David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

New Zealand 2004 – Helicopter flight from Franz Josef, South Island

On Day 3 of my 2004 tour of New Zealand, we traveled to the town of Franz Josef, where many of the group took helicopter flights over the Franz Josef and Tasman Glaciers. This set is of photographs I took on that helicopter ride.

The booking office

Chip #2a (512MB) 034.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr


Chip #2a (512MB) 033.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (sign about safety concerns)


Chip #2a (512MB) 038.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the helicopter I rode in)

Now in flight

Chip #2a (512MB) 041.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (view out the windshield)


Chip #2a (512MB) 042.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Franz Josef Glacier)


Chip #2a (512MB) 045.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Franz Josef Glacier)


Chip #2a (512MB) 049.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Franz Josef Glacier – looking for a place to land)


Chip #2a (512MB) 051.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Franz Josef Glacier – those crevasses are huge!)


Chip #2a (512MB) 057.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Fox Glacier)


Chip #2a (512MB) 062.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (Mount Cook)


Chip #2a (512MB) 066.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (landed on the Tasman Glacier – that’s the other helicopter, of two)


Chip #2a (512MB) 070.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (we even built a scraggly snowman)


Chip #2a (512MB) 074.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (“my” helicopter on the Tasman Glacier)


Chip #2a (512MB) 077.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the other helicopter taking off)


Chip #2a (512MB) 082.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (closeup of a glacier – not sure which one)


Chip #2a (512MB) 086.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (following the river back to the pad)


Chip #2a (512MB) 090.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (home again! The pad)

fantom Loc: Colorado

Very interesing.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Excellent.

Ourspolair

Wow - David, I have learned something new today. I would never have associated Tasmania with glaciers!
Excellent captures - I love the turquoise colours we see in glaciers. Great story, well documented as usual and great compositions. Well done again. Thanks for sharing, stay well and keep up the great work.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

A very interesting change in subject, David! Thanks for the unusual (to me) tour.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Hi, fantom! Nice to see you. Thanks for the nice comment.

NMGal, I really appreciate your approval. Thank you.

Ourspolair, the Tasman Glacier is not in Tasmania, but on the northwest side of the NZ South Island. I presume both the glacier and the island were named for the same person, though. Thanks so much for your comments.

Mike, glad to see you, too! Yes, it is a break in content for me, but I like to surprise people sometimes. You’re welcome, of course.

With 45,000 photos on Flickr, I may never run out of possible sets to publish here. How worthy they are, however, may be questionable.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Nice trip, thanks for taking us!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice, David. That must have been a worthwhile ride.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

What a wonderful trip David, I love it.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good series, David.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Thanks, nimbushopper! I appreciate it.

Longshadow, thank you for the thumbs!

Jay, nice to see you. It was a lot of fun. Thanks.

Hi, blacks2, thanks so much for the 5 thumbs! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Earnest, I appreciate your nice words. Thanks.

cdayton

Great set of pictures. We did that ride in a small airplane in 1990. You’ve motivated me to try to dig out my aerial shots.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Thank you very much! I'll bet the airplane didn't land on a glacier, though. I'd love to see your pictures.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Nice mountain and glacier shots David!