From Hobart we sailed across the wild Tasman Sea to cruise Milford Sound in Fjordland National Park, New Zealand.
We sailed in several miles, turned about 180, and sailed back out again. Then we navigated through Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound and proceeded on around the southern extremity of South Island NZ toward Dunedin. At that point we were at about 47 degrees south latitude, or over halfway from the Equator to the South Pole.
Otago Train Station in Dunedin, said to be the second-most photographed structure in the Southern Hemisphere (after #1 Sydney Opera House of course).
Our excursion in Dunedin was ’Scottish Dunedin,’ the name Dunedin being Scot Gaelic for Edinburgh. Our guide was originally from the Orkney Islands of Scotland, very entertaining in his kilt and full regalia spouting Bobby Burns poetry; he recruited three of us passengers for a Haggis Ceremony, and gave me a ginger wig. Damned haggis smelled horrible. Thank goodness there was whiskey, after. Look closely and you might see that the clan tartan he was wearing is a Johnston.
Akaroa, New Zealand, unlike Scottish Dunedin, was settled by the French. Captain
Frank Worsley — who one hundred years ago commanded the Endurance, Ernest Shackleton’s doomed Antarctic ship that was crushed in the ice — was born in Akaroa. There is a monument along the shoreline walk that leads to this lighthouse; it commemorates the Captain and his phenomenal skill at dead reckoning navigation in the rescue, whereby not a single life was lost.
From Picton we toured a couple wineries. The New Zealand sauvignon blancs are particularly good.
On the North Island of NZ Wellington has a great botanical garden, lots of Japanese red maples. Can you spot the redhead among them?
From Tauranga we drove a couple hours to the geothermal-volcanic areas. This was the Champagne Pool at Waiotapo. Yes, tiny bubbles. Of sulfur gas.
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| Amazing volcanic colors! |
And this is the unretouched color of the feature called the Devil’s Bath. Fascinating area.
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We are enjoying Auckland at the moment (this year for the first time ever I get to enjoy my favorite season —Spring — twice!); we watched the HAL Noordam sail away hooting its foghorn while we ate our dinner last night. And we are preparing to watch the Broncos game here on a Monday morning. Ah technology!
