Day 7
 Todays tour was booked for the secound largest fiord: the Doubtful Sound. We left the wharf of Manapouri at Lake Manapouri in stable but not sunny conditions. |
 After crossing the lake in approx. 30min (nothing extraordinary can be seen) we arrived at the Manapouri Underground Power Station. This hydroelectric power station is NZ's largest (840MW) and build almost entirely underground. |
 The travel continues with travelling by coach a 2km spiral tunnel hewn from solid granite to the machine hall. Seven turbines drive seven generators each with an output of 121.5MW. |
 It was built to supply electricity for an aluminum smelter 191kms away. Work began in 1963 and was completed in 1972. Today it supplies the whole area with electricity. |
 Water from Lake Manapouri (178m above sea level) and adjoining Lake Te Anau (both in areas which extremely high rain fall) is used to power the turbines. The water exits through an articial tunnel to the Doubtful Sound 10kms away. |
 After the bus brings us over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove, the first impression of the sound is 'pure nature'. To resemble it for the viewer, there are no comments for the next few images. :-) |
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 To cool down from the amazing view we take a little shower in one of the waterfalls pouring down from high above. |
 Our vessel is greeted and acompagneed from Bottle Nose dolphins. |
 At the outer most point of our journey we pass by some rock formation with sea lions taking a nap on it. |
 The way back is in much brighter light conditions now. The clowds have broken up to give free the georgous blue sky. Enjoy! |
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 With an almost perfect blue sky our impressive journey ends at the wharf in Manapouri again and we drive to ... |
 ... Queenstown which welcomes us with perfect weather and a beautiful scenery. What a day! |
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