It was cloudy and drizzly as we left our very wet, cold, and windy stay in Hokitika heading south to the glaciers in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. We were hopeful as the rain was heading north and we occasionally saw signs of clearing but we also started to experience the effects of the “Southerlies”. I was glad that Tom was driving because I’m not sure I could have held the car on the road for some of those southerly gusts!
We learned at the park visitor center that the walk to Franz Josef glacier was open but the Fox Glacier walk was closed due to flooding so off we headed to do some glacier peeping.
The wind was bad when we started and really kicked up as we traversed the moraine to the point where it was sometimes hard to move in a straight line or make much progress.
We soldiered on however as you tend to do when you’re going to visit a glacier in NZ.
And then we hit the river crossing. On a warm day or a day when the wind wasn’t howling, a trip across the rocks with an occasional dip in the water would be no big deal. Tom did make it across but I tried and thought better of it given that the wind was blowing me off the rocks and I did not want wet feet! That compounded with mist hanging over the glacier which we could see by then sent us back the way we came. Glaciers 1, TG&JV 0.
This is the one shot of Franz Joseph glacier that we managed. Note the rain spots on the image from the wind-blown mist:
Being gluttons for punishment, we did stop at the Fox Glacier and confirmed that the walk was still closed but heard about a lookout through the bush that was a short drive away. We found the lookout down a dirt road and it was indeed a very small opening in the bush. About 2 minutes after we arrived, a bunch more cars suddenly pulled in to this very tiny space, a whole lot of people hopped out and we retreated! Can you spot the glacier?
Here is a shot of Fox Glacier through the opening in the bush before the crowd arrived:
As we traveled further south to Haast, the skies continued to clear and we had some nice stops for scenery like at this bay where there was a pile of white rocks with messages on them for no discernible reason.
One last lookout of the day also had a commemorative marker and sculpture marking the spot where the two teams building the road to the West Coast, one heading south from Hokitika and one heading west from Wanaka met, finally bringing highway access to Haast and the area around it.
It’s amazing that this only happened in 1965; and the road wasn’t fully paved until 1996.
There’s not much happening in Haast but the Hard Antler Pub has a decent veggie buffet and a damned good sticky date pudding. And a pretty local clientele – including a group of six shearers, four men and two women. Jeannie described one of the men as her “soul mate” because when he went to the buffet he added nothing but what she described as “the largest pile of french fries and roasted potatoes that I have ever seen.”
Saturday 10/13
We knew that the drive from Haast to Wanaka would be good, but wow, it was on beyond gorgeous. We did a number of short walks and pulled in to quite a few lookouts. Here’s a best of photo collection
We arrived in Wanaka Saturday afternoon around 2 and had to hunt a bit for a parking spot. Lots of people were in town visiting the cafes and strolling along the waterfront. A typical NZ town in an impossibly beautiful setting.
We’re staying in a holiday park; bare bones accommodation but sure access to good laundry facilities and still quite a step up from a tent! I’m very happy that we changed our mind about bringing camping gear; we would have been very, very cold!
