Black and white version of previous post for Wenderholm Regional Park

Hands

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum - King Edward Parade

Excellent small museum that takes a lot longer than one might expect to visit. Navy museum

Heaps of boat models 

Waipu Cove Beach

Also an excellent cafe here with a pretty good menu

Mangawhai Heads

Wenderholm Regional Park

17mm, f22 , 4 minute exposure,  ISO 50 (12 stops of ND filters) 

29mm, 3.5 minute exposure , f22, ISO 50 (12 stops of ND filter) 

Recycling the former Airforce staff accommodation

In the time that Hobsonville was a fully functioning airbase these homes were on-base as staff accommodation. My friend Phil who now lives in Sydney grew up in one of these when his dad was stationed on base before transferring to Ohakea (north of Wellington).

These homes have been saved from destruction are in their original location but totally renovated and extended. There is another row which are being lifted, "re-foundationed" and lowered and sold as-is to renovators.
They are in stark contrast to the massive "terrace" type of dwellings being constructed all over what was the former base and runway.

This is the only one in this street moved on site 

Phil one of these might be yours - the area has changed so much since our 2013 visit I can't recognise any landmarks - but I do remember it being at the western end of the street. The garages are new.

(gasp!!)

Auckland Wintergarden

One of my favourite Auckland Places

Four years since my dad died

Four years ago my Dad died - this picture tells why spending time in my workshop which contains many of dads wood working tools - and a few of his fathers - is so important to me on Fathers day.

I took this when he was giving me detailed instructions on how to sharpen the garden pruners.

Father's Day in NZ

Breakfast - home made potato Rosti with bacon and hollandaise - Devon on the Wharf 

Finally sorting out those many jars and bags of bits and pieces collected over decades.  (This is the last of it - many hours have gone before) 

Akaroa

In the 1950's and 1960s I spent a  lot of happy time here as kid with my friends from down the street and my cousins who had adjacent family holiday homes up the Lighthouse Road.

Wikipedia Akaroa

I have not been back much since moving to the North Island in 1967 but I got the chance last week and much has changed and much has not. None looks for the worse although now it is popular with cruise ships over summer I somewhat doubt that it still has the really quaint kiwi holiday hideaway feeling it once had over summer. Thankfully it still has it mid-winter on a weekday.

Quite often the weather here can be very different to Christchurch just 1.5 hours away by car and this day was no different - it was foggy across a lot of Christchurch but spectacularly fine at Akaroa.

Akaroa Harbour from the Hilltop

Muriwai in Winter

If you get to Muriwai around an hour of high tide don't miss the blow-holes in the rock, not far from the car park. Must have been a good 40m in the air.

(46 seconds at f22 using ND filters) 

Always popular even on a weekday 

Porters Pass through to Castle Hill - State Highway 73

Coatsville Market

Coatsville  is a small rural settlement about 30km to the north and slightly west of Auckland characterised by large well developed lifestyle blocks and a focus on things equestrian.

Every first Sunday in the month (except Jan) there is a market at Coatsville (Link).

In size it is similar to the Takapuna Market (Auckland Markets ) although there was not the prevalence of the second-hand goods seen in Takapuna.

Parking however is terrible with only on-street, meaning on the side of the main highway or adjoining rural roads. Great care therefore needs to be taken when walking to and from the event especially if the weather is not good. To their credit they have made good attempts at traffic management but this is a busy rural through road.

The day we visited it was a rare sunny rather cold winters day and it was packed even though these pictures don't show it as such.

I would describe it as very well organised with a high standard of comestibles on display although by and large I would have said more expensive and did not not have the same amount of fruit and vegetables as other markets.

Seafood Paella - very similar to what I'd seen in the Parnell "French" Market. French Market

Apparently his "mums" baking, they did look really good and they would need to be at $5 each.

Shelly Beach in the Kaipara - in black and white

Mangroves 

Hall of Remembrance Auckland Museum

Leigh Marine Reserve

Nothing to see at high tide and such horrible weather only one other car in the carpark but ..

Bit of a storm blowing through my favourite place......

A series of blow holes under a shelf.