New Zealand: A Caravan Experience
Written By: SUSANNE LOMATCH
PAGE 13....
Te Anau – Milford & Doubtful Sounds
Day 20-22
Once we turned around from Glenorchy, our GPS was set for Te Anau, a usual base for
launching trips into the Fjordlands and Milford/Doubtful Sounds. Just outside
Queenstown, I caught more spectacular scenery of Lake Wakatipu and the Eyre
Mountains. As the crow flies, Glenorchy is actually quite close to the entrance of the
park leading to Milford Sound, but there is no road, only the Routeburn track, which
connects with the entrance road. One must drive R6 east and south to R97/94 west to Te
Anau, and then R94 northwest to Milford Sound. I doubt the Kiwis would ever turn
Routeburn into a real road, if indeed that were technically possible.
Te Anau was charismatically ghostly. For some reason, it just felt like no one lived there,
and it was open to the spirits. Could have been the off-season silence. We found an
attractive caravan park close to the centrum, Te Anau Holiday Park, and decided to stay a
few days.
If you only have a couple days, a guided cruise on Milford and/or Doubtful Sounds is a
must, even in imperfect weather. These cruises are popular, especially those providing a
shuttle from Te Anau to the docked ship. We missed signing up for the trip the next day,
so in the morning we arranged to rent a car from a local petrol station and drive to
Milford. This way we wouldn’t have to deal with the slow performance of our caravan on
a long volatile drive. Little did we know that it would have been a safer choice. The
increased hp of the rental vehicle had us (well me, actually) easily exceeding the posted
speed limits, and before we knew it, we were being pulled over by a regional patrol. So
fair warning to those of you traveling R94 between Te Anau and the Fjordland Park
entrance! Drive the posted limits or risk a speed trap. The price for the ticket (which
doesn’t get reported to U.S. authorities or insurance companies) is approximately
US$100. I paid it online before leaving NZ.
Not to be disappointed, the R94 drive is quite memorable; if nothing else for the sheep
herd crossing we had to wade the car through (horns do work to get those sheep
moving!), coupled with the native wild parrots waiting for stopped travelers at the one-lane
mountain tunnel. Yes, there are native wild parrots in the south of NZ – I had a
tough time convincing some of that later on. These parrots are quite friendly, jumping up
onto car windowsill, performing and begging for attention (food). The backdrop of the
foggy stream-strewn granite rock walls gives pause as to how they live in the area.
We arrived at the cruise ship terminal (a large terminal – Milford must get huge crowds at
times). The clouds and rain obscured the famous Mitre Peak, viewable from the circle
track and dock. Finally we boarded and set sail for a 2-3 hour cruise, where I shot many
Milford impressions.
A drive back to Te Anau, and a quick decision to book a longer cruise on Doubtful Sound
the following day, we awoke early and checked out to drive south on R95 to Manapouri,
where cruises embark for Doubtful. While Milford Sound is accessible by road, Doubtful
Sound is not. The usual course is a cruise on Lake Manapouri to West Arm, then a shuttle
to Deep Cove, the inland end of Doubtful. Real Journeys is one of several tour operators,
and we were very satisfied with their service. There were approximately 20-30 people on
the Manapouri cruise ship, and then perhaps 50-60 or so on the Doubtful cruise ship, a
larger vessel with food and a bar. At West Arm, Real Journeys offers a tour of the
Manapouri Power Station, which is located deep underground, producing electricity via
gravitic water pressure from the ocean, utilizing an engineering design that was
revolutionary for its time.
The photographic subject matter was overwhelming, from
views of Doubtful Sound from the road above Deep Cove and the 3-4 hour Doubtful
cruise impressions. High winds and a few raindrops did make the photography a
challenge. One warning for all cruises through the sounds: be sure and bring layers of
clothing, with at least one weatherproof windbreaker!
Once back at Manapouri, it was 5pm and time to get on the road for the south of the SI.
Milford-Doubtful Sound Photography.