my next few blogs are from our visit along the Milford Road back in September. Sadly in the past week a major rain storm has severely damaged the Milford Road, many tramping tracks and the Milford village with flooding, washouts, landslides and slips. An incredible 1.2 metres of rain, 240% of Fiordland's monthly rainfall at this time of the year has fallen in just five days. 

We left Winton, after staying with our Southland family for a few weeks, and headed west through Nightcaps and Ohai before coming out on SH99 at Clifden.

Clifden Suspension Bridge

We were heading on to Te Anau and then up the Milford Road for another visit to Fiordland National Park. We stopped at the freedom camping area beside the historic Clifden Suspension Bridge for lunch. Since we were last here the Southland District Council have improved the parking (and camping) area, opening it up, leveling, graveling and tidying up the plantings around the edge of the site.

This sign beside the entrance to the bridge (which is pedestrian only) made me smile- 

'Louie's Daffodil. I am 5 year's old. $2 Thankyou this money is for a motorbike.'

The daffodil bucket was empty and inside the yoghurt container, with a large slot in the top, I could see several gold coins. What an entrepreneurial young lad. And a trusting one too. I was worried that someone would come along and steal his money, there was only one house within view of the bridge and that was about 500 metres away up a farm track.

We stayed at the Te Anau NZMCA Park for a few days while we waited for the weather to settle. We've stayed here during the colder months several times in the past and   with very few neighbours. Only the hardy (or mad) brave Southland winters.

We strolled along the lake front and into town for lunch once the weather cleared...

...and then walked further along the lake front to check out the marina. The lake level was much lower than we'd ever seen it before (after this latest weather event it will no doubt be very full, possibly right up to the top of the marina walls).

One of the reasons I wanted to visit the marina again was to check on a Australasian Crested Grebe pair that had nested in the marina a couple of years ago. I thought they might have been nesting again but there was no sign of them this early in the season. 

We headed off up the Milford Road on a stunning blue sky day, and even though we have stopped at all the scenic viewpoints & attractions several times before,  we stop again 'just in case', just in case the view has changed, there are no people to get in the way, the weather is better, there's snow etc, etc. Some of my best shots are from 'just in case' times.

Although this time at the Eglinton Valley viewpoint I have to share the view with several busloads of tourists (which also means they'll be stopping at all the attractions further up the valley).

I walked out towards the middle, away from the 'crowd' and captured a couple who had also moved away from their fellow passengers, they give some perspective to the grand expanse of the valley. Eglinton Valley was carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago, now the Milford Road runs alongside the Eglinton River up through the valley for it's entire length.

We pull out before the buses have gathered together their passengers. Our next stop near the top of the valley is at the famous Mirror Lakes. The buses soon catch us up and disgorge their passengers en-masse. I weave my way through the tourists as they slowly meander along the short board walk while David (who's seen it all before) drives the rig to the other end of the walk and lines up with the buses who have done the same.

Many of the tourists are taking selfies along the way or have no interest in the lakes and are chatting with their friends in small groups blocking a way through the throng. I can see that there are no reflections on the Mirror Lake today, a light breeze is ruffling the water along with a few NZ Scaups (a small diving duck). I maneuver my way to the front of the platform, take a couple of shots and then hurry along the boardwalk passing through just as many tourists coming in from the other end.  

We beat the buses back onto the road and have a clear run through to the DOC camp at Cascade Creek we're we'll be staying for a few days. 

The camp is empty and it's had a major overhaul since our last visit. I had heard that this was being done and was worried that herding campers into gravel parking areas and marking out the camping spaces would detract from the natural setting and wide open spaces of the old camp where you could park up wherever you liked. With over a hundred & twenty vehicles staying here during the height of the summer season I'd hoped it wasn't going to be little more than a large gravel carpark.

 I was pleasantly surprised to see that this wasn't the case at all and in fact it had been very well done. There were multiple large landscaped parking areas with picnic tables, dining shelters and toilet blocks strategically located throughout the camp.  This was pleasing to see as there was just 2 or 3 longdrop toilets in the old camp, nowhere near enough to service the number of people staying on a busy night. 

Although it was disappointing to find that the toilets, except for one at the entrance, were all locked up. 

