Northland: Boats and Things

New Zealand has one of the highest boat owning per capita ratios in the world.  I know that because I read it on Pauline's boat-bottoms post a couple of days ago and even my memory stretches that far back.  When we were doing our latest Northland safari Pauline decide that we would go and explore a bay on the other side of the hill from Russell about 5 minutes away by car.  It turned out to be fi=ull of surprises... and boats:

 The traditional gaff-rigged schooner R Tucker Thompson operated by a trust of the same name which has as its mission: Learning for Life through the Sea

 I had photographed this vessel in Paihia back in 2010 and it was only when I got the photos home that I realised that it was following a pod of dolphins.

Not everyone is in it for the speed

 Although I do wonder how people manage this and travel very long distances in rough seas doing it.

This took me completely by surprise

and when I used the long focus lens  have to say that it didn't appeal to me at all.

This little craft on the other hand spends its life up and down the Northland coast checking moorings.

Whilst this one is out for the sheer exhilleration of the speed (I'm sure that on the News tonight it said that some of these jet boats can travel in calm water up to 80kph!)

So Much to do in the Land of The Long White Cloud

When I was in New Zealand in 2005 I did lots of things that I never imagined I would do. I went para-gliding, white water rafting, heli-hiking up a glacier and tramping in one of the most beautiful National Parks in the world. And those are just the activities that spring readily to mind. I decided that when I went back for 6 months in September 2006 I would learn to para-glide properly, play Bridge again (there are excellent Bridge Clubs in the Napier area), see if I could sing and learn to ballroom dance, and so much more.

I'm still not quite sure how everything went quite so differently.

I was cycling through Napier Park and saw the Napier Petanque Club in full flow. I was called in and shown the game and from that moment I was a player of petanque.

A few weeks later I was driving past Whitmore Park and saw a board inviting people into an open day at the Croquet Club. A lady - Jayne who is a most enthusiastic Golf Croquet player - showed me the basics and I was absolutely hooked.

I started learning to sail as well.

Add to those activities my cycling and the general business of living and there was little time for anything else.

It was good.

You can see more of my white water rafting pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/rotowhenua/WhiteWaterRafting