Day 4 - To the Tasman Sea

Spectacular mountain scenery is the norm all along the track.

A few miles from Dumpling Hut, there is a rest stop called The Boatshed. Not long after, trampers can take a break at MacKay Falls and Bell Rock. MacKay and Sutherland explored the area from Milford Sound. It is said that the first waterfall they came to, they flipped a coin to determine who it would be named for, MacKay was the winner. The next falls to be discovered was Sutherland Falls. MacKay missed having the fifth highest waterfall in the world named for him by a coin flip! Bell Rock is a solid rock about 10' in height. It lay under a waterfall for eons, stones and water eroding it, then rolled down into the creekbed with the cavity at the bottom. One may crawl under the edge and into a chamber large enough for 3 grownups to stand upright.

Access to a sandbar provides a welcome opportunity to rest and soak weary feet. This spot was between McKay Falls and Giant's Gate. The water felt to be about 2 degrees above solid ice but sure felt good on the feet!

As the track approaches Milford Sound on the Tasman Sea, the Arthur River turns from rough and rocky with numerous rapids to shallow and wide, with sandbars and wide sweeping curves.

 

The vegetation in the Arthur Valley is very similar to that at the beginning of the track, but is more lush due to the higher rainfall near the coast. Approaching Lake Ada, the track goes through a silver beech forest, lovely trees.

Along Lake Ada, the track has been blasted out of a solid rock cliff. As I stopped to drink in the view over Lake Ada, I looked down and found that I was standing directly over the largest rainbow trout I had ever seen, lying lazily in the crystal clear water. It was a truly special treat to see this magnificent fish.

 

FINALLY! The end of the track at
Sandfly Point, Milford Sound.

 

  The photo of me beside the end-point sign is not a good one, but I can blame Russell Driver for that - he took the picture. (If I look tired, there was a reason for that!)
The children are from Hamilton, New Zealand, on the North Island. They were tramping with their mother and father, a really nice, delightful family. The young lady was 11 years old, the young man, 10, the youngest age that DOC allows on the track.
Russell and Diane Driver, of Christchurch, New Zealand, in the bottom photo, very nice folks, wonderful friends.

 

Mitre Peak in Milford Sound was a great sight to see after 4 days in the bush.
Mitre Peak is said to be the most photographed scenic sight in New Zealand.
Captain James Cook explored the area on his "Voyages of Discovery" and named the
peak because it reminded him of a Bishop's Mitre hat.
Next stop: The Milford Lodge and a real bed!

If you're not going to be doing any tramping, be sure to take the Milford Sound tour out of Queenstown or Te Anau (same tour, different pickup points). Milford Sound is but one of several very deep inlets into the southwestern coast of New Zealand. Actually, they're mis-named. Sounds are arms of the sea that are created by volcanic activity and fjords are created by glacier activity, Fjordland was carved by glaciers (or, see below, by the Maori God Tuterakiwhanoa). Another exceptionally picturesque "sound" in the area is Doubtful Sound. When Capt. James Cook first explored the area, they sailed HMS Endeavour into this calm sound, and it became doubtful that there would be sufficient wind for them to sail out.

I stayed at the Milford Lodge 2 nights before catching the bus back to Te Anau. I went out the next afternoon to see the launch bring in the trampers from the group that was 1 day behind us.

Wire sculptures of the notorious sandfly. Though small in size, these critters will make your worst nightmare of a mosquito infested swamp seem to be a pleasant dream by comparison! A good insect repellant is as necessary in tramping the Milford as good warm clothing.

Maori legend has it that the goddess Henenuitepo visited the god Tuterakiwhanoa at Sandfly Point as he was carving the area of Aoteroa (The Maori name for New Zealand, meaning "Land of the Long White Cloud") that is now known as Fiordlands. It was so beautiful that she feared that mortals would not want to leave. She created the sandfly, Te Namu, and bade it multiply. It did, and still is! Te Namu is the goddess' reminder to us of our mortality and a warning to not tarry.

 

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