Hollyford Track Day 2 and 3

Lake Alabaster

Day Two began with a wake up call from Bard and a stiff cup of joe at 6:45 am.  After a filling breakfast and goodbyes from our generous lodge hosts, we began our walk to stunning Lake Alabaster, a large mirror lake that reflects the peaks of the Skippers Range and lush green forests on the perfectly still water.  On the return journey, we crossed the longest swing bridge in the Fjordland--running with no hands :) With four kilometers already in the books, we were off to Martin's Bay.  To reach Martin's Bay walkers can opt for the Devil's Trail, a 10-12 hour journey around Lake McKerrow or you can go by jet boat, down the Hollyford River and through Lake McKerrow.  For so many reasons, I appreciated the jet boat decision.  With a few side splashes and jokes cracked from our driver Robbie J., we drove through stunning Lake McKerrow, carved out by glaciers during the ice age.  Surrounded by mountains on both sides, the sunshine even popped out to make the views even more magnificient.  A geology lesson ensued, as we stopped at a point along the lake to marvel at the junction of two tectonic plates (the Indo Australian and Pacific) which cause an earthquake everyday--only those which are higher than 3.1ish on the Richter does one actually feel. 

Goblin Forest

It ended up being a delightful afternoon as we walked through podocarp, beech and goblin forests.  Even the diversity of the ferns and mosses made for "trippy" photos of 250 million year old plants, lycopods and other varieties.  With more Davy Gunn stories came a mandatory stop at the wooden post that Gunn's horse was once attached to before breaking several of Gunn's ribs.  Bard insisted we all touch this peg before we passed--strange/creepy, I know.  We finished our walk on day two overlooking Martin's Bay at the Long Reef, stretched out on the rocks watching the adorable New Zealand fur seals.  Despite no rain today, the hot shower at the end of the day felt almost as good as removing my hiking boots!  The plentiful red wine made me feel even better.  There was never a lull in the the conversation, as the fourteen of us sat around reminiscing on our favorite moments of the first two days and decided to head to bed for another early night.

I awoke the third day expecting to be thrilled it would be my last day, but in fact I wasn't yet ready to say goodbye to the Fjordland.  With both a Maori and personal wake up call, I jumped out of bed anxious for the day to begin.  After a filling breakfast, we boarded the jet boat one last time for a short trip to the Martin's Bay Beach.  With enormous sand dunes and an abundance of plants, it was a spectacular scene to finish our last portion of tramping.  The kids dominated the competitions of running up sand dunes, both forward and backwards, while the adults stopped numerous times to take in the 360 degree views around us.  We stood under hundred year old podocarps listening to stories of survivors who came before us--which all made our journey seem luxurious and minimal.  We spent our last kilometers and moments on the beach collecting stunning shells and rocks, enjoying the isolation from the rest of the world in a picturesque setting.

Because of the continual rainfall, our scenic flight into Milford Sound got switched to squirrel (6 seater) helicopter rides! Somehow it got around that this would be my first helicopter ride, so both our guide and pilot made sure this would be a ride I never forget.  I got to be the co-pilot, sitting up in the front with the headset and all.  The pilot freaked me out with several close calls, flying between rock formations, within inches of large mountain faces and more.  The other passengers were overjoyed as I screamed into the microphone multiple times--wondering at many moments if it would be my last! As we rounded the corner into Milford Sound, it took my breath away.  Milford Sound is a fjord created by glacial activity with water up to 400 meters in places and mountains surrounding it with 1200 meters of height.  Due to all the rain, hundreds of waterfalls with varying intensities raged down the mountains.  As the helicopter landed and I stepped foot on ground, a new perspective allowed me to truly appreciate the enormity of the sight. Truly a remarkable place!

We finished our journey by bus-- taking in a portion of the Hollyford Alpine Track, driving through the handcarved Homer Tunnel and mesmorized by the amount of waterfalls every direction you looked.  Once we arrived in Te Anau, celebratory drinks ensued with an honorary toast for our guide.  Our group exchanged email addresses and promised to send photos.  I must say it was sad to say goodbye, another reminder that this 3 day journey had concluded.  The six of us continued our journey to Queenstown, where we shared our favorite stories, memory, plant and scenery.  We spent the next few days laughing and reliving this time together--I for one certain, that I would love to do it again :)