NZ2024 - Leg 4 - Te Anau to Milford Sound - almost - and back

Today, it was ALL about Milford Sound.  We had actually planned to do the jet boats today, but the weather was looking pretty cool, and the forecast for tomorrow was looking just amazing, so we decided to switch it around.  And Fjordland Jet Boats was so gracious about us transferring to a different day!  

First we had a light breakfast at Shakespeare House, then we stopped at the grocery store for some snacks, as we knew we wouldn't have any chance to eat if we didn't take something along.  Although really, we bought enough "snacks" for three or four days.  That's ok, we'll not be flying again for a couple of weeks at least, and will have a rental car to lug stuff around in for most of that time.

With some fruit, crackers, cheese, sandwiches, water, juice and a couple of Whittakers chocolate bars in tow (and maybe a bag or two of pineapple lumps - iykyk), off we go to find Milford Sound.  We may not get all the way up to the Sound, and don't have a cruise booked anyway - we did that last time - this time the goal is to stop and stay a while and fill our souls with all the goodness that is the drive to Milford Sound.  We want to see again the places we stopped last time (7 years ago) and explore those that we missed.  

I had forgotten that the drive toward Fjordland National Park from Te Anau is something not to be missed - some would argue that it is almost as beautiful - in the right light - as the drive through the Park.  I try to remember, but can't, there is just too much beauty to try and hold in memory.  And of course, while I'm driving, I can't see everything.  I would need to drive this route every day for the rest of my life to come even close to being tired of it.

First up once we hit the Park however, is Walker Creek.  It's a brief stop, and there are several other cars around, and although it's lovely, we know we can expect even better things to come.  

    

Just a couple of kilometers down the road we find Eglinton Valley, where we remember stopping before.  It's a flat valley, not like what one would expect in a mountainous region, but this is a relatively unique feature of New Zealand, we've learned.  Because of how the mountains have formed, what they are comprised of, and how young they are (relatively speaking, they are still older than me by a bit), the valleys are essentially "filled in".  It looks like a miniature prairie right now, with the grass brown from dry weather and the end of the season.  

Someone along the way recommended that we stop at Mirror Lakes, which was only a bit further.  Parking was plenty, so we pulled off and expected a 10 minute walk off the road - however, it was only a little walkway down, very accessible, and although we were expecting "lakes" (being from southern Ontario, and thinking of the Great Lakes, where you can't see the other side most of the time), there were two small ponds.  A few ducks swam about, but unfortunately, it was a windy day, and reflections weren't to be seen.  We hope that we will see a Mirror finish and reflection when we return later.  But....

There was a bonus.  In typical NZ fashion, there is a coffee station right there in the parking area.  Coffee Cat had a van there, with full service of various coffee styles, including our favourite Flat White.  A few small snacks were also available, however, we had fully stocked at the grocery so we kept it to a FW each.  Perfect.  And they had a small donation tin - this one to Save the Kea.  Thanks Coffee Cat!  Coffee Cat

The next stop is the most important - flush toilets at Knobs Flat - the last flush toilets before Milford Sound.  We take advantage, and find that this is actually also a campground with cabins, and the building that houses the restrooms is spacious and also houses some information about the area, as well as a sofa.  Across the road, we notice a van driving out in the flats, and decide to try and figure out how to drive through the area as well.  This is a place we hadn't stopped in either direction when we did the drive 7 years ago.  

Knobs Flats is similar to Eglinton Valley, however it has a stream running through it (stream?  Creek?  River?)  It appears that there was at one point another road through the area that was washed out at some point and not repaired.  A helicopter flew over as we came out of the washroom and we also wanted to find out where it had landed - which appeared to be a municipal works facility.  While we were exploring the Flats, the heli took off again.  Wonder where it's off to?  Probably taking people and supplies closer to the Sounds, as we found out later there is a lot of construction going on along the highway - not disruptive thankfully.

Knobs flats is actually quite beautiful, and the stream/creek/river is completely clear and that lovely blue colour we have seen throughout our travels here.  Definitely worth a stop to get out, stretch and take in the scenery.

Our journey continues, until we reach Cascade Creek and Lake Gunn Nature Walk.  Although we had stopped here on our way back from Milford Sound back in 2017, we had been completely sidetracked by the thousands of lupins blooming in the field next to the entry road, and never managed to explore the nature walk nor the Cascade Creek campground.  This time we did both - no lupins (maybe the odd very small bloom) to distract us.  

The Lake Gunn loop track is absolutely mesmerizing.  It takes you through old-growth red beech/tawhairaunnui forest, where the trees are clothed in moss and lichen, the birds serenade you as you walk, trying to take in the peace and calm all around.  There are so many little doors to little worlds beyond the trees, this forest must be full of elves and gnomes and talking creatures.  We're glad we've sprayed some insect repellant, though.  

One little South Island Robin, so cute, is completely unafraid - it has probably been fed by people and is therefore compromised, but it does afford an opportunity to capture a few photos with the big camera.  Hopefully they turn out.  It's a real cutie!  

  

  

  

We opt for a straight drive from this point to The Chasm, where we had been in 2017 and were really looking forward to seeing it again.  it was another 40 km or so, and we still had to get through Homer Tunnel.  The closer we got, the more traffic was coming the other way - it appeared as though one of the cruises had disembarked.  We were beginning to wonder if we were the only ones crazy enough to be going into Milford Sound, when everyone else was coming out.  But when we stopped at Monkey Creek, we could see many others going the same direction we were.  Still, we went through the tunnel all by ourselves (you can only have traffic going one way through the tunnel, so there are traffic lights on either side).  

The drive is downhill through the tunnel, even though it feels like you should be going uphill, and then when you get through to the other side, you go down even further - a lot!  And the roads are hairpin turns, and the mountains all around you are insanely huge and close and majestic and it makes you feel really, really, small and insignificant.  And at the same time, so powerful for being there at all.

We finally arrive at The Chasm, and are so disappointed - the bridge we remembered walking across to see the chasm and the water running through it, had been wiped out by a flood a few years ago, and hasn't yet been repaired or replaced.  So you really can't see anything at all.   There are a few parking areas and pulloffs along the way, however, that afford a magnificent view, and sitting still and quietly will net you some bird songs and possibly some bird sightings.

After a full day of driving, and some unbelievable views, we decide it's getting late enough to head back to Te Anau, rather than try to make it to Milford Sound yet.  The drive back is just as gorgeous, although the sun has started to sink behind the mountains, and Mirror Lakes are - although still - quite dark.  

We arrive back in town around 7:30, and find a Pizza at La Toscana, so delicious!  Fresh garlic, spicy pepperoni, super cheesy, and the crust was just right.  Then it's back to Sharespeare House to tuck in for the night.