(Courtesy of Milford Sound Flightseeing)
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Milford Sound is located on the west coast of New Zealand. It is a long and deep valley that was created millions of years ago by the succession of glaciers. The walls of the fjord can rise to over 290 meters (950 feet) from the seafloor to the surface and can continue to rise to over 1500 meters (almost 5000 feet) above the Sound. The first few feet of water in the fjord is freshwater from the annual snow melt from the mountains. Below the layer of freshwater is salt water from the Tasman Sea. In the waters of the Milford Sound one can find bottlenose dolphins, fur seals, spiny starfish, a variety of fish, anemones, various colors of sponges, and a rare black coral that is unique to the area, in addition to many other organisms. The Milford Soundsoffers a host of recreational activities to tourists. Diving, kayaking, and scenic cruises are a few popular activities within the Sound.
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