John & Anne Wiley

This trip of a lifetime to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia brought countless highlights. Having finished our time in Queenstown, NZ we were headed toward the next peak experience: celebrating the New Year with my family back on Maui. Of course, for aviators like us another highlight would be the journey there.

141016 Into The Blue

Though forecasts said we’d see clouds on the short Auckland hop to catch our night flight to Maui, the airport looked like this. A few minutes after boarding we were looking through a blurry jet window back at Queenstown and all our new memories there.

141019 Queenstown Into Memory

Moments later we got this view of the area far across the other side of the lake, where we first spotted Queenstown from that small plane so long ago (a few days).

141021 Both Sides

Soon after, we got a last look back at vanishing Queenstown now far at the end of the other arm of the massive lake.

144424 Looking Back

Despite the gloomy forecast, Aoraki peeked out of the clouds gathering on our path to bid farewell.

150214 Aoraki (Mount Cook)

Also departing it seemed, were the dwindling glaciers flanking the peak.

150303 Glacier Remnants

Soon we crossed from South Island to North Island and were treated to a cloudless view of distant Ruapehu at the zoom limits of a cell camera through jet plexi.

154608 Ruapehu

Beneath that solid cloud deck Auckland was inviting in muted colors, with the bustling city tower barely visible in the far distance beyond a quiet cemetery.

160000 Muted Auckland

Making our wait for the connecting flight a delight, we were joined by our new friend we’d shared that glorious Ardmore GA flight with. He’d made a special trip to see us off and chat about our hopes of him coming to the U.S.

175636 Hero John

So many wonderful people we’d met in our New Zealand travels, and John is an exemplar. He capped our last moments here, and before long we rode new wings into the night reaching toward the high lights of sparkling stars. Soon memories of our times in this enchanted land faded into the realm of dreams.

213548 Dream Trip

The reason we didn’t follow the highway straight up from Milford, was to turn right and fly over Lake Ada.

2027 Lake Ada up Arthur River

Along that deep canyon we passed raging rapids on the river and many other beautiful scenes, and moments later a tall waterfall appeared in the blue misty distance.

2083 Track to Falls

The famous Milford Track hiking trail was below us as canyons opened on both sides revealing higher features hidden high above the Arthur River along our path. Like this view up Mackay Creek past the lake to the jagged peak of Mt. Danger.

2098 Mackay to Danger

It was soon clear why our local pilot had come this way, as we approached spectacular Sutherland Falls.

2128 Sutherland Falls

It’s so magnificent we flew in a wide circle to pass it again even closer, where we got this zoom shot of that upper landing where it pounds to mist on the rock outcrop.

2170 Hidden Rainbow

Even in this dimmed light below thick high clouds, there was a hint of the rainbow that must be radiant on clear days. Then turning East along the Clinton River we saw the Flower Falls at Iceberg Lake in the hazy distance.

2175 Iceberg & Flower

But our real destination on this easterly path was the larger Lake Erskine higher among the snowy Summer peaks.

2192 Lake Erskine

It’s a beautiful alpine lake that begs to be visited by float plane. But for us the main attraction there is Bowmar Falls cascading into the long canyon formed by Neale Burn. This short piece of the towering falls gives an impression of how amazing it is.

2194 Bowmar Falls

Then we turned South along Lake Te Anau descending until it emptied into this glimpse of Horseshoe Bend in the clear colorful waters of Waiku River.

2218 Waiku River

Moments later we got a close look at the colors and shapes of this intricate marsh along Home Creek.

2223 Marsh Miracle

Having yielded the Pilot In Command role to the various New Zealand aviators we’d flown with on this adventure, I decided on a whim it would be fun to take the controls for this landing. Our esteemed aviatrix had been asking if I’d like to do that all along this flight but my focus was sightseeing and pix, so she was surprised when I asked. When I greased it she exclaimed aloud, “Woah!!”

2239 View from TEU

After taxi back to parking she explained that most visiting pilots who don’t hoard the controls often have trouble landing smoothly, so she’d assumed I lack skill and experience. I didn’t think much of it until Anne joined her in making such a fuss. 🙂

As we took a break and strolled the ramp at Te Anau Airport (TEU) two miles North of Manapouri on Hwy.95, I breathed in this pause. So many incredible experiences already on this “Over Under” adventure. In just this one unforgettable day we’d relished so much of the breathtaking “Hobbit” landscape, and memorable Queenstown still awaited before dark. Yet a somber tinge of sadness touched me, as I could feel it all winding toward our departure. But soon we were back in the air, and as you’d expect I have pix to share in the next post.