Beach Birds and Whirlybirds

 Hokitika is a art-friendly community that lies on a long stretch of fine-sand beach, south of Greymouth and north of Fox Glacier on the South Island's West Coast.  We happened to arrive in Hokitika during its beach art festival and spent an afternoon admiring the creativity and sheer enterprise of the "entries":

Giant kiwi!

Ostrich meets its shadow

 

 

Sea Serpent arrises from the sands

Octopus

Ancient whale skeleton

After Hokitika, on our way south to the town of Fox Glacier, we had some peek-a-boo sightings of 12,000 foot high Aoraki / Mount Cook, the crown jewel of Aotearoa's Southern Alps.  The weather was changing, and we were a little concerned that by time we got to Fox Glacier - named for the 8-mile long (not sure if that's current) glacier that flows from Aoraki - we might not be able to really see much of the mountain range or experience much of the national park. 

So, when we saw a sign for heli-viewing the peaks and glaciers, we jumped at the chance.  A major splurge! Neither of us had been in a helicopter before, so that, in and of itself, was exciting.  Here's a video and another of some of what we saw and some photos:

Boarding the "bird" ... looks like a toy, doesn't it?!

 

 Kate sat snuggle-close to the pilot, in the middle front seat, close enough to fly the thing.

 

 

Kate's view

 

 

 Great views of Mt. Cook

 

The river that flows from Fox Glacier to the Tasman Sea

 

 There were times it seemed we could almost touch what we were seeing

The Tasman Glacier

Having landed safely ....

More to come.