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<\/a><\/p>\nLove the name.<\/p>\n
Just up the way, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a pretty cool trek out to the lighthouse at Nugget Point<\/p>\n
And the view once you get out there isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t too shabby<\/p>\n The resemblance of the rocks to gold nuggets supposedly inspired the name. Not sure what a gold nugget actually looks like, but I am sure it was worth a visit here, especially with seals lounging around on the rocks below<\/p>\n Veering inland, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s endless green<\/p>\n And endless sheep<\/p>\n Looks like these guys have just had their wool sheared. I heard that the reigning sheep shearing champion can shear all of the wool from a sheep in something like eight seconds. Even more incredibly, he seems to enjoy semi-celebrity status as a result of this prowess. I think if you made a farmer-sheep joke here you would insult the entire rural population of New Zealand. Sheep outnumber humans 12 to 1 in New Zealand.<\/p>\n Stopped off for lunch at the Parakaunui Falls<\/p>\n And by the end of the day, I found myself closer to the South Pole than the Equator for the first time in my life<\/p>\n Bluff is at the southern tip of the South Island, and it is definitely not shorts weather<\/p>\n Nevertheless, on day four I decided to go even further south, to Stewart Island, New Zealand\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153third island.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n As the fast cat sped across the Foveaux Straight that morning, the water was close to a sheet of glass<\/p>\n This was thrilling after the captain told me that 20 foot seas here are not unusual.<\/p>\n As we arrived at Stewart Island, it looked like the perfect place to spend a day exploring<\/p>\n There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a network of trails that takes you through the woods<\/p>\n This guy was devouring tree bark for lunch<\/p>\n The trails also run along ridges above the sea<\/p>\n Although it was still cool enough out that I could see my breath, a couple of hours of minor exertion lead to a serious sweat<\/p>\n Some things never change.<\/p>\n This area is part of the roaring forties – there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a constant wind from the west at this latitude. If you like changes in the weather, stick around for ten minutes, you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be disappointed<\/p>\n It took no more than 30 seconds for that entire peninsula to become obscured in a cloud<\/p>\n Down on the beach doing a little heavy lifting<\/p>\n Or not. What are the odds?<\/p>\n Overall, a great day on Stewart Island. At forty six and a half degrees below the equator, it would be the farthest south that my entire journey has taken me. Time to start heading north.<\/p>\n Leaving the southern tip and heading up the southwest coast to Monkey Island, a one time Maori whale lookout, I find I am in luck. It is only accessible during low tide, which seems to be now<\/p>\n No whales to be seen out there in Te Waewae Bay, but still no worries<\/p>\n I was showing a fellow traveler some photos at a pub last night and he asked why I always raise my hands in the air for photos. I told him to think of Andy Dufrain crawling a quarter mile through a sewage pipe to escape from the Shawshank State Penitentiary, and his first gesture when he emerged on the other side. Freedom!<\/p>\n The great names continue<\/p>\n Fiordland National Park looms in the background.<\/p>\n A few hours later I am right in the middle of it<\/p>\n It was pretty late in the day already, but with the sun shining I wanted to make it over The Divide (or through the tunnel I should say) and down to Milford Sound, where I have heard it is often cloudy and rainy.<\/p>\n Pretty enormous<\/p>\n To get an idea of the size, take a look at the boat on the horizon. That happens to be a fairly large cruise ship.<\/p>\n Much like the road leading to Mt. Cook, the road to Milford Sound was incredible. With only one way in and out of Milford Sound, I backtracked slowly<\/p>\n The Milford Sound side of The Divide is beautiful<\/p>\n My head was definitely in the clouds<\/p>\n But once you go back through the tunnel to the interior side of The Divide, it gets even better<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n