First it was Niagara, then today we came across New Zealand’s version of Pearl Harbour, right here in Manapouri.
Pearl Harbour, Manapouri
We were staying in Manapouri for one reason only, to book for our long anticipated tour of the Doubtful Sound and the Manapouri Underground Power Station visit, and we bought our tickets at Pearl Harbour. This will be an all day trip, and with handing over a king’s ransom in money, the tickets were in our hot little hands for our tour tomorrow. With a cruise across Lake Manapouri, a catamaran cruise through Doubtful Sound, then down, down down to the underground power station, it should be a wonderful trip. Let’s hope for a nice calm day.
Lake Manapouri was part of the “Save Manapouri” campaign which took place over from 1959 to 1972, and is described as “New Zealand’s Greatest Environmental Battle”. Thousands of Kiwis battled to stop the level of this lake plus Lake Te Anau being raised for hydro-electric use. Save Manapouri was a catch cry of a generation, it echoes still. This monument marks the approximate water level of the raised lake as originally proposed.
Lake Manapouri
Save Manapouri monument
Just a short drive up the road is Te Anau. Te Anau has a pretty lake, with many rides and attractions on the lakeside all ready to take tourists exploring by air or water.
Lake Te Anau – helicopter at the ready
A sculpture of Quinton Mackinnon, surveyor, explorer and guide, stands in a nearby park. MacKinnon, together with Ernest Mitchell, were the first Europeans to travel overland from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound. Their route became the world famous Milford Track. (Our last visit to Te Anau was about 20 years ago when we hiked the Milford Track. We were younger and fitter then, with not a single grey hair in our heads!)
Quinton MacKinnon, surveyor
What’s this – a wedding chapel – shades of Las Vegas here in Te Anau. It was very pretty though, all in white, and attached to a posh hotel. The view from large glass windows look right out over the lake.
Te Anau Wedding Chapel
All of us are really looking forward to our trip tomorrow. Camera batteries are being charged up, and we will be up bright and early to pack a picnic lunch and be on our way. Oh – mustn’t forget to take the insect repellent, the sand flies are huge down here, or so we are told.
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