Eglinton River & Cascade Creek DOC Camp

We drove to the far end of the camp and parked beside Cascade Creek looking south down the Eglinton Valley. This was the fabulous view from our front door-

We had great weather for the first couple of days, waking each morning to low cloud clinging to the surrounding mountains before it lifted and cleared for the day.

And then one night it got very cold, the next morning snow covered the mountains in the distance...

...with a nice dusting on the bush clad slopes surrounding Cascade Creek.

By the end of the day the temperature had taken another dive and we had both diesel heaters keeping the freezing cold out of the van as the wind howled and swirled outside. Just as daylight faded snow started to splatter against the sides of the rig.

On opening the door the next morning I was greeted by a snow covered doormat & steps ...

...and this stunning view, it wasn't the solid whiteout I was expecting (and hoping for) after the sound of snow falling on and off all night but it was still a good dusting.

It was easy to see which way the wind had been blowing though, the south side of the ute and 'out There' were coated in snow, it looked like someone had sprayed the sides with one of those whipped cream cans.

With my fluffy white dressing gown and gumboots on (looking very much like the abominable snowman), I headed off to take photos around the camp before the snow melted.

I walked to the far side of the camp crossing over the Eglington River, which flows from Lake Gunn and borders the west side of the campground, so I could take a photo looking back over the camp.

While I was taking photos I was surprised to find a pair of Tomtits/Miromiro flitting about in the long grasses very close by and I managed to take a few photos before they moved off into the bush. Female tomtits (left & right) are notoriously shy so I was pleased to be able to capture her up close while this time the male (centre) was less confiding. I have no idea how these tiny birds survive the harsh winters.

Puffed up against the cold, this Welcome Swallow watched me from a log in the river as I stomped about in the grasses chasing the tomtits.

Soon after taking the bird photos, I was thinking I should really get back home before I get caught out, far away from the rig, in my fluffy white dressing gown and gumboots. 

Back in the safety of doorway I took a few panoramic photos of our view before retreating inside to the cosy warmth. By mid afternoon the snow had melted and the camp returned to it's usual bush greens and rustic tussock colours; campers arriving later in the day oblivious to the stunning beauty of the morning. 

In the next blog you'll see photos from the Lake Marian swingbridge which has now been washed away, and photos of  a gently flowing Hollyford River which has now contributed to some major damage in the area.

Money Laundering

Realtime

I've had a bad day. Not only has it rained solid all day but I've had to spend most of the day at the local laundromat.

Can you see $50 floating about in here?

No? Nor can I. But I did, and so did the French lady beside me who laughed and called her friend over. He saw it too. A purply-pink man's face with a big 50 beside it was waving at me on and off for a few minutes before disappearing in a big wave of soapy bubbles. A purply-pink man whose mate had just been rescued hanging from the ceiling of one of the dryers. Two problems with this picture though. You can't access the machine until it's finished and it wasn't my load!

He who shall remain nameless left two $50 bills in the back pocket of his trousers which I was washing. Not usual at all but somehow he'd overlooked transferring it to his wallet when I drew money out the other day.

I was lucky to get the first $50 back, I'd been back home to offload the washing that I'd dried and to wait for the next load to finish, returning 30 minutes later, when something made me look inside the drier (which was still empty). Not just inside but upwards (it was a knee level) and there hanging off the roof was a $50 note! I couldn't believe my eyes but that got me thinking- I wonder where the other note was. I called home for that other person to check the washing I'd brought home. No, no sign of the other note and murmurs of perhaps it was in his wallet or he'd spent it. I checked the wallet, he leaves it in the ute. No nothing in there.

By the time I walked back into the laundromat, the washing machine I'd used was washing a load for somebody else. That's when I saw the note floating about. Damn!

Nothing for it but to sit out the 35 minute wash and wait for the people to return to collect their washing. Which they did. And kindly checked their load as they transferred it into the drier. No sign of my $50 in the washing or anywhere in the washer. There were no gaps, no curves or drain holes it could have disappeared through either. Now what to do?

In the end I sat out another wash in case it made a return visit, which it didn't- the tourist also checked her washing for me at the end (and looked at me sideways as I tried to explain what was missing- crazy lady she must have thought).

Then the lady from the shop next door (they check the machines each day) came and unlocked the lint filter of the drier for me (in case it came free while the wash load was drying) but it wasn't in there either. I left her a card incase a miracle happened and also gave a card to the people whose load had been washed and dried after mine.

