Beattys Overseas

On the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island exist two very special glaciers; they are Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier.  A glacier is a large, slow moving river of ice, formed from compacted layers of snow, that slowly deforms and flows in downward from a mountain's snow-capped top.  Franz Josef and Fox Glacier in New Zealand are unique glaciers because they descend from NZ's Southern Alps to just 240 metres above sea level amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.  A glacier running into a rainforest?  Yes!  Like I said a few blogs ago, New Zealand seems to cramp all the world's ecosystems on two small little islands. 

So, while the rest of you watched the Super Bowl (remember, we are one day ahead and six hours behind you, here in NZ), we drove the very windy road from Westport to Franz Josef, site of this amazing glacier.  On the 5 hour drive south, we stopped at the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, another very unique NZ piece of nature.  The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts though a number of vertical blowholes during high tides. Together with the 'pancake'-layering of the limestone (created by immense pressure on alternating hard and soft layers of marine creatures and plant sediments) and the spectacle of the sea water blowholes, this made for an excellent rest stop during our long drive.

Our arrival in Franz Josef was a little trying.  Finding a motel with solid wifi was out of the question, so we found a cheap little university/backpacker place with a en suite room available for only one night.  It turned out that the Rainforest Retreat was quite fun, with a bar & pool table on the premises that provided a good few hours to relax.  We went to the finest restaurant in town later that night and enjoyed some yummy food and went to bed early -- we had a big day to prepare for! 

Glacier Climbing!Heli-hiking is an expensive day-long adventure, but totally worth it.  We were lifted in a six-person helicopter from town to a high-spot on the glacier where a guide waits for his group to arrive.  Once we're all out of the chopper, we're given ice spikes for our company-provided boots (the company also provided parkas), and we're suddenly walking around on this massive river of ice.  Crazy!  The ice spikes were awesome, making it easily to walk on a slick surface of hard ice at a nearly 50-degree angle. Our group wandered along the glacier, mostly taking photos and marveling at the little canyons and caves and pools that develop as this huge mass of ice moves down this hill.  Did I mention that Franz Josef moves at the astounding rate of 12 meters a day!  While we were up there, we saw a few huge chunks of ice fall and roll down the hill, proving that this glacier is indeed moving, and we should take our steps wisely!  It was an amazing experience, to climb atop one of the world's most unique glaciers, and to enjoy thrilling helicopter rides at the start & finish of the trip. 

                                  During the hike up the glacier we came across a pool of the freshest coldest water you can imagine.  Our guide asked if anyone wanted to jump in, as he was about to do.  John realized that it would be a while before he'd have the opportunity to jump into a deep pool on top of a glacier in NZ so he stripped off his jacket and prepared to jump in.  He was feeling much like the great explorers who had come before him.  Rare, he thought to himself, is the brave soul who can say he has swam in a glacier pool in Zew Zealand!  Watch footage of this swim here.   Fact: Did you know that it is very difficult to make your muscles function properly in ice cold water?  Tasks as simple as doggy paddling to the icy shore are nearly impossible.  But being wet on a glacier while in woolen socks wasn't as bad as expected.  John dried off rather quickly, and has officially been listed as the zillionth guy to have jumped in this very pool, as evidenced by all the youtube clips he found on the internet afterwards.  So much for breaking new ground.

- John and Whitney