Sunday 20 April 2014

A Northland Miscellany

Pauline's and my Northland safari seems an age ago but I still have a few pics I would like to share with you before I set off for my other life in the Northern Hemisphere.

 I think this might have been a major 'oops' moment.

 The beautiful Whangaroa Harbour at Totara North

 I just love old sheds (okay this is a bit bigger than your average shed)

 Sailing out of Whangaroa Harbour

 Old boatshed at Whangaroa Harbour

Continuing the 'shed' theme: old boathouse in the mangroves of the Whangaroa Harbour

 This 'old shed' is, if I remember Pauline correctly, an old smithy and is now a conference facility down at the Kerikeri Harbour

The Kerikeri River, at the Wharepuke Falls tumbles over basalt lava fields, which flowed into the river valley following volcanic eruptions some 200 million years ago.  The pool is a popular diving and swimming place.

27 comments:

  1. The second picture is definitely a top tenner and the penultimate one I enjoyed.
    I did that to a tractor once. It took two days to get it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Adrian. They actually lost a big JCB with a depth measurer thingy attached in the peat on a job on Lewis once some 35 years ago. They sent in a secon to get it out and it got stuck and started to sink. So they sent in a BIG one and it hauled the second one out but the first one is probably 10 meters under the peat and all the trees now.

      Delete
  2. Marvellous pictures GB. Like you I am drawn to tumbledown old buildings and sheds. You say that one of the sheds you showed us is now "a conference facility down at the Kerikeri Harbour" - good heavens! I wonder what kind of conferences go on in there? Looks like the kind of place a Catholic priest might bring one of his favourite choirboys.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apparently, YP, it's a historic building and is lovely inside and suitable for small meetings etc.

      Delete
  3. heerlijke foto,s van deze prachtige oude schuren maar de gefloepte tractor is ook heel mooi.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Bas, Ik vraag me soms af waarom de oude gebouwen zoals die schuur zien er zo aantrekkelijk. Maar ze doen.

      Delete
  4. It looks a beautiful area. I've never been further north than the Bay of Islands. Like you, Graham, I too like old rusty sheds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill where there is sea, islands and mountains I am in my heaven. Rusty old sheds are the icing on the cake. North of the Bay of Islands there are some beautiful bits of coast.

      Delete
  5. It's strange how old rusty sheds often make interesting photo and art objects - while one does not always appreciate them so much if they happen to be in one's daily view (for example in a neighbour's garden).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have a very valid point there Monica.

      Delete
  6. This was a wonderful escape from the grey rainy days here. Lovely to see those falls!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We can have those days here in New Zealand Mersad although I'm happy to say that they are not the norm.

      Delete
  7. You may show old sheds but I'm impressed with the surrounding beauty of the land.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Red you may have hit on why I find them so attractive: contrast.

      Delete
  8. It is the marvelous photos like these that make me want to visit New Zealand one day. Wonderful photos GB! Thanks for visiting my blog, it's been a lovely return visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope, Denise, that you manage a visit to New Zealand one day. It really is a marvellous place.

      Delete
  9. That swimming hole looks so inviting, but I am sure it would be freezing to a tropical frog like me. The sheds are beautiful in their own way ~ the rust that has accumulated with time and weather ~ nature's own artwork.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think, Carol, that it would be cold regardless! I don't do cold either!

      Delete
  10. Love the pictures. My wife and family did a similar holiday around the Bay of Islands a couple of years ago...I think it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

    Enjoy yourself back in the Hebrides. Can you still get Black Pudding from MacLeod's in Stornoway? Best I've ever tried.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about the delay in responding TSB. I had a brainfart which can happen if I start my day by reading the comments as emails on my iPhone instead of sticking to routine and reading them on the blog on my laptop with my first morning hot water and lemon. The Bay of Islands is certainly spectacularly beautiful. Now the important bit. Do you mean MacLeod and MacLeod's Original Stornoway Black Pudding or Charles MacLeod's (Charley Barley) Original Stornoway Black Pudding? Each have their proponents and supporters who will ne'er be swayed from the cause. Personally I support ..... Ah but that would be getting me off the fence and into trouble with someone.

      Delete
    2. PS TSB Yes you can still get Stornoway Black Pudding: there is probably more exported now than there is Harris Tweed.

      Delete
    3. My favourite was made by Archie Smith, who I think worked/owned a butchers called McDonalds, but seeing this was over 25 years ago, it's probably all changed.

      Delete
    4. WJ MacDonald's is still going strong although I'm not sure who owns/runs it now. My wife shopped there but I haven't been in for some years (the queues are always too long which tells you something).

      Delete
  11. I'm glad these shed photos made it out of the camera....they're quite interesting in their own individual way.
    The waterfall photo and the harbour photo (2nd photo) were lovely shots...what I like to call picture perfect.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Virginia. As I said, I like old sheds and they are often very photogenic.

      Delete
  12. You managed a good view of the tractor in the end. And I really like your shot of the boat shed in the mangroves, the low tide in the background. I think a lot of people would be surprised what a good photographic opportunites are around Totara North.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a bit of a struggle Pauline. It's a shame we couldn't get closer for the vegetation. Totara North was a real little gem of a place.

      Delete