In the end I have no idea where it could have gone, I never left it's side once I spotted it through the door but I'm sure I've kissed it goodbye.

So, it was a bloody expensive laundry wash today (looking on the bright side- it would have been worse if I hadn't seen the other note).......and I need a large glass of wine!

Houston, We Have a Problem

While at Cascade Creek and just a few days before we were due to leave we had a relatively major issue with our “slide out” on the fifth-wheeler, which, had it happened close to a town, wouldn’t have been such a problem. Living full time on the road, the odds are stacked against us that at some stage during our travels we’re going to need specialist help for repairs to the van or the ute. We’ve already had a cracked windscreen on the ute which we managed to have replaced fairly quickly but then we weren’t too far from a large city.

This problem happened 90km from outside help & 75km from cell phone reception. We were unable to tow the fifth-wheeler back to Te Anau due to the problem so for a couple of days we had to do several 150km round trips so David could talk to the various people on the phone. We also did a return trip to Te Anau to check out the businesses that we had arranged to repair the problem.

David & I wanted to take this opportunity of thanking the people that helped us, their expertise & promptness helped us through a stressful few days and I would highly recommend all of them, should anybody need their services. Capable small town New Zealand & that famous “southern hospitality” are very much alive & kicking.

Selwyn- Manapouri Motorhome & Caravan Park- making friends & having contacts like Selwyn on your travels helps save valuable time in knowing who are the best local people to deal with. Selwyn was able to recommend Jeremy, at Te Anau Auto Electrical, as the person we initially needed to talk to.

Jeremy- Te Anau Auto Electrical- Jeremy went above & beyond the call of duty. Coincidentally he was visiting Milford Sound a couple of days after our contact and offered to call in to Cascade Creek on his way home to help us. With his skills and the extra manpower we were able to get the slide in, something David & I could not have managed on our own. Jeremy was also on hand to offer assistance once we had the fifth-wheeler back in Te Anau and he also recommended our next contact….

Russell- Metal Works- Nothing was too much trouble for Russell, he had our van in his workshop the moment we arrived and very quickly worked out what needed to be done. He had it repaired in record time which meant we weren’t off the road for very long at all. He even folded the old towels I had put down on the floor for mats & vacuumed the van once they had finished. And once again, another recommendation, this time where to stay while the van was getting repaired….

Kerri- Radfords Lakeview Motel- We had to spend a couple of nights in a motel while the van was being repaired & I can say that nothing was too much trouble for Kerri from the moment we arrived. It’s no surprise they won the  “NZ AA Supreme Host of the Year” award last year with such a charming lady behind the helm. The motel was beautifully appointed with lots of extra touches that made the stay even more enjoyable.

And last but not least;

Mal & Alisha- On The Way RV, Mt Maunganui. As our Ultima fifth-wheel supplier, once Mal heard we had a problem he was of amazing support and full of reassurance for David & I. Mal supplied unlimited information to David & Russell to help solve the problem and arranged additional personal backup advice from the Australian dealer. Also, replacement parts were arranged for express delivery from the States & arrived in Te Anau in record time. Again, nothing was too much trouble and we were very grateful for the personal service & incredible support we received from Mal & Alisha.

Kepler Track- One of the “Great Walks”

The Kepler Track is one of DOCs “Great Walks”, its a 60 km, 3-4 day circular track that starts on the gently sloped beech-forested shores of Lake Te Anau climbing steadily up onto and along tussocky alpine ridges, past Mt Luxmore, through deep gorges, down the steep Iris Burn and back through beech forest along the shores of Lake Manapouri. Being so close to Te Anau the “Walk” is a very popular tramp and the huts are booked up well in advance. The car park close to the Waiau Control Gates where the track starts and finishes was full of rental cars both days we were in the area with people entering & exiting the track constantly.

There were a number of day walk options available on the track and we decided to do the 4 hour return walk from Rainbow Reach to Moturau Hut. The hut is the last one on the Kepler Track & we would be walking against the normal flow of traffic. As I’ve previously said we usually like to do a loop walk so we’re not seeing the same scenery twice but with a hut at the end to entice us (in fact two huts to choose from), a few other interesting features on the walk and two swing bridges we decided there would be enough to keep our interest.

