Ata Whenua

The rain was continuous with these magical breaks of sun. They didn't last long, and when you really take a look at things around you, the fiords are more beautiful with the rain. Sheer cliffs. Vegetation clinging on for dear life. Shallow roots. Exposed and vulnerable. Mass amounts of rain. Clay and limestone cliffs. Overtaken by a mossy bed that has allowed such a wonderful array of plant life to grow.

Unique rainforests.

Silence.

Just the sound of the rain beating down on the hood of my rain jacket. And the waterfalls pouring down the cliffs' edges. And the rain's pitter patter on the fresh water level.

Hall arm.

Silence.

As quiet as you can get out here in the Fiordland National Park. You wouldn't even know that 60 some odd people were standing behind you or that you were on a medium sized vessel.

A moment alone with the true beauty of what the land can offer. What it used to be like before man. Untouched wonderland that cannot be captured in a picture or a movie, no matter how hard you try. You have to experience it yourself.

I spun around slowly and quietly through the 5 or 10 minutes we were given. Taking in the waterfalls pouring off the sheer cliffs and marveling at the sheer magnitude of this park. Freshly snow capped mountains. Rolling clouds circling and hugging the lush green cliffs. Rolling in and out. Lifting up. Raining down.

Magical.

Engine off. The vessel sat in the arm drifting with the current and the wind. We were all asked not to take any pictures or speak and just treasure this special moment.

One of our final moments in Doubtful Sound.


The overnight cruise was fantastic! I think because it was this little wonderful moment of luxury on our back to nature type trip. Where do you begin to talk about the moments?

The day started in a small town called Manapouri, about a 20mins drive south of Te Anau, one we have done twice before. After signing in at the Real Journey's office, we waited with the others before boarding our first boat.

In typical Fiordland fashion, it was pouring rain. :)

The first boat ride was just under an hour. A quick zip across Lake Manapouri to reach West Arm, a small road that almost feels like it goes nowhere. However, at West Arm you will find the Manapouri power station - the largest in the country. This road that leads away from the lake towards the Tasman Sea (via Doubtful Sound) was built to link the sea with this power station, so that they could ship the large parts required to build the station. Building this isolated road was seen as a cheaper option then reinforcing all the bridges between Manapouri's power station and the closest harbour town, Invercargill. In the end, the road ended up being the most expensive road ever built in New Zealand. Something like 5$ per square inch. It's 22kms long. Incredible.

The road climbs through Wilmot's pass and then descends to the harbour, where at this point in time is taken over by all the day and overnight cruise vessels.

A windy, steep, gravel road. We sat on the left hand side of the bus and there were moments where you thought the bus was going to tip over and drop down some nasty sheer cliffs you were driving on the ledge of. As the bus climbed higher, Brent stopped looking out the window. There are enough land slips in NZ to make you fearful of your fate on a windy gravel road like this. It wouldn't take much to slip away - and there were plenty of examples on this particular drive.

What untouched beauty though. The waterfalls were enormous. The valleys were stunning. The rivers were so wild. And there is an 8-10 day tramp out here called Dusky Track, but when you see what you would be facing, you understand why only experienced people should be tempting it. So wild and so isolated. It was the beginning of our adventure to Doubtful Sound, and the beginning of the reality of its preserved beauty.

Oh, and the bus driver. Funniest man around. He had this wicked sarcastic English humour. He was so dry and so funny. It made the bus ride incredibly entertaining. Rex. That was his name.

When we arrived at the Navigator, our vessel for the evening, they did not waste any time. Rounded us up onto the ship so that we could quickly set sail. We all ventured into the main hall sitting around the beautiful U-shaped booths. Once the ship started to drift away, the crew was starting to introduce themselves and walk us through the logistics, safety and get us all set up in our rooms.

It felt like the Titanic. Those who paid for the single private rooms slept on the main level in rooms with locking doors and wooden shutters. Then there were those of us who paid the lesser amount of money (heh, heh) and slept in the Quad bunk area, which I think was the way better deal! There were 8-10 quad bunk rooms, all of which could achieve total privacy from the other rooms by a green curtain. I guess you could say there was a risk of theft, but you only had a day bag, and who would waste their time buggering up other people's property - we only had 20 hours on the boat - and it was a busy 20 hours.

And the beauty of the quad bunk rooms - we all ended up having our own private quarters. Every room was only occupied by two people, most of which were couples if not just two friends traveling together. In the quad bunk rooms, which were on the lowest level of the ship (hence the Titanic feeling - pay the least, you are put in the gutter), you had a wicked view - right on the water! Literally, you got an oval-esque window right on the water's level. The water ripping and splashing as we cruised on through the sound. It was an interesting perspective.

The rooms offered really cozy bunk beds on both sides and a step ladder that leads up the back wall to both the window and to the upper bunks. It was a great beginning to this new adventure.

Brent and I wasted no time, we were off exploring every door way and every view that was available to be seen on this ship. Starting off with another pit stop in the main hall for freshly baked muffins (cinnamon-y apricot type flavor - we're not quite sure) and free drinks of course.

