New Zealand

Doubtful Sound

Published March 11, 2017

Queenstown ⇨Lake Manapouri ⇨Doubtful Sound

2 buses, 2 boats. 7:15am pickup, 8pm return. FULL day – but first, a 3-mile pitch-black run along Lake Wakatipu thru Queenstown Gardens. Would purchase a flashlight later in the day – last time getting spooked in the early a.m. 🙂

2 hour 45 minutes west over the Southern Alps to Lake Manapouri. Box lunch purchase, then ferried ‘cross glacier-fed water, where a 2^nd motor coach awaited. Travelled on New Zealand’s most expensive road over Wilmot Pass, stopping twice to walkabout/experience the dense rainforest of Fiordland National Park. Clouds parted, sun appeared – snapped several shots of Deep Cove, our catamaran entrance on West Arm.

3 hour cruise thru pristine water, surrounded by lush volcanic mountains. If you’re limited on funds, this is the one place to splurge. Just WOW! Gotta/hafta/must [see] Doubtful Sound (or Milford Sound) on NZ’s Tasman Sea.

Doubtful Sound was named ‘Doubtful Harbour’ in 1770 by Captain Cook, who did not enter the inlet as he was uncertain whether it was navigable under sail. It was later renamed Doubtful Sound by whalers and sealers, ‘though it is not technically a sound but a fiord.

Beautiful sunshiny day. Deep Cove to Crooked Arm, Crooked Arm to First Arm, First Arm past the Shelter Islands.

Fur seals sunbathed on the tiny boulder-faced islands, last land before entering the turbulent Tasman Sea. Boat lurched in ocean waves – up, back, side-to-side – before turning back, returning to the Sound.

Extra time available so…explored First Arm’s inlet waters. Stopped our Patea Explorer, cut the engines entirely. Ship staff asked for 2 minutes of silence, [would be] the day’s most memorable takeaway. Island waterfalls splashed, saltwater lapped against our drifting vessel. Silence. Emotional, visceral & exotic.

Easy half-day adventure tomorrow – panning for gold…in New Zealand.

: Queenstown ⇨Lake Manapouri ⇨Doubtful Sound

: Fiordland National Park

: Deep Cove

: Crooked Arm

: Shelter Islands

: SEALS!

: the Tasman Sea

: First Arm

…meanwhile, far far away in New Jersey — Ash’s bridal shower; next up: a Colorado wedding

: Maid-of-Honor

: Mom

: Mom-in-law

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged watercraft, wedding-bells, wildlife | 1 Comment

Run New Zealand, Week 1

Published March 10, 2017

To hold myself ‘run accountable’, photo-blogged EVERY day of my 2 week journey in New Zealand. Reward? Would see more than your average tourist – each morning: new run, brand new area. Last day in New Zealand? Kirikiriroa Marathon.

March 5 (CO time): Auckland Airport – 4 miles

16 hour flight from Los Angeles, 19 hour time difference – meant I left Friday night but didn’t arrive in Auckland ‘til Sunday morning. Yikes, where did Saturday go? EVERY day’s a run day but my first run in New Zealand would be on Colorado time 🙂 Restroom stall change-of-clothes, packing service watched my luggage, then logged 4 miles on NZ’s North Island.

Mount Eden (Auckland)

March 5 (NZ time): Grand Millennium, Auckland – 6.2 miles

City tour, quick hike up Mount Eden, rode to the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower. Finished Day One with a 10K treadmill trot at the hotel gym (running on NZ time now).

March 6: The Redwoods, Rotorua – 12 miles

3 tour stops: Waitomo [subterranean cavern illuminated by THOUSANDS of tiny glowworms], Agrodome (sheep shearing demo) & Te Puia [traditional meeting house & Māori Haka].

10 minutes from The Redwoods, my first amazing NZ run (first of several). Massive trees, tropical vegetation & cicadas – the forest sang (12 mile FUN run).

