Haast, Blue Pools

Knights Point

Blessed with the sunshine yesterday at Fox Glacier, we had a wet day again today. Had a really busy day travelling from Fox Glacier to Lake Wanaka. The road trip is not long, about 220kms but we took the whole day driving and stopping at many lookout points.

We pass by Monro Beach, where the Fiordland Crested Penguins inhabit the area. We thought we could only see the penguins before dawn and after dark so we didn't bother to go for the walking track. We thought me might come again after dark after visiting the I-site at Haast. At Haast, we found out that these penguins might be at the beach area anytime, especially now during the breeding season from July - November. But they said it is quite difficult to see them on rainy days like this and that there aren't many. And we can also see them around Doubtful Sound (which is the next tour we have booked in, for an overnight cruise). Hopefully we get to see some wild crested penguins! They look real cool, with 'gel-ed' eye brows :p

Further down south of Monro Beach is the Ship Creek, well known to spot the smallest marine dolphins, the Hector Dolphins. Well, we did not spot any here... Not the best day.... Just having a stroll at the beach...



Talking about Haast Visitor Center, it is actually the Department of Conservation (DOC) center, worth a visit to know about the penguins, history of this area and the popular whitebait fishing which is a delicacy to the locals. We have not try the whitebait fish but the locals cook them as patties in egg batter or stir fried.

A break from driving, let's see the Roaring Billy Falls. Captured this just along the road side.

Haast Pass

Gates of the Haast, super rapid river

A steep hike to the Haast Pass Lookout**** brings us through the fern forest to this mossy land below

Fern bud :)

                   The view at Haast pass lookout. Beautiful lookout, on a clearer day than this...

Another drive stop, Blue pool, not blue but muddy brown today! Half an hour walk with two bridge crossing. Its quite an easy and nice walk, but all we see is the muddy brown pool instead of the crystal clear blue pool with brown trouts swimming around! The heavy rain have caused gravels and mud washed down to the pool thus the colour we see now. You know what to expect on a rainy day now ;)

As we got nearer to Lake Wanaka, the famous tourist town, there would be no free/ cheap camps around there. So we camped at Makarora Lake Wanaka Boundary Creek Doc campsite which

costs $6 pp with serviced toilet.