Oh my goodness, the food. We could never talk enough about this food. Not only had we been dreaming about this food for ions, but it was simply fabulous food. Every crumb we ate throughout the night and into the morning. So good. This was the big spoiling moment for us.

Full of energy, we started to spend time on the very front of the ship, a place I ended up camping myself most often. As close to the front and in the rain 85% of the time (with small breaks of sun, and moments where the clouds simply didn't rip open). We wanted to soak as much of this place in as possible.

You can't take a picture. You do, and you try, but what does it give you. For us, all of these pictures will be great ways to access our memories of standing on that ship looking around and being there. For others, they will never know until they experience it themselves. As wonderful as cameras are, they cannot capture the life that thrives in the environment. They cannot capture the depth of the mountains, the crisp clouds, the cold rain, the sound of the waterfalls erupting around you, the waves crashing on the rock walls, the height of these monstrous towering cliffs, the dwarfing effect that this world creates. You just cannot capture a single drop of the life.

What life!

What a wonderful gem. Untouched. Inhospitable. What a wonderful curse to have. I only wish we had more gems like this closer to home so that I could get lost every once and a while. A reminder of how small we truly are on this planet, not in a bad way, just at how wonderful and giant this amazing planet really is. What a wonderful creation!

Ata Whenua. Shadowland. The fiords. The mountains fall in and out of shadow as the clouds roll into the land. It's a beautiful reality. People complain about the rain, but that is what Fiordland is known for, their incredible rainfall. One of the wettest places on Earth. These mountains come to life in the rain. There is a unique beauty that they portray and that is hiding in the rain. The fog is so thick and creates this haunting space.

Ata Whenua.

Carved velvety lush rainforests, clinging to life on the sheer cliffs that climb all around you. The scars of slips in the past are easily spotted, glistening white and grey along the cliffs. New life sneaking its way back onto the rocky terrain, within 50 years or so, trees will be growing once again. Once the moss has taken over and created a rich base layer.

Ata Whenua.

In front and behind us, the mountains dipping in and out of shadows as we travel through the Fiord. The rain coming and going. The wind, so strong as we move forward. You had to be prepared for a cold trip.

Not too long into the trip, we were already starting our activities as two tender craft vehicles took separate groups out to do nature tours of the area (with a closer view due to the smaller boats), while the rest of us tested our luck in the kayaks.

Kayaking in Doubtful Sound. An experience to remember. Sitting on the water. Paddling alongside sheer cliffs towering easily 1000m. Waterfalls cascading down the mountainside and just outside of your kayak. Self powered, affected by the occasional tender craft waves, which brought moments which could put you on the edge as you teetered around the water (these were a different style kayak). It was magical though. What a phenomenal way to see this space. And also our first real look at the full vessel we were staying on.

We spent about an hour on the water before heading back to the boat, where people were invited to take a dive off the back end of the boat. Into icy cold water. Water running off the mountains are ice cold either from the rain or the snow melt they are bringing from the peaks. Ocean water with a 7m layer of fresh water over top. Murky brown water until you dive past the area where the fresh water and salt water meet, then its nothing but clear blue ocean. A phenomenon which I do not believe is repeated anywhere else in the world.

And a few brave souls actually took a dip. I'm getting cold just thinking about it.

After our water activities, and for some a hot shower, we were fed this wonderful soup and amazing herb rolls. The flavours of the day were Tomato & Bacon and Potato & Leek. Being a duo, we ordered one of each. They really were delicious. The food really was A+! We spent this afternoon snack time with an American couple, one of which was studying in Auckland, and her boyfriend who is in NZ visiting her for ONE WEEK! I can't even imagine trying to see this country in a week. I would cry.

On the deck once again, we found ourselves hitting amazing weather as we entered the mouth of the Tasman Sea. This is where you start to see the blue waters once again as you move out of the Fiord and into the ocean. The murky brown water that covers the top of the Fiords' waterways slowly slips into a deep blue colour.

Giant rock islands in front of us, sheltering sun bathing seals and sea lions and penguins coming out of the water after a long day hunting. The ocean water crashing against the rocks all around us. The Navigator swooping up and down as the waves grew larger. It was an incredible feeling to be at the front of the boat. The sun was out, the sky was blue, the weather was favorable. Apparently they enter the Tasman Sea with really big swells. Today, our nature guide says it was calm.

So calm that I had to hold on for dear life at times when we went over a wave.

I can't imagine what this ride is like with larger waves!

The skipper brought the boat close to a lot of the rocks to try to spot wildlife for people. We were probably the only two people on the ship not rushing out to see wildlife on this trip, as we have been blessed with up close and personal moments with these Fiordland Crested penguins and the seals. We are still super excited about wildlife and find those moments truly magical, but we wanted to let others enjoy this time as we took a moment to breathe in the ocean air.

Besides, on Stewart Island, we'll once again be in the face of a wonderful array of animals, but just as we have experienced it before, it will be within feet of the animals. In the paths in front of us. That, we truly look forward to once again.

