The Control Gates are called so because they control the flow of water from Lake Te Anau to the (controversial) underground hydro electric station at Lake Manapouri. It is quite a massive structure that also acts as a bridge across the river to the start of the Kepler Track.
Todays track wound us through a very different forest then yesterday — mostly mature mountain and red beech. We hit the Dock Beach first and are making good time. Until we meet Warren!
Warren is a DOC employee who we meet coming towards us on a bike. Now, bikes are not allowed on these trails but we'd read signs that said a project to collect long tailed bats was underway and that we may just bump into a bike on the trail.
We'd seen the bat traps on Wednesday's Kepler hike — wild looking things really. Kind of like a giant egg slicer - on stilts. Except that it didn't slice the bats, just caught them gently as they flew through and dropped them down into a canvas bag below. Supposedly the traps did work very well....but they hadn't caught any yet! Once caught, a small tracking device would be glued to the fur behind the bats neck. The device would send information about where the bats flew and most importantly where they roost.
The bat populations are also being decimated by those nasty stoats, rats, and feral cats. The researchers need to find where the bats roost so that they can set the predator traps below thus preventing the bats from being killed while they are essentially defenseless. We pester Warren with as many questions as we can think of and he genuinely seems pleased to talk with us about his interest.
Onwards we hike. All the way to Brod Bay where we stop for a snack. Here though, the trail takes a turn. Upwards. And it doesn't stop. Full on, full up for the next few hours we trudge. The incline is a constant up. Keir gets a little hot and sweaty...
just a little...
Just when we are thinking that we won't make it, we are rewarded with "teasers" of the views below through the trees.
Then, just before the treeline we encounter massive towering limestone cliffs. This gave us JUST enough encouragement to continue slogging our way up.
We were quite thankful that we persevered too because the views of Te Anau and Manapouri (both lakes and towns) were stunning.
And the view of the surrounding Fiordland was not so bad either!
We even saw a hobbit lumping along the track!
We learned afterwards that the 6 hours we'd taken to hike the track was break neck speed. We'll be sure to remind our aching calves and quads of that tomorrow!
After dinner at The Ranch (a locals haunt with huge portions and cold beer on tap!) we crossed the street to the small artsy cinema to see the "Fiordland on Film". "Shadowland" is billed as a cinematic experience of Fiordland - places that not many have ever seen. It is only 30 minutes or so long but it takes you through the vast and remarkable area that is the Fiordlands. It is easy to see how this area earned it's World Heritage status!
A Look Ahead:
We decided that the most "us" way to experience Milford Sound is to kayak it so we have arranged to go out this coming Sunday. The plan is to paddle from Milford town to the Tasman sea (making lots of good stops along the way) and then take a boat taxi back. We are so looking forward to it. Fingers crossed for no rain!
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