6:30 a.m. I take off from Geordie Hill in the 172. On board are two friends and a birthday girl. This is a special surprise for her. A few minutes out we make radio contact with the other three in a 206. The pilot of the 206 has not been this way before so he slows down a little and follows us in the 172. The sun is starting to rise higher in the sky as we go up the Cardrona valley.

The early morning light is very pretty on the tussock covered hills. The air is still and the plane feels as if it is on rails. The mountains to our right rise to 10 000 feet, their tops covered in snow. Glaciers come down from large snow fields. We cross the Shotover river which flows down through a canyon. The resort town of Queenstown is out to our left. The passengers are quiet. Absorbed in the mighty landscape unfolding in front of us. Crossing a saddle we see Lake Wakatipu ahead.

Far off to our right is Mt Earnslaw. We fly across the lake passing over two small islands. On the far side we fly high over the Caples Valley. In place of the tussock covered hillside native bush and rainforest appears. Cloud also appears. A broken layer in the valley gradually thickens. Flying along the mountain range brings disappointment. We can see down the Hollyford Valley and it too is covered in a cloud layer. Our plan is to fly on into the awesome Milford Sound and then land for a birthday breakfast.

We fly on over the Gertrude Saddle, clear skies and awesome mountain landscape all around us.

The picture changes again as we approach the coastline at 7000 feet. Looking to the north the overcast is breaking up. After a couple of minutes heading north the cloud becomes scattered. We descend on to the coastline and turn south again. The cloudbase is around 1000 feet. As it thickens overhead we reach the mouth of the sound. Visibility is good and we decide to fly back up the sound under the cloudbase. Looks like we will get breakfast after all.

Milford FSS comes in range and confirms good visibility 1000 foot cloudbase and no wind at the airport. Flying up the sound it is like we are in a tunnel. In case we want to turn around we stay tight against the sheer rock wall on our right. We pass through the narrow part of the opening about half a mile across. Waterfalls come out of the clouds above and cascade down the rock walls into the sea. In places slightly less vertical rainforest clings to the side of the mountains.

The passengers are totally alert to every movement of the aircraft in this confined space.

The sound widens out a little and on a small piece of flat beside the sea at its head is the runway. There is not enough room for a standard pattern but we join downwind , still tight against the sheer mountain walls on our right. The base leg is a turn over the Cleddau River to line up on final for 29. It is more standard now. We have 700 meters of sealed runway at sea level and a good overshoot ahead back down the sound. Spirits are high as we leave the aircraft and walk to the restaurant. We are still confined by the overcast and the sheer mountains all around. It is as if we have arrived on a different planet. The birthday girl is smiling. Champagne for her and the passengers. Everyone devours the breakfast, enjoying the companionship and the birthday celebration. Nature's spirit rises and the sun starts to burn through the cloud layer. As we come out after breakfast the last cloud burns away to reveal the sound with the Bowen Falls and Mitre Peak bathed in sunshine. Truly spectacular.