Thu, Dec 19 - Down to Lake Wanaka

We got up stiff and sleepy at 8 AM and found a good breakfast café nearby,  packed up, and checked out.  Our original plan was to drive from Fox Glacier to the town of Twizel today to try to pick up the Wrybill and the Black Stilt.  But since we managed to see the Wrybill way back in Miranda and the drive would be a long hard one, we cancelled our reservation and decided to stay half way to our southernmost destination, Te Anau, in the lakeside town of Wanaka.  Great decision as we had a pleasant and much more relaxed day - except for the fact that Life Bird #50 was eluding us.  Seeing the Kiwi would have been such a great way to cap off Bob’s goal of seeing 50 new birds!

Approaching Fox Glacier

South Island Tomtit (potential split later on)

Colorful algae

We drove towards Fox Glacier and parked and walked near the base of the glacier which spills down to the river.  We could see piles of dirty ice with blue cracks in it and above that the wrinkled  expanse of the ice floe. There was a scrum of people ahead so we returned to the car and drove to an overlook on the other side of the river that busses can’t reach and found ourselves alone on a lovely trail full of tree ferns and mossy trees through which we could see a wonderful view of the glacier and the snowy jagged peak beyond, which we think is 12,313 foot Mt. Cook.   We tried to see a Kaka parrot in the parking lot but couldn’t get any to respond to Bob’s tape.

Fox Glacier

Mt. Cook, probably

We turned inland for a while before reaching the coast again where we inquired if the Fiordland Crested Penguins were still around, but were informed that all had left as scheduled on Dec 8 when they go to sea to fatten up after the nesting season.  Hil turned off at Knight’s Point where there is an overlook down to a lovely cove and off shore rocks.  Very cold and windy but gorgeous in a Big Sur way.  At Haast the road turns inland and follows the wide Haast River passing one snow-covered peak after another! 

Sheep Dog catching a ride

Knight's Point

We wound up to Haast Pass where after a little confusion due to poor signage we stopped at the Bridle Track and took a short walk to see the rare Yellowhead, a tiny yellow bird that lives high in the canopy of a few old growth forests.   Once again it eluded us - curse of #50!   We stopped at the information center for Mt. Aspiring Park and picked up some maps covering the next leg of the trip. 

Haast River

Kiwi Candies!

 We were  driving by huge Lake Wanaka and reached the southern edge and the lovely little town of Wanaka which in the last decade has transformed itself from a sleepy town into quite a jazzy lakeside resort!  We checked into the very nice Aspiring Motel and after cleaning up, walked to the lake and checked out the restaurants, selected Relishes Cafe and had probably our best meal yet!   Hilary had Savory Eclairs with mushroom, goat cheese with beetroot reduction and lentils, I had the Monkfish with kumara hash with hazelnut pesto apricot chutney, and RR received three lamb chops crusted with Horopita (Maori herbs), with beetroot gnocchi and mint sauce.  Really great!  

Hil's Savory Eclairs

Hil has done a yeoman’s job of driving since she joined us; both Bob and I dozed at times yesterday, but due to her youth and stamina, Hil managed the whole drive!