Page 70 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

astronomer, the value of the site is realizing that you are standing

where Capt. Cook and his men stood in 1769. It is even postulated
that some of the downed tree trunks are remnants of those his

crew cut to make ship repairs. There is of course historic
significance in this site, but on the day we were there no sightings

could have been made and the walkway was so slippery that we
were pretty much underwhelmed.

Chapter 16. Milford Sound

Our last adventure on the Clipper Odyssey was a sailing up

Milford Sound, the most famous of NZ’s beautiful fjords. This
magnificent trip includes a look at the iconic Mitre Peak. The rains

were still falling heavily as we made our way up the sea finger
towards the unwanted “jumping off place.” The upside of the

constantly falling rain was the miracle of a 1000 or more
splashing and crashing waterfalls everywhere along the fjord.

Some slender little ribbons, others more like broad bolts of silvery
silk being unfurled down from the mountain tops, and still others
like waters gushing over a broken dam, so broad and rushing were

their cascades. It was a magnificent view thanks to the rain.
However, our look at Mitre Peak was not exactly as advertised in

tourist brochures where it is always shown under brilliant blue
skies and bright sunshine. No, today Mitre looked a bit hoary with

all the clouds swirling around his head and all the rain blocking
our clear view. However, the whole panorama was so dramatic

that no one could have wished the rains away.

We knew our lovely expedition on board the Clipper O ended as

we sighted Mitre Peak and were offloaded onto a smaller boat
that carried us to the commercial harbor. Milford Sound, as well

as Dusky Sound, are part of the wonderful Fjordland National Park

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