Tasman Glacier calving provides voyage of a lifetime
12 Feb 2009
Tourists at the Tasman Glacier terminal face, in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, witnessed a three-metre high wave as a giant iceberg plunged from the glacier into the terminal lake on Tuesday (10.02.09).
The wave surging down the lake was the first indicator of the largest single ice ‘calf’ from the glacier in 25 years.
The huge slab of ice, measuring around 250m by 250m wide by 80m high, ‘calved’ into the lake in the early afternoon. A second iceberg about quarter of the size slipped off the face shortly afterwards.
Big splash
Glacier Explorers operations manager Bede Ward, whose company takes visitors on boat trips to view the Tasman Glacier face from the water, said the calving happened between trips but made quite a splash.
"The terminal face of the glacier is in quite an active phase at the moment so passengers are getting the trip of a lifetime," Ward said.
Last week passengers on board Glacier Explorers boat trips witnessed the calving of ‘The Bomb’, an 8m by 30m chunk of turquoise ice.
Sir Edmund Hillary
"We thought that took the cake but this new iceberg, which we’ve christened ‘The Perfect 10’, is absolutely massive and a truly impressive sight. It supersedes the last significant one ‘Sir Ed’ which was on 11 January 2008, the day Sir Edmund Hillary passed away," Ward said.
"We’re getting more and more icebergs now so we’re naming them in order to track and communicate changes and locations. It also makes for fascinating stories for our passengers."
Since the Terminal Lake began forming in 1973, the glacier’s retreat had noticeably quickened, as the expanding lake caused more rapid melt of the terminal face.
"I think we may be looking at major calving from the terminal face as an annual event now," he said.
Floating iceberg
The big iceberg is now floating in a boat-free "safety zone" that will stay in place until conditions settle. However, visitors can get up close and personal to the smaller iceberg which has floated away from the terminal face.
The new icebergs can also be viewed from the air.
One happy couple, Craig Chambers and Ruth Watson from the United Kingdom, were "over the moon" to get a bird’s eye view as they flew back from their wedding location on Liebig Dome which stands at 7600ft at the edge of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
"It’s a once in a lifetime occasion for us in more ways than one," the new bridegroom quipped.
Background: Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park - with the highest mountains and largest glaciers - is New Zealand's greatest alpine park.
Covering more than 70,000 hectares, Aoraki Mount Cook was declared a national park in 1953 though the area had been reserved since 1887 to protect its significant vegetation and landscape.
Visitors are dwarfed by the park’s immense soaring landscape of ice and rock. Glaciers cover 40 percent of the area, and there are 19 peaks over 3,000 metres including New Zealand's highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook.
The park is famous for its wonderful alpine plants such as the indigenous Mount Cook buttercup - a large mountain daisy that flowers in summer meadows. There is virtually no forest in the park. One of New Zealand's rarest birds, the kakī / black stilt makes its home in the braided Tasman riverbed.
The park forms part of Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand World Heritage Area in recognition of its outstanding natural values.
The mountains are considered ancestors by the local Ngāi Tahu people, of which Aoraki is sacred above all.
Since earliest times, the mountain and the surrounding park has attracted visitors from all over the world. Many come to climb New Zealand’s highest mountain, and their stories are legendary.
There are also plenty of activities for non-mountaineering visitors including hiking, boat trips, scenic flights, glacier landings, heli-biking, fishing, stargazing, good food and wine.
Aoraki Mount Cook national park is located in the Southern Alps of the central South Island. Attractions at the park’s only settlement - Aoraki Mount Cook village - include the historic ‘The Hermitage’ hotel, Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, and park headquarters.
More information:
New Zealand - an adventure haven for young travellers
Kiwi invention celebrates 50 years
Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre
Video news release:
Tasman Glacier's Huge Ice Calf
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