Sunday

Woke to the sound of rain on the roof & wind in the trees. Opting for a slow morning before heading down to the jetty in search of a boat to explore the lake.

$29 was the cheapest, there was also the $59 old steamer heading out, but can't do both. Exploring the areas around Queenstown, where the other half live. I wandered up top for the 360deg views, however with the southerly blowing across the lake, it was not going to be a dry spot to sit. Instead the stern offered a rooftop without the encumbered tinted windows from inside. It was still wet, & the waves crashed over the bow as we headed into the 3-4ft swell & into the main part of the lake. 

With the clouds offering brief views of the peaks dusted with snow; there was a sense of this area being even more breathtaking in winter. It will have to be put back on to the list of places to visit in winter.

Here's what I learnt:
*Lake Wakatipu translates to a large bowl of water & covers about 290sq m (5x that of Sydney Harbour)
*Between 6inches & 235m deep, but currently lowest levels in years.
*99.9% pure - can't even electrocute yourself in it, lab grade water (well, except for the boats on it). Tastes delicious too!!
*Willow Trees in the lake?
Posts stumped in to help with navigating the shallows 100yrs ago. They weren't treated, and about 6wks later they started to sprout
*the Douglas Fir trees that stretch high up on the mountains around are originally from Sierra Nevada. The have self seeded & now considered a noxious weed. There is a program to spray them with canola oil the oil suffocates them & doing it in sections to regenerate native regrowth. I wonder how stable the ground will be once they have died off & start to fall over?
*govt rule for their buildings (energy efficiency & stuff): window must face north, but no one thought to check the rule for each project & they have built a block of condos;  with the large living area windows facing directly into the hill...approx 5m away.
*Trout introduced from UK & USA - large & flourishing
*Mt animals on hills surrounding (wolves, goats, bison, llama...)

A return to shore & with the bitterly cold wind passing through me & the 3 layers i was wearing; i popped in to see what the 'end of season sales' had to offer. Picked up a very warm, lightweight jacket that fit perfectly under the jacket I had been wearing... I also found a late lunch of $20 ribs & cider. The short walk home this time, to unload photos & pack for tomorrows early start...