Day 5: also known as my fourth day of actual walking, this is the day I head to Dusky Sound. The longest day of the trip so far (posted 8 hrs, took me 9). But the bird life and views were stunning.
There was another walk wire out of action, as you see...

arrival in Dusky Sound

I’d hit low tide so crossed the bay, then after a little bush bashing and the usual obstacle course that is the actual track (pictured) I was at the hut.

Day 6: my second rest day (no, I am not ashamed to use them). It started with... fresh blue cod!!!!!
Sometimes hut company is a blessing

Then I swam, had a nap, swam, had lunch, had a nap and read for a bit, swam again and went to bed early... #restday

Day 7: up early to catch the low tide for the easier walk out. Though by walk I mean, swim, really, for the first hour.
But the rain has arrived again after the anomaly that was my rest day, so I was going to get wet anyway

After the last few dry(ish, relatively) days, it’s impressive to see how quickly the track changes after just a few hours of rain

But the rain makes things speedy; I stop for a cuppa soup under a sheltering tree halfway, feeling rather hobbity, then plough on, humming this to myself for most of the way before getting back to Loch Maree https://open.spotify.com/track/3Cs4g3w33H9YEptmg34DQc?si=c4zOjgskSd-0Hi_TtrD9LQ

Day 8: oh to wake to the sound of rain on a DOC hut roof in Fiordland!
I’m not worried — yet — about stream levels for today’s walk, but since my 7 day forecast from b4 starting has just become useless, I decide to stay in bed as long as possible just in case the rain stops

Reader: this is not best practice when you have a long day’s walk ahead, though the long days in Fiordland are forgiving.
The ongaonga is not

But it was a dry sock day! At least, for the first hour, which is really all anyone can expect

Day 9: the final big climb of the track — over the imaginatively named middle pass — awaits. It was a slog on tired legs, but sooooo worth it. The weather even cleared — a little! — at the top.

And you may at this point we’ll translate ‘was worth it’ to it had no bloody choice’.
Here’s the view back down the valley towards the Seaforth, to help with that

Oh! Did I mention I have a new favourite epiphyte? Though I’m not entirely sure it is one — can you have epiphytic mosses?

Day 10: the final walk downriver to the West Arm of Manapōuri is supposed to be an easy day out. It is pretty; I don’t know what these trees are but I love the goblin-forest-apple-orchard vibe they’ve got going...

Couldn’t help but think, through this section, that most of it would be long gone had the campaign to save Manapōuri not been successful in stopping the lake being raised 30 metres...

But after a longer than planned day on a sore knee I make it to West Arm Hut. Couldn’t help snickering to myself when I passed Brae Burn on the Manapōuri—Deep Cove road — maybe I just have apples on the brain

Day 11: that’s it folks! Down to the wharf to get the boat out. But — did I mention I’ve been photographing all the doc intentions books on my way through? Keep contact tracing, folks!

Anyway, I’ll leave you with this excellent summary of the pleasures of the Dusky.

It’s far better than everyone else complaining about the rate at which trees... fall... in the woods...
I’d perhaps edit it slightly though...

The Dusky: not a track, just a 84 km long series of swimming & bouldering opportunities.

And with that I am off to the lake!

A final tweet — or two: getting to the business end of Manapōuri and seeing the powerhouse crouched on the edge of the lake is quite something. In this landscape...

And here they are, the famous carriers of electricity on their way to Tīwai. Impressive, seeing them navigate a path through *these* hills.

Oh! And one hilarious thing that happened midway along the Dusky Track https://twitter.com/iangriffin/status/1335097650350227458

I get to Dusky Sound and I see this, open on the table in the hut
#womeninSTEM

Always good to be updated on @MacDiarmidInsti work events mid-tramp; I’m only sorry I missed the first half of the spread (it may have already made it into the fire, sorry!)