4/14/2014 Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound

Today was one of the coolest (freshest!) and wettest days, it was also very scenic. First we drove through the 3 million acre Fiordland National Park World Heritage Site on the historic Milford road, stopping at various points. Geological activity in terms of volcanic rock, glaciers and avalanches helped form a beautiful area with many lakes, valleys and fiords (u-shaped valleys).

The forests are primarily beech trees that attach to the cliffs in very little soil often resulting in tree avalanches. There are many native birds though some invasive species of mammals have had detrimental effects on some native plants and animals. Alpine flowers thrive above 1KM like daisies, buttercups and herbs.

Kia, Kakapo, Takahe and Kiwi wings evolved incapable of flying due to lack of predators. Blue ducks are found in Fiordland lakes and streams.

Interestingly because there is so much rainfall, there is a permanent fresh water layer above the sea water in the fiords. In this layer live sponges, choral and fish including deep water varieties. Lots of marine mammals live in the fiords as well as little blue penguins. Finally there are about 7 million colonies of black coral trees, the largest number in the world, in the fiords.

Kia Ora is a Māori language greeting which has entered New Zealand English. It means literally "be well/healthy" and is translated as an informal "hi" at the Māori Language Commission website Kōrero Māori. It is also used as a farewell and thanking someone as well.

We then boarded a catamaran for a cruise around Milford Sound. We saw various points, waterfalls and rock formations in the sound. Beautiful and calm.

We had a nice drive to our hotel in Queenstown.