NZ Journal Day 9 (11/17/16): Today was a full day in sleepy Fox Glacier, home of not only the glacier of the same name, but also Lake Matheson renowned for its killer reflection of the mountains above.
Sunset on Lake Matheson. We experienced a very brief period of calm wind where the water fell still and Mt. Tasman was reflected beautifully in the water. Mt. Cook is shrouded in clouds to the right and wasn’t visible.
Fox Glacier, seen here feeding the raging Fox River with glacial melt, is receding at a record rate. We hiked up to the mouth of the glacier and even in the short time we rested there we witnessed a large iceberg calve off the face.
Fox Glacier is a beautiful town of just over 300 inhabitants. Their economy is primarily farming and glacier tourism. This section of New Zealand’s west coast is intensely beautiful, with lush rainforest coexisting with glaciers, snow fields… and livestock.
Playing with the reflections on the waters of Lake Matheson. Believe it or not, fresh water eels also inhabit these calm waters, although we didn’t see any on this day.