Our ship made a scenic cruise of this remarkable part of the Te Wahipounammu World Heritage Area of New Zealand. Unfortunately we had rough seas, strong winds, low clouds and rain, so most of the spectacular vertical cliffs were partially obscured. This area receives over 300 inches of rain a year and most of it runs off in the form of waterfalls. In the Milford Sound the rain has created a permanent fresh water layer above the warmer sea water 10 to 13 feet deep. It is a very dramatic, interesting region. I’ve given up wishing for sunny, calm days. If it happens, great, otherwise we are wearing our Alaska jackets and carrying umbrellas.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska wildlife artist
