Jim Ertel

Nine years ago today my school buddy from the age of 12, fellow photographer and movie maker was tragically killed in a car crash. The ripple effects are still being felt - we all miss you Jim.

New Plymouth 

Jasper Canada

White Cliffs - Northern Taranaki 

Skagway - Alaska 

Cheltenham Beach

On Auckland's North Shore a long, sandy, sheltered (in the prevailing south westerly), shallow (at low tide),  safe family beach surrounded on adjacent streets by beautifully maintained older homes.

At the northern end through a children's play area on the adjacent Vauxhall Road  are two cafes and an ice-cream shop.

North Head beaches Auckland.

Hidden away around the back of North Head are two Pohutukawa lined beaches.

As well as a few rock pools to peer into....

Its our "Christmas tree"

Taken on the walk around North Head the Pohutukawa  tree. Better know as the New Zealand Christmas tree flowing as it does through December.  Wide spread in the north island especially in coastal areas and currently under threat from Myrtle Rust - a fungus that is widespread world wide but which it would appear has recently been carried by wind from our neighbours across the Tasman - Australia. Ministry of Primary Industries web page

Kiwi quirkiness

Found inside a cafe toilet - chalk and duster (eraser) supplied and nothing grubby.

(iPhone pano)

Not your usual view of the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge Wikipedia is an iconic cross harbour structure in Auckland, visible from many angles.

It is not so well known that you can get under the northern structure from Northcote point but only at low tide. The columns on the left are those of the original bridge structure completed in 1959 and those on the right the south bound set of supports for the 1969 additions.

What happens when someone builds a bridge in front of your house ....

The view they lost below - not to mention the noise 24/7.

Coromandel coast north of Thames

Some really unusual light late in the day on the coast road to the north of Thames.

Looking north towards Coromandel township from the Mania Road saddle and lookout Google Map

This coastal drive is one of the very best in New Zealand and one of the few places where the road follows the coast so closely for such a distance.

Manukau Heads lighthouse

Situated at the tip of the Awhitu Peninsular is the Manukau lighthouse - info their web site - Manukauheadslighthouse.co.nz

An easy and very picturesque 100km drive from downtown Auckland - take some sandwiches and a drink as there is really nothing along the way. There are picnic tables, hand washing facilitates and toilets below the lighthouse.

A view from the lighthouse of the entrance to the Manukau Harbour and surf on the notorious bar (Wikipedia) and site of many shipwrecks in the distance.

View from the lighthouse looking back towards Auckland City.

New Plymouth coastline

Auckland Domain - Winter Garden - update

One of my all time favourite places in Auckland from way back in the 1970's when I was flatting in nearby Parnell to the present day the Auckland Winter Garden Wikipedia has always been a place I could chill out - especially on a week day. Looking more spectacular than I've seen in a while it is a must see right now from the perfumed Wisteria to the  flower extravaganza in one of the houses.  Best of all it's free, well not exactly for us locals we pay in our annual property rates but I'm happy to contribute.

(In the heated house that makes your glasses mist over for a time) 

Street planting in Market Road outside St Cuthbert's College

I'm consulting my botanical expert but as yet I don't know what these are called but I found them flowering about a month ago in Market Road Epsom.

Okura Bush walkway

Just to the north of Auckland (but not as far as Orewa) is the Okura Bush walkway. Info

I was checking this out as a bush walk suitable for my mother who is 89 and it is certainly far too difficult after very short distance from the southern end for her. Having said that it is an excellent quality track which would be straight forward enough for most people especially if they had plenty of time. In fact given the number of "camera stops" I made it would be very unlikely that people could complete the whole walk in three hours.

Glow - Devonport

Part of Auckland Art Week was the Glow festival in Devonport featuring lit structures, fire throwing, closed streets and a whole lot of outdoor dinning.

The crowds were out but the weather wasn't kind on the Friday with wind and rain around 9pm.

Hobsonville Point

Hobsonville Point is a new Auckland green fields development spanning a large area that was formerly the Hobsonville Airforce base.

This is intensive living without going to the extreme of the high-rise.

There is a ferry service to Auckland CBD from the old flying boat base and a farmers market adjacent (Saturday and Sunday) - I had the best seafood chowder I've eaten in decades from a vendor there over the weekend.

I have previously posted about the recycling of the old airforce buildings in the area Previous post

There is clearly an approved colour palette across the whole development similar in "earthy" colours to that of the newer part of the Omaha development.

Although many of these homes are occupied there is a stark, grim bleakness in the lack of human activity except for hundreds of yellow vested builders. Above - the main street.