This is the fabulous swing bridge at Rainbow Reach, one of the largest we’ve seen and capable of taking 10 people at once, although it looks like it could safely take a few more. The bridge crosses the wide Upper Waiau River which flows from lake Te Anau and into Lake Manapouri.

The walk starts in quite an airy light filled beech forest with a moss covered floor. The track is well formed and in fact we both commented on the feeling that this walk had a “commercial” feel about it. So much so that I felt like there could be somebody hiding behind a tree waiting to tell me off if I stepped off the path. We also passed a number of people & groups walking the track, a few making a huge amount of noise- those are the ones that then complain about there being no birds in the bush!

Before long though, the track narrowed and the understory grew thick, green & lush with ferns & spongy moss . The people thinned out too, a lot obviously just take a stroll from Rainbow Reach to get a small taste of NZ bush. I’m sure most wouldn’t have walked  far enough to see the beautiful ferns.

It was a thrill when I suddenly spied some flowers on a moss covered log & realised that they were our tiny native epiphytic orchid; Raupeka or Easter Orchid. As most New Zealanders will know, our native bush does not do large or flashy flowers they are mostly small & unobtrusive. This perfectly formed little beauty has the added advantage of a strong sickly sweet smell to attract attention. Cool!

Deep in the bush we came to the second swing bridge which crossed a small rocky stream bed. It was here that David decided to take a look at the water to see if there were any trout. I failed to notice that he had moved to the edge when I left the bridge after taking some photos. So for the next 40 minutes or so I raced through the bush trying to catch him up while he also pushed on hoping to catch me! Lesson learned- we need to communicate if either of us moves off the track. Needless to say we both had some choice words to say when we finally met up. After 40 minutes I realised that David just couldn’t have got that far ahead of me so I stopped and waited….and waited. Just as I was starting to worry, I heard him whistling for me. Although I didn’t know the whistle was for me! We also need to have a whistle tune that we recognise so I don't think some weirdo is approaching.

Needless to say the whole of Kepler Track could have heard us stomping down the boardwalk to the viewing platform over the wetlands and across Forest Burn.

By about now we were also starting to tire (after the mad dash) and we still had a few kilometres to walk. This cheeky little fantail (pīwakawaka) pushed us on flitting in and out of the trees as we walked by.

Along the way I found some unusual fungi to shoot, but nothing like the colours we saw in the Catlins. Finally we came to a fork in the track. One branch led to a day hut at Shallow Bay on Lake Manapouri, the other to the Moturau Hut still 20 minutes away. We had come so far I wasn’t about to turn around although my boots were starting to feel like lead weights.

Then without warning we broke out onto a clearing in front of the hut which was surrounded by people, inside and out! Kepler Track walkers that had arrived from the other direction and were staying the night at the hut. Some of the younger ones were playing a ball game, older ones were reading, others were sorting packs & airing bedding. And in amongst all this were hundreds, nay, thousands of vicious little sandflies! We had our lunch with us which we gulped down all the while swatting at sandflies and dancing about on one leg. We quickly threw everything into the pack, turned around and high-tailed it out of there. A very short and not so sweet visit! Even an invite from the DOC ranger to have a look round inside was turned down.

The view from the hut out over Lake Manapouri. At least on a hot day you could take a swim to cool down and get away from the pesky little buggers- the sandflies not the trampers.

The Kepler Track is also home to the Kepler Challenge, an annual running race that covers the whole 60 kilometres in less than five hours. While we were having our lunch on the hop a runner came in from the other direction calling out a greeting to the ranger. She filled up with water & was having a conversation with others while doing some stretching exercises when we left but it wasn’t too far down the track when we heard her footsteps approaching. We stepped aside as she ran past marveling at her sinewy leg muscles. She was in training for the Kepler Challenge and obviously covers the distance quite often. I was in awe.

It was a long slog home for us, towards the end you’re just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and praying that around the next bend will be the car park. One benefit of a there & back track, you know roughly how close home is when you see some familar objects……like a rotten log where you took a photo of some fungi.

Back at Rainbow Reach as we crossed the bridge, we spotted a canoe & a kayak approaching. We waited to see them pass under the bridge & it was good to see kids out with their Dads having fun in the great outdoors.

Relaxing in Manapouri

We’re back in the land of connections again after 12 wonderful days exploring the road to Milford Sound & the Sound itself, we’ve had some amazing experiences….ask David about the “fireworks” when you see him! So it’s back into catching up on a multitude of blog posts starting with Manapouri…..

