The warmly cool, clear, ringing, perfumed, overflowing, redundant days, were as crystal goblets of Persian sherbet, heaped up – flaked up, with rose-water snow. — Herman Melville
Wet Jacket Arm, not just any Arm – Fiordland.
Our wake was the only disturbance as we slinked up Acheron Passage toward Wet Jacket Arm.Did the whole Astanga practice in sandfly attire on the foredeck, underway but oh so calm.
In our past experience, being this close to shore would NOT feel like where you’d want to be in a big blow, but when in Fiordland …We’re tied every which way!Lavishly colored intertidal zones.It’s always fun to explore after we get Allora all set and secure.Not sure if the sandflies avoid us because we’re covered or just too dorky.Me if we stayed in Fiordland much longer.We just kept cracking up at our ‘get ups.’These teensy charmers were just about a half centimeter!Nature has some clever solutions for seed distribution.Walked up this creekbed for a ways. In general, we managed far more hiking than in most places, despite the clear challenges.Possibly another lichenized fungus, but I’m not sure?! Will research!Let the rain begin …
We ended up with buckets of rain and big winds from the west. At night there was bioluminescence as the raindrops hit the water!!!The next day there were waterfalls everywhere, and the creekbed we had walked up was a river!
Lots to captivate ~ lingering rainbows, new waterfalls, breathtaking bush, dolphins and surreal reflections while moving up to the end of Wet Jacket Arm. I wrote these words in the logbook from that day: ‘OH MY GOODNESS – A VISUAL FEAST!’
A group of maybe 12 Bottlenose cruised along the shore, paralleling our movements for :45!
Called this my ‘surfboard.’Such a pretty paletteSphagnum magellanicum, commonly called Magellanic bogmoss.
Another stunning move to our next anchorage NE of Oke Island. Happy me.While trying to decide if we’d head out on an afternoon hike at Herrick Creek across the bay, this rainbow arched directly over the access point, so our decision was made!We should most definitely look up to them.As if ‘normal’ colored mushrooms weren’t rad enough already?!
And THESE?!!! (I’ll hope to edit in some names later).Classic Fiordland.
An altar in the woods.Heard there are no poisonous berries in NZ, but we didn’t dare.Lush habitat.Okay, THEN we came upon THIS!!!
Time time time
the blink of an eye
this old tree stands
long passed her prime
twists and turns and bends
green and tattered limbs
once a luxurious crown, thin and brittle now
built a mighty trunk
roots bound to ancient stone
deep fissures of wisdom
etched by sun and boundless sky
age like vines creeps in
dancing with cruel and gentle winds
obliging every whim
mist and storm, drought and deluge
now these wooden branches
broken and hollow
hang as open arms
rings within rings
home of a million creatures
grateful or indifferent
loss and love make her beautiful
mother to a forest ~MS
Phenomenal, truly.Cohabitation.
Symbiotic joy!A shelf mushroom with the same myriad colors as our magic tree.These water droplet patterns reminded me of molecular structures from Chemistry.We reached the lake!No context, just expression!There are more. Message me if you want the full repertoire?! I kept thinking that our Magic tree might know just what was being communicated here.
Heading back to Allora.And this was our post hike rainbow!
