Day nine - Hari Hari to Haast

We slept incredibly well, and after a breakfast that rivalled the dinner last night, were actually the last to board the bus. A final head count and we were on our way.

Ok we are on the bus and off we go, looking at some lovely lakes and then on to Franz Joseph. Ahh, have I told you, this is the WET West Coast where it rains, drizzles, gets foggy and is usually cloudy. NOT today. A perfect day, not a cloud to be seen and the bluest of blue skies, to enjoy this beautiful scenery.

Lake Mapourika is a 'Kettle' lake, a term I had never heard before. It is where a really large chunk of ice has split from the bottom of a retreating glacier, and then melted in the depression formed by the glacier. There is no river entering or leaving it, so it fills purely from rainwater run-off and seepage from underground. This gives it a brown colour, and magnifies the effects of reflections. Lake Matheson, which is often featured in scenic calendars, is beloved by photographers for this reason.

 

At Franz Joseph we drove up a long road which took us to an area where we could leave the bus and, for the energetic, take a 20 minute hike up through lovely bush, burbling water from creeks and streams beside us, and glorious bird calls. We did not get quite to the top but it did give us our walking fix which we both make a point of getting each day. Evidently Franz Joseph  was the longest glacier in the world, the moraine it pushed out in front as it grew has been found 15 km out to sea.

Back to the coach and into Franz Joseph and those who were taking the Helicopter Flight up to the Glacier (including the wife) left  while I wandered the small settlement and got a coffee fix.

It is hard to accurately assess how many helicopters are operating at the time but probably about 10 constantly coming and going. 

After a safety briefing, 12 of us were led over to the landing site, where, helicopters were constantly coming & going. We divided into two groups of six, and were assisted to climb in and strap up. Then with headphones on we were airborne before I realised it, and flying far too close to the side of the mountain. Also too high off the ground <g>  (Did I mention that I don't like heights?) However, it was amazing to get such a close-up view of the bush, and the river/glacier as we climbed, I took loads of photos. We landed on the flat surface of the glacier, and strolled around taking pictures, feeling the snow and admiring the beauty of the cracks in the surface, as well as the rising top behind us - where, pilot Benjamin mentioned, a large lump had fallen off a year back. 

He grouped us in front of the 'copter for a group shot, as one of our stalwart 90-year-old companions had elected not to get out. Jack is amazing, ready to try anything! Benjamin took his own picture then one with each of our own cameras. He told us the story of a light plane which crashed on the top of the glacier many years ago, and seven years later one of the seatbelts appeared in the river below. He also pointed out where the bottom of the bush-line indicated how far the glacier had dwindled since 2008. After more questions we reluctantly re-boarded for the return trip. 

Once we had recovered from the flight, we drove on to Fox Glacier and the Clearwater Lookout, had lunch just past there, then later stopped at the Paringa Salmon Farm. This was a total non-event, but next we went over the Haast Bridge, the longest single-lane bridge in NZ at 737m, before coming in to the World Heritage Hotel there. Not what I would call world-class, but for the price we are paying, there was nothing wrong with it. 

From the Right - Mt's La Perouse, Cook & Tasman