06.15 Ian is up with his annoying camera...

Last nights deluge of rain has refilled the temporary waterfalls.

We have trashed the room as usual. (picture courtesy of a local peeping tom).

Down to the visitors centre to pick up our cruise "The Jim Bowen" (Look what you could  have won! ).

Milford sound boasts only 2 permanent sets of falls, the others appear after heavy rain..This is the Lady Bowen falls.

The cruise includes a close encounter with the 2nd set of permanent falls.

After an uninspiring start, the sun comes out!

Ian recieves what is known in the trade as a "Glacial Facial".

Rainbows glint around these stunning showers.

A waterfall at a natural fault line in the cliffs.

We meet some beautiful fur seals, taking advantage of a blustery rock to keep cool.

Once again we marvel at the sheer volume of water, released by the clouds overnight.

Next stop the Marine discovery centre.

Feeling a little like a school trip, our guide takes us on a geological journey through the sound..Which is not a "sound" as it was carved out by a glacier thousands of years ago, Sounds are carved out exclusively by rivers..

60 steps below the surface platform, we encounter the undersea life, 30 years of growth on these " trays" set out on the ocean show you, new growth of coral & sponges.

The original explorer who named Milford, named it Milford Haven after the Pembrokeshire town. Later the name was changed to Sound.

Welcome to the "Chasm" an amazing complex of underground stones, carved from the fast moving waters.

We would have loved to white water raft this section of the chasm.

Our return journey through the tunnel, the board displays the time till it is time to go through to the other side.

" Don't feed the Kia's".

Believe me I didn't, he tried to get in and eat me!

We stopped at several roadside viewing points.

Including "the Mirrored lakes" possibly more romantic in better weather.

So we are settled into our "Te Anau" hotel, laundry complete and a wander into town for dinner. Nope deffo not an Indian menu you can see....


Goodnight lovely reader xxx