Garden Ramblings: Stephen's Birthday celebration on Doubtful Sound

The last week of our wonderful time in New Zealand was spent on the beautiful South Island, helping Stephen celebrate his 50th birthday!!
There were 11 of us in total, who gathered for this special event! And, it was a 5 day celebration! Craig and Stephen organized our accommodations - two amazing apartments on the hill overlooking Queenstown, with million dollar views!  We had fun preparing meals, and had an apartment for G&T and nibbles, and then one for dinner! Thanks, Stephen, for this amazing experience!

On Stephen's birthday, February 23rd, we all went to Doubtful Sound. The Fjord area is one of New Zealand's crown jewels, and Doubtful Sound is absolutely breath-taking! The morning began with champagne and breakfast, before we all piled into two cars, and headed for Lake Manapouri, about a two hour drive. To break up that long drive, we stopped for coffee at a great cafe, then back on the road.

We arrived at Lake Manapouri, where we boarded a boat for a trip across the lake, to the Manapouri power station, where we had a bus trip that included a visit to the power stations underground operations. We were 1.5 miles below the surface - just amazing!!   After touring the power station, we continued on the bus to Deep Cove, on Doubtful Sound.

There we boarded a beautiful catamaran, and began our journey! The weather was beautiful, and the scenery was spectacular! We explored several arms of the fjord, saw dolphins swimming along the cliffs, waterfalls and fur seals. We even saw an albatross!

We enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch on the boat, and birthday wine!  Then, after getting out to the Tasman Sea, we headed back to Deep Cove, for the return trip - the bus to the power station, and then the boat back across Lake Manapouri.

We had a stop for dinner in Te Anau, then headed back to Queenstown. Between the 9 of us, I'm sure that we took 1.2 million pictures, because everywhere you looked, there was a picture! We were all tired at the end of that day, but delighted with the wonderful day we shared! Happy birthday, Stephen!

Waiting for the boat at Lake Manapouri - Craig, Stephen, John, Deane and Tony

Still waiting - Deane, Pat and Agnes, Stephen's mum

Mark and Tony

And here's the boat!

Stephen and his mum, Agnes

We were riding on top of the boat, and Craig FINALLY looked up!!

Stephen and Lee

Craig, Pat and Lee

Pat, Agnes and Lee

The Manapouri power station! It's all built underground.

This is a model of the power station

And here are the 7 turbines that generate that electricity!

Craig, Mark, Tony and Deane

If you enlarge this sign, it tells about building the road over the Wilmot Pass to get to Deep Cove on Doubtful Sound. It was the most expensive stretch of road ever built in NZ!