South Island Photo Journal ~ Day Nine (1/2)

Franz Josef Glacier ~ Day Nine

I couldn’t believe it when I woke up the next morning, drew the curtains, and saw blue skies. I hurriedly dressed and pegged it down to the reception desk to ask what they thought about the possibility of any glacier tours happening that day. She was very relaxed and said she’d phone around a few places for me. But nothing would be happening for a couple of hours yet. She said nobody gets going until about 10am.

So, I went and had breakfast, and then took a walk up the main road to find out what kind of glacier tour deals were on offer. At the first place I went to, I was told a helicopter flight needed a minimum group of 4 people. But that they were on special offer. Quintin took my phone number and said he’d call and let me know if anyone else showed up. He also told me that the fair weather wasn’t going to last all day and I probably shouldn’t waste the next hour or so, but should drive up to the glacier access road and take the short walk towards the glacier face. Although I could only get to 2km from the actual face, as extreme weather had caused damage to the riverbed path and it was just too dangerous to get any closer. I figured that was probably as good as my glacier experience was going to get, and set off. It was a beautiful walk and I bumped into Eric and Jill who I’d met in Piopiotahi and we stopped and chatted a while. I was happy. Until I saw a helicopter.

I dashed back and Quintin told me he had tried to call but couldn’t get through. He’d had a space but couldn’t hold it. He also said there was another flight going up straight away afterwards. But it was already full. I hadn’t even known how badly I wanted to do this until it looked like I couldn’t. Quintin seemed optimistic though and sent me off for a coffee across the street. I was really working hard at managing my expectations when he came to tell me that another outfit down the road had a space. I was to ask for Nicky. Because business was so thin on the ground all the companies were working together to get as many customers into the sky as possible. It was on.

The pilot’s 8 year old daughter, McKenna, was also on the flight and she and I became firm friends even before we had left the terminal. Can I sit next to you? she said. McKenna had already been on two flights that day, the first one bright and early to put the landing marks out. She knew her stuff and was clearly excited for me. It being my first time and all.

It was simply incredible. I grinned like the Cheshire Cat from start to finish. To be able to slip and slide over the compacted, crusted, glacial ice in the glorious sunshine is something I’ll never forget. I have been diving with manta rays in Nusa Penida and taken a sunset boat ride down the Mekong. I have done sunrise Tai Chi in Ha Long Bay and watched dolphins playing in the surf in Byron Bay. And I have touched Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatare, the tears of Hine Hukatare, a 7,000 year old glacier.

Whilst we were skidding around, McKenna asked if I’d like to go to The Snake Bite for a jam donut when we got back. She said her and her dad always went to The Snake Bite for a coffee for him and a jam donut for her after they had finished flying. So that’s what we did.

The tears of Hine Hukatare