March 7: ‘Geyser Run’, Rotorua – 8 miles

my first MORNING run in New Zealand (finally time-zone acclimated). Logged 8 miles of geysers before a half-day bike tour & late afternoon flight to South Island.

March 8: Burnside Park, Christchurch – 3 miles

Short pre-dawn run ‘round Christchurch’s Burnside Park. Run highlights: rugby field, lawn bowling, morning sunrise. Later jetboat’d on the Waimakariri River.

March 9: ‘City Park Run’, Christchurch – 10 miles

2^nd double-digit run in NZ, 2^nd time I got lost – neither long runs were planned. One left when I should’ve turned right, long morning on Christchurch city streets. Run highlights: EIGHT city parks, morning sunrise. Rental car pickup. Drove across the Southern Alps, detouring in the afternoon to walk a swinging bridge over Hokitika Gorge.

March 10: ‘Glacier Run’, Franz Josef Village – 7 miles

Day 7’s highlight WAS my morning run. Half-mile out of town, crossed the Waiho River via Bailey Bridge, to a dirt access road. Pre-dawn trail run thru giant ferns & tropical vegetation, down to a murky silt-choked river. Rock hopped across, spun ‘round & glacier gawked — Franz Josef straight ahead/high above. Popped over boulders, trekked UP, UP, UP. Waterfall-played on the return to town.

: March 5 (CO time): Auckland Airport

: March 5 (NZ time): Grand Millennium

: March 6: The Redwoods

: March 7: ‘Geyser Run’

: March 8: Burnside Park

: March 9: ‘City Park Run’

: March 10: ‘Glacier Run’

Run NZ – Franz Josef Glacier

Posted in New Zealand, Run Challenges | Tagged road-signs, waterfalls | Leave a comment

Franz Josef Glacier

Published March 10, 2017

Alarm set, pre-dawn start. Not just any morning run – Franz Josef Glacier.

Woke north of town, Alpine Glacier Motel off State Highway 6. Half-mile trek to Glacier Access Road – [Catholic] Lady of the Alps on the left, [Anglican] St. James on the right. Good omen 🙂

Quick left off Hwy 6, crossed the Waiho River via Bailey Bridge. Bounced over the wooden pedestrian plank, alongside this one-lane country bridge, to a dirt access road. 4 miles to Franz Josef trailhead.

Westland Tai Poutini Nat’l Park. Scary dark trail run thru giant ferns & tropical vegetation. [NOTE to self: BUY A FLASHLIGHT!] Darkness soon gave way to pale-pink sunrise. Trail-ran DOWN to a murky silt-choked river. Rock hopped across, spun ‘round & glacier gawked — Franz Josef straight ahead/high above. Popped over boulders, trekked UP, UP, UP. Snow-melt waterfalls littered the mountain’s jagged rock walls. UP, UP, UP. Nearing the glacier base, read a Park placard detailing the death of multiple adventurists, following an earthquake initiated rock slide. Ok, enough – but jeez, it’s beautiful here. When it’s my time, let it happen quick…somewhere high in elevation, surrounded by snow (my humble Alpinist prayer ❤).

Waterfall-played on the return trek to town. 5 hour drive ahead, heading East now. Tonite’s destination: Queenstown, NZ’s hippie-happy Boulder. Ski town built on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.

Close 30 minutes from Franz Josef, River Walk hiked. Bright morning sun poured over Fox Glacier (popular heli tours buzzed overhead). WOW, whatta view! Lunched an hour later in Haast, before travelling a narrow rocky stretch – ‘The Neck’ – between lakes Wanaka & Hāwea. Foothills of the surrounding Southern Alps mirrored off these glacier-fed waters. Stunning.

Apartment dwelling 3-nights in Queenstown. Tomorrow morning: touring Doubtful Sound – 2 buses, 2 boats. But first, burger & a pint in Queenstown Gardens. One week down, one week to go…vacations go so fast.