Glow Worms

Day 15 saw us afloat on the Fiordland Navigator and anchored in Christmas Cove. It had been raining but that appeared to be clearing. Brekkie was scheduled for 7am and I was raring to go around 6.30am so I stepped out onto the deck. Just as I did, a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins emerged in the waters around the ship. I did my very best to photograph these but my efforts could only be described as dismal. Maybe if they had been race horses, the results would have been better.

Anyway the Dolphins frolicked around the ship so I walked around to the starboard side only to stumble across this big, fat Yank taking photos in his undies. If you don’t mind umpire!
He was about 100 kgs above his optimum weight and I guarantee he would not have seen anything below his waist for many a long day. And I will probably be scarred for life.

The dolphins eventually swam into Christmas Cove and we went up for brekkie. Brekkie was adequate and the remainder of the morning was spent viewing out on the deck or, every now and then ducking in to warm up. Meanwhile, the educational commentary continued and we were far wiser by the time we returned to the dock at Lake Manapouri. Another highlight of our tour was completed.

From the lake, the township of Te Anau on the eastern shores of Lake Te Anau, beckoned. Lake Te Anau is the biggest lake on the South Island. We had a date with some glow worms that afternoon.

The township is not that big and it’s permanent population numbers around 2,000. That swells significantly in summer as it is used as a gateway to fiordland as well as a possessing many aquatic activities on the lake itself.

We arrived there in time for lunch after checking into The Distinction Hotel. It is quite a modern hotel with all facilities except air conditioning in the rooms. And it was very warm once we had driven away from Lake Manapouri. We walked to a pie shop not far from town and devoured a very nice pie for lunch. All the towns along our journey seem to have at least one bakery and the local pies are top notch as well as being convenient.

Our afternoon was to be spent on the western shore of the lake, visiting the Te Ana-au Caves featuring a limestone grotto of glow worms and an underground waterfall. A guide, Melissa, took us into the caves which were accessed through an opening about a metre high. Once inside, she lead us along a narrow metal walkway deep into the caves. We piled into a punt after viewing a waterfall. From there, the lights were turned off and she manoeuvred the punt along the stream till we started to see the glow worms. They are tiny but plentiful and look a bit like a circular panel of small led lights. Both on our way along and on our return back along the stream, there were no lights and it was pitch black. You could not see your hand right in front of your face.

Once we arrive back to the entrance, we wandered down to the water’s edge and boarded the catamaran that took us back across the lake. Back at the hotel, it was NN time for me and Lesley did some hand washing. The rooms looked out on the lake and faced west so we copped the full effects of the afternoon sun. It was now hot in the rooms and with a very mild night, the fan provided did bugger all to make it all that comfortable. It was a night of very little sleep for most of us.

Dinner was in a private room adjoining the restaurant and we know it was quite good, but we cannot remember now, what we had. Getting old is fun isn’t it? We had a few cleansers as was normal, but nothing over the top. Day 16 awaited us at Dunedin.