Sunshine Beach, but Where's the Sun?

Queenstown, New Zealand

May 16, 2007
S 45°01.591
E 168°38.987

The gray clouds covering the sky helped us make our plans for the day. We decided to go for a nice long walk around the lake that might be in the rain, but we wouldn’t hike to the top of Ben Lomand due to the unpredictable and potentially dangerous weather.

We headed out through town and followed a trail meters off the water. We decided to head west since the rest of our explorations have been to the east of the lake. When we got on the outskirts of the city we found a trail for Sunshine Bay—exactly what we were looking for.

With white-caps and waves breaking along the shoreline to our left, we walked 5 KM along a comfortable trail to Sunshine Bay. When we arrived we sat down on the pebble beach, not another person in sight, and pulled on our jackets to protect us from the wind. The sun was no where to be found, and the temperatures were significantly cooler as the wind ripped off of the lake biting our faces. Even without the sun, the vacant beach was a beautiful spot to absorb the scenery around Queenstown. The indigo blue lake, dense forests, and high mountain peaks never lose their beauty, making it easy to understand how this quaint little town is one of New Zealand’s top tourist destinations.

We head out to Te Anua tomorrow and then to Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park on Friday.