Fox Glacier

Who can resist a glacier view?

Franz Josef

Fox and Franz Josef glaciers lie just a few miles apart along the west shore. It is a beautiful sunny morning just perfect for mountain top and glacier viewing, nice. Fox first. Big rains have taken out their main access road so we have a 2 mile walk to the nearest viewing area. It is a lovely forested walk with an impressive view at the end. On to Franz Josef, high run-off has rerouted the braided Waiho River and shortened this walk as well. We still get a nice view with a bonus of watching a group of kayakers launch into the roiling glacier-silt colored water. Both walks are well worth the energy.
Kiwi viewing. No, not in the wild. We have spent time in Kiwi habitat but they are nocturnal and rare so today we visit the West Coast Wildlife Center in Franz Josef. They gather wild laid eggs and hatch them in the center then keep them until they are a few weeks old. That early rearing time is when visitors get to see them. They have released most of the young but two juveniles remain. It takes a lot of patience and some time to acclimate to low red light; but we see one of the juveniles as well as a full time adult. Odd looking little guys and fun to watch as they feed and scurry about.
Last stop, Okitito Lagoon. We hit it at low tide and birding is not so great. We take a short beach walk then head “home” to camp in Fox. It feels like a dinner out night so we head for The Last Kitchen. Goat Goulash and loin of lamb. The lamb is tasty but not real impressive. The goulash is definitely the better choice. We end the night with a glass or two of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc.