I’ve been away for the first ski of the season this week in Wanaka – it was great with fresh turns! Upon return from the ski field, we heard that it had been snowing in Franz Josef! Believe it or not – Franz Josef township is temperate throughout the winter and to receive snowfall as low as town is very rare. So this week I’m posting photos from kayaking in a winter wonderland with our tough guide Clare!

The morning started out with a bit of drizzle, creating a mystical moody setting on the lake which we are pretty familiar with.

But unlike most misty morning paddles, the drizzle turned to sleet and the sleet turned to … SNOW! As Clare drove her trip back into town, Franz Joseph locals were busy making the most of this rare weather by building snowmen and throwing snowballs. Our kayaker’s had an amazing trip and luckily were dressed warm!

Later in the day the snow stopped falling, and the sun made an appearance – just in time for our 2 pm trip! Clare took some excellent photos on this trip – have a look:

Thanks for reading – hope you enjoyed the pictures and we’ll throw some more up next week!