We are not able to have much wifi use so I will add photos next week when we are in such remote areas

 

“This is The South West New Zealand World Heritage Area with some of NZs most unique scenery and wildlife.”  They have crested and little blue penguins, rainforests rivers glaciers and sea, the Tasmin Sea. Wow let’s explore !?Xxx

Tuesday 16 Feb today last night in bed all you heard was the roaring of the sea and the wind and it was pitch black! It rained most of the evening and through the night. We set off in rain with grey clouds ( after finding the rest of NZ has 30c and sunshine).

It did eventually stop and we headed north on the glacier route. We stopped at ship creek and knights point view. From here you look down a hundred feet to a bay where there are fur seals and sea lions and penguins.

We then passed lake Moeraki and then the road goes inland up to lake Paringa Just after the Paringa river we stopped at a salmon farm for brunch. By now it was sunny and the tops of the mountains were visible.

From Haast Junction to Fox glacier it is 120 kms. We stopped on the way along the coastline. The beach is totally natural, grey sharp sand,shells, pebbles, and all along as far as the eye can see were tons of washed up roots and tree stumps and logs. No civilisation in sight. It must have been exactly like this when captain Cook reached the shores of New Zealand!

At Fox Glacier you see where the glacier ended in 1780s,much further along the road… then 1935, then it is a half hour walk to where it has receded to nowadays.

the sides of the valleys are a sheer vertical drop and a fast cold light grey rivers gushes through directly fed by the glacier.

I did walk so far but chickened out of the steep climb up. Grandad did it though!

n.