Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey heads a little southward to Manapouri, from where I catch a boat across the lake, then head over the remote Wilmott Pass into Doubtful Sound. There I cruise along several fiords out to the Tasman Sea. Upon my return to Lake Manapouri I head deep underground to a massive power station 172 metres below the lake surface.
Today's Journey
 |
The weather has mostly cleared in the morning, so I head a little south to Manapouri and catch a boat across the lake towards Doubtful Sound. Bright scars are set into the mountains from landslides generated by a big earthquake about a year ago. |
 |
Passing the impressive Manapouri Power Station. The station itself is 172 metres below the lake. We will access this on our way back this afternoon. |
 |
We land near the power station and take buses up here to Wilmot Pass from where we can see out into Doubtful Sound. A steep road drops down to the port seen at this end of the fiord. |
 |
Cruising out into Doubtful Sound we pass the impressive Commander Peak with its kilometre high cliff leading the way into Hall Arm. |
 |
We continue following the length of the main channel passing the entrance to Thompson Sound and a few small islands, including this tiny islet with a single tree growing on it. |
 |
We eventually reach the entrance of Doubtful Sound, negotiating around various islands and reefs. Looking back onto Secretary Island, a huge landslide lies exposed above the epicentre of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake striking here about a year ago moving this part of New Zealand a few centimetres closer to Australia. This is the closest part of New Zealand to Australia. |
 |
Returning into Doubtful Sound, we head up Crooked Arm passing several very deep cut valleys leading into the channel. |
 |
Upon leaving Crooked Arm, we continue back along the main fiord before heading up Hall Arm under its spectacular mountains. From here we return to port and head back over Wilmott Pass. |
 |
Upon reaching Lake Manapouri, we head along another road going through a kilometre long tunnel descending into the mountain to this enormous cavern 193 metres below the lake where the massive Manapouri Power Station hums along. |
 |
Returning to the surface, we cross the lake back to Manapouri above where a rainbow appears from the last of the rain from the southerly. |
|
