The Sound of Silence

2023 is off to an extraordinary start. Today Garry and I enjoyed an absolutely breathtaking cruise through Milford Sound. The images posted here simply cannot capture the experience in all its glory.

Perhaps the smartest thing we did today was base ourselves overnight at Milford Sound Lodge. Most people visit late morning on day tours coming from Queenstown or Te Anau. As a result, most people experience the Sound late-morning as a cacophony of crowds and tour buses fill the area.

By staying overnight we could book an extended morning cruise and avoid the crowds. As a result, we enjoyed Milford Sound in relative peace, on a smaller vessel. As the only accommodation in the area, the lodge was also a wonderfully refreshing experience. We're thoroughly enjoying its well-appointed boutique accommodation nestled in picturesque bushland along the banks of the Cleddau River and one of its tributaries.

I began the day of the year with a coffee outside as the sun rose over the surrounding mountains. The air was still with barely a cloud in the sky. We couldn’t have picked a better day to go cruising. Sadly, my outdoor excursion was relatively brief as the biting sandflies here are ferocious!

After breakfast we made our way down to the waterfront in time to witness a classic postcard moment; that is Mitre Peak, the area’s iconic mountain, reflected on the glassy smooth water of Freshwater Basin. This is an immoral scene that I fondly recall appearing in countless calendars and advertisements throughout my childhood.

Our cruise spent three hours sailing up the southern shores of Milford Sound and out into the Tasman Sea, before returning down the Sound along the opposing shoreline. The boat’s itinerary also included a stop at the Milford Sound Underwater Observatory anchored in Harrison Cove. This incredible facility features a spiral staircase that descends into an underwater chamber where you can watch the Sound’s abundant aquatic life go about its business. 

Who knew that so much life was flourishing below Milford Sound’s murky waters?  This video gives you just a hint of what we saw.

As we cruised, the skipper of our boat stopped several times to let us watch the local seals frolic. He also teased us with a brief shower at the base of the spectacular Hanging Valley waterfall. We then finished our morning with a picnic lunch overlooking Mitre Peak while being entertained by a hungry native duck. Today was undoubtedly New Zealand at its best.

UPDATE

Just when we thought our time at Milford Sound couldn't get any better, we experienced this extraordinary helicopter tour the following day.