Dinner quickly followed our trip out to the Tasman Sea. The skipper found a quiet spot in First Arm and dropped anchor for the night. A dinner buffet that conquered us. Again we sat with our new American friends, as we all wanted to really enjoy (ie: pig out) the buffet and we knew we wouldn't judge one another. Salads, vegetables, meat, meat, meat, potatoes, and this vegetarian dish that was delicious. We tried everything. Twice. :) Sadly, we could not try any more. Our bellies expanded a little too much, and apparently didn't have enough room for the 10 servings Brent and I were convinced we could take in.

Mind you, my second plate was full of salad and one piece of chicken, while Brent returned with an entire plate full of food. Good on him.

Then came the dessert buffet. Oh so good. Cakes, cakes, cakes, fruit and cheese & crackers. I tried the cake, cake, cake. As did Brent.

Brent however, did not conquer the desserts that night. They conquered him. As he painfully ate the last piece of this incredible chocolate cake, he found himself in pain for the rest of the night. While I tempted a second helping during our evening entertainment.

But we had to sit up straight for the rest of the night. Hunching over even slightly would set a pressure on your stomach that we weren't interested in feeling. I almost think our table was the only table that had it in mind to eat like a buffet. Everyone else seemed fine. The food was so good, and we don't usually eat this much (especially on the trails), but we had to make the most of it. And it was worth it.

In the evening, our nature guide Ben, who would talk over the loudspeaker every once and a while through the trip as he provided us with history of the land, had prepared a slide show for us. It was a hilarious presentation of the area and the story of the land. His humour is amazing and it really was a great way to end the night.

As evening set, most people went to bed. We spent a last moment outside, enjoying a rainless moment in the dark looking for stars and enjoying the shadows of the mountains around us. With the engine off, it truly is a different experience. It was so quiet.

We soon after found our way to bed to enjoy a quiet evening in our bunk. The beds were so nice. The sleep was very comfortable.

The early bird that I am, I woke Brent up early so we could watch the sun come up. Although not much of a sun rise, it was still amazing to watch the first day's light come into the Fiord. At 6.37am, the engine was back on as we spent time in the front of the boat watching them raise and clean the anchor before setting off once again.

Breakfast. Another buffet. :) This cruise is what dreams are made of. A wonderful spread of fresh & canned fruit, hot eats (eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns), toast, cereal, yogurts, and baked beans. Yum.

We spent some time talking to the nature guide who asked us why we didn't decide to work for Real Journeys and come on their cruises. They work 7 days on and have 7 days off, in which time we could have been tramping. Unfortunately, we didn't think about that when we first arrived. Imagine your job was to take people out into the Fiords every day, and you do actually get time to enjoy the serene environment on each trip. That would have been fun!

But this was a great way to experience it too. And we get to relax cause we're not on the clock!

Our last few moments on the boat. We found ourselves back in the front of the boat, where I honestly lived snapping as many pictures as I could. Taking it all in. One of the most untouched parts of Fiordland National Park. Rain pounding down on our bodies, Gortex keeping us dry. But skin's waterproof, and you're only here once.

These moments need to be soaked in. Literally.

Despite not seeing a single dolphin (which I was looking for on and off through the entire trip), this was a fantastic time. The crew was phenomenal. The experience was magical. And soon enough, it was all over, and we were back on the bus across the Wilmot Pass and back to the visitor center awaiting our last boat across Lake Manapouri.

When we exited the visitor center, I noticed a larger then life sign about not feeding the kea birds. The DOC has green and yellow signs in all their parks, and I had already taken a snap shot of a smaller version of this sign. I asked Brent why he thought this sign was so large. We had yet to ever see a Kea, and had been in the Fiords for over a month.

Suddenly, Brent points over to one of the company trucks. Low and behold, a Kea trying to chew into the rubber of the spare tire on the back of the truck. Everyone was snapping pictures. We stopped for a moment and thought, maybe this bird wasn't working alone. They are seldom alone and they are the smartest bird in the world. And this one, flew right over the photographers who he was posing for and straight to the luggage that had been left behind by these same people. Smart little bird.

Cheeky little bird. Johanna, a girl who is working at Rosie & Alistair's house, has taught me one line in German. Der Kea War Sehr Frech. It means - the Kea is very cheeky. :) Best line ever, even though she's always asking me why I wouldn't want to learn something more useful.

The Kea was shooed away before he accessed the luggage, but these birds know how to open zippers. They are smart birds. And surprisingly bigger then I expected. Bigger than a parrot in a pet shop. Green in colour, but a gorgeous rainbow of colours under their wings.

The second Kea did appear and they both landed on our Manapouri boat, where we all spent time taking pictures. One of the workers told us about a bus that 2 Keas had destroyed when someone accidentally left the front door open. Tens of thousands of dollars in damage. They mangled up all the seats and just chewed into everything. So destructive.

After shooing away our little friends, we set off and our trip came to an end.

It was a royal treat.


You could sum up all your time in Fiordland National Park by saying how beautiful it was - but those words do not do it justice.


This...this is what life should always be like.

Serene, untouched and spectacular.