The Milford Trek ends at the gorgeous Milford Sound. Decked out in striped long johns, bright yellow rain jackets, a sea skirt, and an atrocious hat (for Robynn), we explored the sound by sea kayak.
Quite the get up.
It was the perfect day: a cloudless blue sky, no wind, still waters.
We barely had our kayak in the water before we spotted our first seal. He spun drunken circles in the water, his fins and belly showing each cycle. Later, we saw his brethren sunbathing on rocks and scratching their noses with their tails.
Two dolphins came to play with us, swimming right under the kayaks – so close you could nearly touch them. It was breathtaking.
Our wonderful guide was a bit of a celebrity, as the first to complete a solo circumnavigation of New Zealand by sea kayak.
At the end of our paddle, we jumped in a van direct from the dock. Our driver took us up a jaw-dropping road to the trailhead for our next trek.
We had just enough time to sprint up to Key Summit, with the sun setting on snowcapped mountains. The soft, pinkish light crept up the peaks, until only the very tips glowed before falling into shadow.
Sunset at Key Summit.
The first 90 minutes hinted at an incredible hike awaiting us in the days to come. More on the Caples and Routeburn Tracks in our next post…