Fiordland, which consists of the southwest corner of New Zealand’s South Island, is a rain forest. With over 200 days of rain each year, the local meteorologist IS forced to measure rain in meters (3 feet – 1 meter). After 4 days without rain, the local fire warning signs begin to show an increasing danger of fire and locals begin to discuss drought conditions. (Seriously). Rain is simply a way of life here in Te Anau. The locals go about life as usual (working in the yard, walking to the market, hiking, taking the dog for a walk, watering their greenhouse gardens, etc) with barely an acknowledging shrug of the weather conditions. When it rains, they get wet and few locals bother with pesky umbrellas.  It is a bit spooky.

Natalie and I, on the other hand, keep a sharp eye on the weather. On sunny days, the cinderblock home we currently occupy is filled with warmth, radiating heat through the walls long after sun set. On rainy days, the cold seeps through the bricks settling into our bones as we run the heat pump and huddle under blankets, drinking pot after pot of hot green tea.  It has been raining at a constant downpour for 4 days and the New Year is starting with gray dreary skies and cold feet.

Despite the gloomy nature of perpetual gray clouds and sheets of water falling from the sky, the rain in Fiordlands does have a unique beauty. The storm fronts are often stacked right on top of each other, causing a day to be filled with 10 or 15 cycles of rain-blue sky-rain as the howling wind forces each storm front to rise above the mountains and drop its accumulated moisture. The meters of rain that fall in the mountains quickly find their way down into the Fiords and Sounds via thousands of temporary waterfalls that morph from a small trickle of water (the remnants of the last rain storm and snow melt) into violent surging waterfalls. It can be beautiful. It can be scary.

If you will be traveling in the Fiordland region, it would be wise to prepare for wet weather conditions. Many travelers plan to spend 3 or 4 days hiking, boating, and taking guided tours. On average, it rains every 1.8 days so it is likely that, during a 4 day holiday, you will get wet at least twice. Most tours and multi day trips run as scheduled whether it is raining or not and refunds are rarely offered. So should you come to the Fiordland region? Absolutely! The scenery, animals, hiking, and kayaking provide a one of a kind experience that will be difficult to find anywhere else. But, bring wet weather gear and don’t fret about the rain. Beside, for all of you people who like jumping in puddles (like me) Fiordland is the ideal location to perfect your form.

Tags | New Zealand