From Hokitika we drove down to the two Glaciers … Franz Josef and Fox. Actually there are many more glaciers but these are the two that are open to visitors and managed by the Department of Conservation (with marked walking tracks etc for safety).
While glaciers are pretty, the rivers that run from them aren’t … they’re quite grey with the suspension from the rocks scoured by the glaciers.
At each glacier, visitors can walk through the terrain to get close to the glacier face .. but not right up to it because falling ice can and as killed visitors before. The weather wasn’t conducive for a helicopter ride and we didn’t feel like doing a guided hike on the glaciers.
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- Franz Josef Glacier.
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- Franz Josef Glacier.
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- Shrinkage of the glacier through the years.
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- Franz Josef Glacier.
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- River bed at Fox Glacier.
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- Crossing the river bed at Fox Glacier.
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- Crossing the river bed at Fox Glacier.
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- Crossing the river bed at Fox Glacier.
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- On the river bed at Fox Glacier.
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- On the river bed at Fox Glacier.
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- People in the distance on Fox Glacier.
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- Fox Glacier.
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- Waterfall in the distance.
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- Fox Glacier.
Driving around the South Island we saw lots of placards protesting against 1080. These aren’t protesting against high definition TV but a poison that’s used to kill farm pests such as possums and rabbits.
Protesting against a farm poison, not high definition TV.
Protesting against a farm poison, not high definition TV.