October 23-27 Trip to South Island, Part 1 – The West Coast of New Zealand 

            We took a trip to the West Coast of the South Island to see the Fiordland crested penguin.  This is an endangered penguin that lives only on the West Coast.  The West Coast itself, an unlogged rain forest that is intended to represent what New Zealand looked like before it was settled and the forest were mowed down for timber and farming, is itself designated as a U.N World Heritage site.  Here there are fjords, glaciers, mountains and crystal clear rivers and lakes.  Despite its remoteness, it is big on any tourist list of things to see and do when visiting the South Island.  

            Our goal was to see the penguins, which we missed when we visited New Zealand in 2005.  We did come to this part of the country, visiting Milford Sound and flying to the top of Mount Cook and landing on a glacier.  But we did not drive the coastal highway.  We were so distracted after we bungy jumped from the Kawarau Gorge Bridge, we could not even think about a rain forest.  

            So this was our chance to tick this bird off our list.  

            We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge at Lake Moeraki, a remote lodge, located in a rain forest, hours from any town, about as far from civilization as you can get while still driving a car.  To get to the Lodge, we had to Drive Route 6, from Queenstown to the Coast, a four-hour drive on winding roads, over mountain passes, and along stop-the-car clear blue lakes, waterfalls, and rivers.  

            Here are some pics.

The lodge owners, Gerry and Anne, were quite nice and helpful.  Gerry and Anne, both lifelong conservationists and very willing to make good trouble, were instrumental in having this part of New Zealand protected from development, with five national parks, and also helping to establish it as a World Heritage site.  Gerry would take us into the bush to see the penguins in a protected area he helped to create. 

            But first we had to see a Morepork Owl.  I love owls and New Zealand has two.  They are hard to see but being in an isolated place, the birds were plentiful and not shy at all.  We could hear the owl, but it took Gerry to lead us to it.  It was right there in a tree next to our room.  Here it is.  Gorgeous darling.