Manapouri is a great little settlement & was an ideal spot for us to have a break after our time at Mavora Lakes & before continuing on to explore the Milford Road & Milford Sound. We initially only intended staying for two or three days to catch up on the backlog of chores that come with being off the grid for two weeks; washing; both clothes & vehicles, doing some minor maintenance, recharging the house batteries and most important of all, catching up on computer work including my blog posts for Mavora Lakes. It’s lovely to have a break from the computer when we’re out of internet range but it takes a fair bit to catch up on when we reconnect!

 

In the end, we were enjoying our time  at the Manapouri Motorhome & Caravan Park so much we ended up staying for ten days!  Those that have been following the blog religiously will know that I posted this blog on my surprise helicopter ride and the photos of the Park that I took for Selwyn & Gloria. That was a great experience and a highlight of the trip so far for me.

 

Manapouri put on some amazing weather for us while we were there, sunny blue skies most of the time with a hint of a frost on a number of days. I was worried that we were pushing our luck and the weather would break before we managed to do a few of the activities we had planned. I needn't have worried, we had a couple of overcast days with on & off light drizzle. Even when the North Island & Canterbury were battening down the hatches ahead of a cyclone warning, Manapouri stayed bright & sunny. It's not the first time I've thought about how the "rest" of  New Zealand seem to forget about the southern part of our country. The forecast for this area, when we get one, is hardly ever right.
 

 

 

Lake Manapouri is NZ’s second deepest lake and contains an amazing 33 islands. The lake has four arms, North, South, West and Hope, we were to sail into the West Arm later in the week when we visited Doubtful Sound. West Arm is also where the Manapouri Hydro Power Station is located.

 

Lake Manapouri & the Hunter Mountains

Who would have thought there was a sandy beach on the edge of the lake? It was a surprise to find it at the bottom of a gravel track just below the settlement. It was an even bigger surprise to see people sunbathing.

 

After my photography exploits in the helicopter, one of our neighbours came to tell me about a 14 point stag they’d seen on a deer farm not too far down the road  on the way to Riverton. We took a drive and managed to find him but he had hidden himself against a fence under some trees so I couldn’t get a good shot. But I did manage to get a clear shot of the Takitimu Mountain Range.

And one of Mt Titiroa, a prominent landmark in the Te Anau Basin, quite clearly showing the white granite rock which gives its summit the appearance of lingering snow even through the summer months. I did hear from a boat skipper, that apparently in the 1980s, a hunter got lost and set fire to scrub to alert rescuers. The fire got out of control and destroyed a lot of the bush that covered the upper slopes making the granite much more visible.

Each morning & evening we had front row seats to some amazing sunrises & sunsets, the cloud & fog that often hung over the lake and around the mountain range turned to many shades of gold & pink.

We did a number of short trips in to Te Anau for supplies and to make a few appointments. We also called in at a few of the tourist spots along the way & in town. In Te Anau if you’re a Kiwi, you’re the odd man out. The town is full of tourists, tour buses, motorhomes, sleeper vans and monster packs attached to people. It's busy but not that bad considering it's a small town. The local supermarket does a roaring trade and the carpark is mostly full of motorhomes & other rentals. We have found that when driving our ute we're often thought of as locals and are constantly getting a wave from farmers & others as we pass by or getting let into queues. Obviously not when we're towing the 5th Wheeler of course.

We stopped at the Upper Waiau River Control Gates on Lake Te Anau. The gates regulate water flows between Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri for the West Arm hydroelectric power station and mark the beginning of the NZ famous “Great Walk”, the 60km, 3 day Kepler Track.

Looking across Lake Te Anau to Te Anau township

 

The boats at the Te Anau Marina have extra long mooring lines due to the high rise & fall of the lake from both the snow melt in winter & hydro power scheme.

This sign beside the supermarket in Te Anau amused David and at first glance I actually thought it did say the “Wrong Way”. I suspect that there would be many photos taken of this with tourists standing underneath.

We actually didn’t do too much while staying in Manapouri which was nice for a change. We did, as I said, visit Doubtful Sound & the Power Station, and we also walked part of the Kepler Track. Those posts will be coming up shortly.

Next stop Cascade Creek, Milford! On our last morning at the Park we had this beautiful rainbow see us off.