Day 12: Granny in a Chopper!

Sunday 24 February

Well, today was my last day in Queenstown and holiday nearly over....

Sunrise on The Remarkables

I was booked on the tour to Milford Sount which is a 13hr day - 4 hours driving out to Milford, then 2 hours on the boat going along the fjord out to the Tasman Sea, then coming back along the other side, before bussing back another 4 hours to Queenstown. 

So an early start, but a pleasant drive out past the Lake and into farmlands again, sheep, deer and dairy.  It did remind me so much of the South-East of Sth Aust, complete with the cold and foggy morning. 

We stopped for morning tea at Te Anau by another beautiful lake, but soon we were chugging west to Milford.  We stopped along the way for some photo shots – of mountains with ice caps, Mirror Lakes that really do reflect the mountains perfectly, except when there’s a little black duck, doing what he orta…

Foggy morning Te Arnau

Mirror Lakes

The bus driver was giving info on flights back as another option returning rather than 4 hours on the bus. It sounded very tempting, even tho a bit exccy, but hey!  I have been doing things on the cheap and another 4 hours over the same road didn’t appeal.  So I thought I would ask about it when we got there.

 

Christie Falls (but not today!)

Meanwhile, I was checking out the road from a cyclist eye view and yes there were some tight pinches, but a lot of the climbing looked like grind, but do-able… Then there’s the Tunnel.  Can’t remember how long it was – maybe 1.5km? and all downhill 10% gradient, poorly lit and didn’t feel like it was very well sealed road – probably gravel again!!  so no way riding out!  Hmm.... just as well I wasn't planning on riding that!

We soon arrived in Milford and we were quickly loaded onto the boat and away we chugged – after I had spoke to the driver saying I was interested in coming back by chopper!!!  Did I say that???  Really!!??  Driver said it would depend if they could get another 2 people but the planes would definitely be an option.  So wait and see.

Our little Ferry

A bigger ferry returning

In the meantime, it was a really pleasant cruise, sitting on the top deck in the sun and the wind and actually seeing native trees at last - beech rainforest trees, red, silver & mountain - bit different than the tablelands, but forest at last.  We saw some seals also sun-baking but no other wildlife and the forest is depressingly quiet with no bird song at all.  What a big mistake allowing rats, then stoats & weasels on this beautiful island.  Too late for the recovery of many of their native species – gone forever. 

returning back into the fjord - is it bad weather coming in?

Stirling Falls

At the bottom of Stirling Falls

But I really enjoyed puttering along and going quite close to the waterfalls and as we were on the smaller ferry we were able to get in very close.  It wasn’t too cold – I almost put my jacket on, but decided to tough it out – it was just the wind in one place that scoots up through the fjord.

Killing time on path near the helipad

Soon we were back on land and the driver gives me the thumbs up – chopper ride is On!!  So I burnt a bit more onto the credit card - then spent the next 2 hours worrying about it.

But soon it was time for lift off.  All 6 of us were first time chopper riders, one Oz woman (am guessing she’s from the Gold Coast!!) was doing a bit of panic for show, but I climbed into the back seat by the window for the first bit. "up the Harrison Valley and over to Mount Tutokoto" and then we would land onto the Donne glacier.  
We shot up into the air and crawled higher and higher and higher, shuddering right alongside the cliffs.  My camera had trouble trying to focus, so missed some good scenery – I think.  It was a bit nerve-wrecking to be so close to the cliffs.  Then around a corner and over a ridge where the valley just drops away – along with your stomach – and then a swing around and up onto the glacier.  It looked vertical until we got close and we could see that it was flat.  The ice was churned up by previous feet, but we got out and clicked away – so I was up high on the top of a mountain on a glacier!!  Well, that wasn’t in my plans….  And it wasn’t cold!!!  The sun was quite warm, but all around I could see where there were crevasses and I kept thinking that this lump of ice could just split and away down the valley we would all go…  but it didn’t and soon it was time to hop aboard for the 35min flight back to Queenstown. check out: www.milfordhelicopters.com/milford-to-queenstown.html

Looking past the Captain's earphones

Yes, that's me!  up on the Donne glacier by chopper !!!!

Crevasse ready to crack

The edge is just there!!!

It was amazingly smooth and the beauty of a chopper is that it doesn’t have to bank to turn corners – something that always spooks me…  it was a little bumpy coming into Queenstown, but not as bad as some bike paths I have recently ridden and then with a safe and gentle landing we were in a paddock with a taxi waiting to take us back into town. 

away again, towards Queenstown

Just outside of Queenstown - nearly landing time!

Wow!!!!  The next  fun thing was the drive back along the Arrowtown Road, where I had ridden into Queenstown.  It looked harder than I remember!

So a Big day!!! – and so I thought I would post this one now and catch up on the others later!