Wilderness Time

Sunday we headed south from glacier country to our next stop, Wilderness Lodge at Lake Moeraki, a couple of hours drive down the coast.

We drove past a Fox Glacier viewing place and across the river the river that is created by the glacier. It gave a different perspective regarding the size of the glacier from when we were standing on it the previous day.

We arrived early afternoon and then went one of the short walks that branch out from the lodge.

This one was about an hour walk down by the river, through the rain forest to Lake Moeraki. A very pretty walk at the end of which black swans were swimming in the distance on the lake.
The lodge runs several nature walks everyday. Short one hour guided walks in the morning and evening that are included in the room rate and other longer walks and floats in the late morning and early afternoon.

Our evening walk Sunday was to go feed the eels. Five other guests from the lodge and our guide Corey took us down by the river to feed the eels. He brought a dinner of chicken and salmon and called the eels to dinner by pouring the "chum" in the river. In a few minutes about a dozen of the black slimy creatures came for dinner. They were about 3-6 feet long, black, had teeth and were very hungry. Although offered, we opted to observe the feeding rather than actively participate.

Nancy led the group back to the lodge and we had a very nice dinner of snapper and venison. Our meal was washed down with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and followed up with profiteroles for dessert.
All guests at the lodge eat at the same dinner. We were joined by the 5 that went on the eel feeding walk. It was an all American group, with a couple from Brentwoood, CA and their daughter who had recently graduated from USC as an architect and a newly wed couple from Manhattan. The group sat around and talked till about 11 when we called it quits for the evening.

Monday, we go on a 3 hour walk to see the penguins who are nesting at this time of year.