Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey leaves Te Anau heading over to the nearby Rakatu Wetland. After exploring the wetland, we continue downstream along the Waiau River to its mouth in Tuatapere before heading along the coast to Gemstone Beach.
Today's Journey
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Another still, clear morning at the edge of Lake Te Anau. |
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I don't linger for long though, departing Te Anau, I have a final glimpse of Lake Manapouri as I head south following the original route of the Waiau River, once New Zealand's second biggest river until the water was diverted to the Manapouri Power Scheme. |
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The weather begins to clear but gets cooler as we pass the Takitimu Ranges. |
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Reaching the Rakatu Wetlands above the Waiau River. The wetlands were artificially created to attract wetland birdlife as most of the original swamps were drained into farmland. |
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Exploring the wetlands as threatening clouds loom overhead but fortunately they don't bring rain. |
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Continuing our journey south, we cross the Waiau River almost at its mouth in Tuatapere. |
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From Tuatapere, I head eastward to McCraken's Rest where the Southern Ocean breaks. In the distance are the mountains of southern Fiordland which gradually diminish until they plunge into the Southern Ocean continuing the Southern Alps almost entirely underwater all the way to Antarctica where they re-emerge as the Trans-Antarctic Mountains. |
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Looking east past Pahia Hill, the faint outline of Stewart Island is just visible. |
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Today the wind is very calm, but the trees growing here are almost bent double from the very strong prevailing southerly wind from Antarctica which almost perpetually blasts this coast. |
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Our final stop is Gemstone Beach where the waves break against the cliffs exposing gemstones brought down from the Te Anau and Eglinton Valleys from past ice ages. |
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