We are up early this morning and
excited about the prospect of another kayaking adventure, so it was a real
disaster when we got the phone call from the kayaking people to say today's trip
was cancelled due to strong winds (especially as it didn’t feel very windy at
all in the camp site).
We decide on a plan B for the day
and pack a lunch ready for some of the short tramps around the base of Mt
Cook. As make it along the road to Mt
Cook Village we can feel the wind getting stronger and stronger and in the DOC
visitors centre the weather report has the wind gusting up to 140kmh later
today so maybe it was best not to be kayaking after all.
We head off on our tramp and
immediately notice the effects of the wind with huge clouds of fine silt from
the moraines being blown about the valley.
As we make our way to Kea Point the dust clouds get worse and it feels
like we are being sandblasted. As we
make it to the look-out a Kea Point we manage a few minutes of taking pictures then beat a hasty
retreat to a sheltered spot for lunch.
A windy Kea Point |
Sheltered lunch spot |
Then it’s a very short, wind
assisted walk back to the village. We
opt out of any more walks today but spend a very enjoyable hour looking round
the Mt Cook visitors centre which has loads of great displays about the history
of climbing in NZ including plenty about Sir Edmond Hillary. We also rebook onto the kayaking trip and
hope the wind dies down tomorrow.
Mr M
Mrs M looks very content !
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