8 Feb, 2010 -- NZ, Land's End & Dunedin

While staying in Wanaka we took an overnight road trip to the southern most tip of the south island and then north along the eastern shore to Dunedin to see penguins and the Royal Albatross.





On the way south we had to stop and take pictures of this - The strangest sight !!.




Spoonbills





Stopped in the small town of Bluff at the southern tip. Notice the sign; we were closer to the South Pole than to the Equator.



How many of us sailors can relate to this!! Wish it hadn't been too early in the day for a beer. This is in Bluff overlooking the signpost. Doubt our U.S. city counsels would approve of this.




Next stop - Antarctica






Think we have wind in the U.S.





Along the east coast we stopped to walk the sands to The Boulders



We crashed into each other, the rocks split and Janet's rolled into the ocean and look what happened next. Believe it or not.



Janet climbed inside to celebrate the day.




Dunedin, NZ, not far from the Royal Albrotross nesting sight and beaches were the Little Blue Penguins come ashore.

















The very fancy Dunedin Church




















The very fancy Dunedin Train Station.



The only mainland New Zealand Royal Albatross nesting sight. There were only three on the nest this day and we had to take a tour to be able to get this close. Taken with the long lens. The staff displayed a picture of Prince Charles within arm length of the birds. Perhaps he's special.



The winds have to be high before this bird will fly and Doug took this with the long lens late in the afternoon. The Albatross has a wing span of 10 feet.

7 Feb. 2010 -- NZ, Wanaka and Milford Sound

We arrived in Wanaka just north of Queenstown and stayed for seven days. Wanaka is a resort town on Lake Wanaka where we enjoyed mountain views and a great stay at one of janet's timeshares. They had a waterslide at the pool,and she had never done that before and once she got started we coudn't get her to stop




This day we booked a tour of Milford Sound. A magnificent body of water in Fiordland National Park. The tour combined a flight over the mountains to the west, landing at the Fiord, taking a tour boat out to the open ocean and back; then flying back to our resort in Wanaka.




We flew in this small seven seater. Our tour consisted of the two of us, two children and their parents.



Janet's seat was up front with the pilot. She got to hear all the chatter between the pilot and controllers which we in the back didn't hear.



The flight took us over tall snow covered mountains, sometimes very close to the jagged peaks.



A scene of Milford Sound looking away from the sea back towards the landing strip.









Several falls on the tour. At the bottom of one of them, our tour guide took the boat up close and we got a shower.








On the way back home we flew through these passes.



High in the mountains we looked down and saw many glacial pools.



On the flight back to Wanaka this was our approach.



The town of Wanaka. Our resort was not far from the beach.



While in Wanaka we saw professional cricket games on TV and one day we happened upon this pickup game in the park.



In Wanaka at a tourist trap called Puzzling World there was this huge maze and was it difficult!. We were warned that once inside the average time to complete it without bailing out was an hour. Took all of that to make the many wrong turns. The bridges didn't help, just led to more maze.



The end of the maze, and it was a welcome sight.



On the lawn at Puzzling World Janet is holding up the tower with just her palm.

4 Feb, 2010 -- NZ, Fox Glacier

The South Island about halfway down the west coast.



Getting closer to the high mountains and glacier country, we started crossing rivers that were running with glacier runoff.



We had to stick our toes in glacier water just to be able to say we did it.



This is a Kea bird, an alpine parrot. In the town of Fox Glacier there were several parrots flying around and this one kept stealing food from the diners at the outdoor restaurant. The waiters would squirt water on him, he would fly away but soon would come swooping back for another try.



Fox Glacier was just a short drive from the town of Fox Glacier. The walk to the face was about a mile. Along the way the temperature fell from almost hot short sleeve weather to where a coat felt good.








Help!! I've fallen and a monster is about to get me.




















Black and white covers it all.

3 Feb, 2010 -- NZ, Little farther down the south island west coast

The coast continued to come in and out of view for a wonderful drive.



Stopping at a road side business, Janet got upclose. This is a Red Deer from Europe.



We had read about this place in several publications so just had to stop.



Fantastic



Before getting here, we had no idea what to expect when seeing a pancake rock but it soon became apparent.





The views were outstanding.

3 Feb, 2010 -- NZ, The west coast of the South Island

Driving from sheep country inland, we waited for the coastline to appear. When it came into view we were not disappointed. Northern CA and OR coast revisited and more dramatic.



Looking down from a high vantage point, we were pleasantly surprised to see Dolphins playing in the surf.








With the high speed Cannon 50D camera and a long 400 mm lens, I was able to get them at their playful best.





Black Oystercatchers were everywhere.



Janet trying to stay dry again.