New Zealand

Friday Fotos – New Zealand fur seals hang out at Milford Sound

August 30, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

New Zealand Fur Seals resting — This group of fur seals was just hanging out on the rocks. Not a bad job if you can get it!

Hanging out at Milford Sound with the seals

On the second half of our Milford Sound tour, the boat slowed for this family of New Zealand fur seals. These guys are HUGE. They seem to love the sun and warmth radiated by the rocks. Given that they spend hours each day looking for food, it’s no wonder they wanted a little time to ‘lay out.’ Did you know there’s a layer of fresh water that lies above the salt water in Milford Sound. The fresh water is a brisk 8 degrees Celsius, which translates to 46 degrees F. Once the seals get through that chilly top layer of fresh water, they hunt for food in a balmy 12 degrees C (56 – 58 F).

Want to see more photos from our trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.

More photos from Milford Sound

In Fjordland National Park in New Zealand

Mirror Lakes reflection — The reflection of the mountains in Mirror Lakes.

With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.

On the way to MIlford Sound — In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.

Milford Sound — We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.

Milford Sound tours — Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.

The Tasman Sea — Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.

The Milford Monarch Bell — This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.

New Zealand Fur Seal — This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.

Almost under the waterfall — This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.

Mirror Lakes - the world upside down — The mountains refledted perfectly in the still water create the illusion of a world upside down. And the fish swim underneath.

Milford Sound - a small boat cruises the sound — Milford Sound is a truly spectacular place, filled with waterfalls and towering mountains carved by glaciers.

Milford Sound - another view — Protected from the Tasman Sea, the waters are calm in Milford Sound. This small sailbloat had no problem cruising the fjord.

Milford Sound - the Tasman Sea just beyond — At this point in our journey of Milford Sound, we were nearing the Tasman Sea. The surface looked calm, but don't let that fool you. It's rough out there!

Friday Fotos – Milford Sound meets the Tasman Sea

August 23, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

Milford Sound meets the Tasman Sea

The journey to this point had been slow and smooth. But once the Tasman Sea came into view, it’s influence and power became obvious. At first, our ferry boat just rolled a little. As we made our way out onto the open ocean, we found ourselves moving up, down, and sideways. On what was actually a calm day, the Tasman Sea gave us the barest hint of its power.

Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.

More photos from Milford Sound

Friday Fotos – Milford Sound – another view

August 16, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

Small sailboat sailing Milford Sound

There’s not a lot of boat traffic on Milford Sound—or maybe that’s just an illusion because it’s so darned big. This fjord draws visitors from all over the world and is cruised by about anything from a small boat on up to a cruise ship. We made two tours of Milford Sound, one on a moderate-sized ferry, the other on the MS Noordam. The pristine waters are amazing, and the weather can change in an instant. This is an awe-inspiring place—a wonder not to be missed.

Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.

More photos from New Zealand

Friday Fotos – small boat cruises Milford Sound

August 9, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

Cruising Milford Sound

Milford Sound is one of those awe-inspiring places that draws visitors from around the world. It was certainly one of our top things to do in New Zealand. The really great thing about our trip is that we were able to see Milford Sound twice. The first time was midday on our land tour, and the second was at dawn on the MS Noordam. This photo was taken on that second trip. As you can see, with the exception of the small boat out there on the water, the heavy cloud cover gave everything a gray appearance.

Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.

Friday Fotos — More from Fjordland National Park

June 21, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

Part of Fjordland National Park in New Zealand

Along the way to Milford Sound, one of the sights to see is The Chasm. While The Chasm is a beautiful nature walk on a path traveling through the trees and over a river, it was not an easy place to get photos. Not far away, however, is this pass. You can still see snow on the mountains even though we were at the end of summer.

Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.

More photos from the trip to Milford Sound

Friday Fotos – Mirror Lakes and the world upside down

June 14, 2019 By Terry Leave a Comment

Mirror Lakes – what a showstopper!

Mirror Lakes was one of the stops on our tour to Milford Sound. The crystal clear water was perfectly still on the day we visited, which let me capture a photo of fish swimming above the mountaintops. This was one of those stops where the tour director gave us ‘twenty minutes,’ but the natural beauty was so immense that many of us tended to straggle. Mirror Lakes gets a tremendous number of visitors and our bus was just one of those who stopped. Because there is a wooden path to walk on, it’s easy access, and that helps contribute to the popularity of Mirror Lakes.

Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.