Sound of Waterfalls

Many people say that visiting Milford Sound during wet and stormy weather shows off this extraordinary place in a way a sunny day cannot. When the peaks are hidden beneath lowering clouds filled with rain the sheer rock faces weep — uncontrollably. Hundreds of waterfalls appear alongside the two permanent ones, Lady Bowen Falls and Stirling falls, sending torrents of water cascading in spectacular fashion down the cliffs. Certainly, some of the photography I’ve seen in conditions like that are awesome in their atmospheric mood, but I would feel a bit miffed if I journeyed all the way to this wonderful place and wasn’t able to see it properly because of the weather. And this can be a real danger as the West Coast of New Zealand, and Fiordland in particular, are the wettest parts of the country. Indeed, areas of Fiordland and Westland were the only places Maori were unable to settle, such can be the inhospitable nature of these beautiful but uncomfortable wildernesses. Even when the rain has stopped, the waterfalls carry on for a few days fed by water drenched moss. These photographs were taken on my first visit to Milford Sound when the sun shone all day. Thank heavens!