Day 4 on the Milford Track
Some more experienced trekker said that it would be
a shame not to have rain while on the Milford Track, for without the rain
there would be no waterfalls. I suppose there is a good deal of truth in
that, though we know there are some waterfalls that exist without a dash
of rain. At one point during the day Judy stopped and said, "Look! There
must be a hundred waterfalls!" A lifting of the low clouds revealed so many
it was as though the mountain were weeping.
In spite of the wet weather, the scenery was breathtaking.
The Arthur River continued to be a mighty force, tumbling over huge rocks
in cascades that roared. We returned to the beech rain forest that would
protect us from the worst of the rain. (Of course, those trekkers who carried
umbrellas may not have appreciated this small arboreal benefit.)
Within a couple of miles of the end, the Track leveled
and widened, the rain eased, and we walked together cheerfully, looking
forward to reaching Sandfly Point and the hut that would provide some protection
from the anticipated swarm of sandflies.
