Milford Sound

 Milford Sound is actually a fjord, not a sound. Both a fjord and a sound are filled with seawater. A sound is a river valley that has filled water that has refluxed from the sea. A fjord is usually a deep trench between mountains that has been carved out by glaciers and connects directly to the ocean.

We had the opportunity to take an overnight cruise to the mouth of the fjord at the Tasman Sea. (the body of water between New Zealand and Australia, really part of the Pacific Ocean) Our boat was smaller than most tour boats, with 20 relatively spacious cabins. This was a luxury cruise with a wonderful crew who knew all the passengers by name.

The scenery seemed to come out of a storybook. Each waterfall was more spectacular than the last. There was an abundance of wildlife. The experience was outstanding.

    The two wettest spots on earth are Kauai, and you guessed it, Milford Sound, each getting about 250 inches of rain a year. So, we were prepared with the obligatory rain gear. The weather was perfect! The sky was clear. The water was calm. We could not have asked for better conditions.

Here are some of the pictures I took as we traveled down and back.