A Procession of Boats- Tauranga Harbour

Catch-up; And there I was finally thinking I was catching up on blogs when summer arrived in the Bay (Hawkes Bay that is). Beautiful hot sunny weather, too good to not get outdoors and enjoy. We've had two short sojourns away from suburbia in the last few weeks; one out to Oceanbeach and the other up to Kuripapango on the Napier-Taihape Road. 

We still have another week or two here in Napier before we'll be back on the road; David is steadily working his way through his maintenance list for 'Out There' and I have been busy working on an exciting project (another reason the blogs have been a bit slow in coming). I'll be able to tell you more about it in the not too distant future.

And now back to the blog;  while I was going to do one post on the Mt Maunganui cruise ships, I decided I had too many great photos not to share more of them. But don't worry (famous last words), I won't do a blog on every ship that arrived and left while we were there. This one is on the Golden Princess (the first to arrive when we were there) and I'll try and combine the others in another one or two posts. Bear with me (I sound like Tilly in Miranda).

I'd downloaded the Port's cruise ship schedule which helpfully listed arrival and departure times so it was just a matter of whipping a couple hundred metres along the Base Track past Pilot Bay to one of the many vantage points near the Entrance to Tauranga Harbour, to watch the ships arrive. 

A slight spanner in the works had been thrown in since our last visit to the Mount; a major slip (actually several large slips) came down around the Mount back in April, 2017 during Cyclone Cook. The track reopened within a week or so but people could only walk to the slip and then return the same way.

You couldn't walk the complete loop around the Base Track until stairs were built up and around the top of the slip in June. And while they aren't too much of an obstacle, when you're rushing to catch a ship, camera in hand, it's a fair slog to the top.

And more so if you're coming up the other side; they are very steep.

Luckily, I knew (from past excursions), where the best spot for capturing ships coming through the Entrance is; over (or under) the stair railings, out on a ridge at the top of the stairs and past some beautiful old pohutukawa trees in full bloom. 

From my vantage point I was able to watch a steady procession of early morning boat traffic leave the harbour, many heading to their favourite fishing grounds out in the Bay of Plenty. A couple of local charter boats full of eager punters were also off for a day's fishing; I suspect these may have been staff Christmas functions. 

The Motiti Island barge, 'Deliverance', with a tyre recovery truck on board, was one of the more unusual boats to pass. Motiti Island (permanent pop. around 30) is a small flat island that lays about 10kms offshore from Papamoa, and 21kms from the Harbour. Motiti was a favourite place to visit and fish around when we lived in the Bay and had our launch.

It wasn't long before I spotted the pilot boat 'Arataki', heading around the point and back into the harbour; I knew the Golden Princess wouldn't be too far away.

This was also confirmed by the arrival of the two tugboats; Sir Robert (named in honour of Sir Robert Owens, who played a key role in developing the Port of Tauranga and was also Mayor of both Mt Maunganui & Tauranga before they amalgamated)....

& Tai Timu; (Tai Timu means ebb tide in Maori, her sister tug Tai Pari is flood tide).

They then waited patiently...

...until the bow of Golden Princess finally appeared from around the side of the Mount.

Sir Robert moved to the stern, as the pilot carefully guided her through the entrance.

The occupants of a yacht heading out, waved furiously at many of the passengers- some still wrapped in white toweling robes- watched from their private balconies.

Tai Timu spun around and led the way into the harbour.

Little Toot...I mean, Sir Robert was towed in from behind. 

Once Golden Princess passed my vantage point I raced back to the stairway, clambered over the railing and ran (as fast as my damaged foot allowed me to) along the path to an opening in the trees where I could watch as the ship headed towards the port.

A bit further on and another gap provided the perfect framing...

There's lots of little detail in some of the close-up shots (remember to click the photo to enlarge)- how's this for a view? People lined up along the top of the bridge. Also notice the open gangway door near the bow.

Berthed at Tauranga Port's Pilot Bay, Mt Maunganui

Golden Princess facts and figures-

Class and type:	Passenger
Type:	Grand class cruise ship
Tonnage:	108,865 GT
Length:	951 ft (290 m)
Beam:	118 ft (36 m)
Draught:	8.7 m (29 ft)
Draft:	26.2 ft (8.0 m)
Decks:	17 total, 13 passenger
Ice class:	1A Super
Propulsion:	diesel-electric 2 propulsion motors (19,000kW each)
Speed:	22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph)
Capacity:	2,600 passengers
Crew:	1,100

Later in the evening and right on the dot at 8pm, the ship sounded its horn as the tugs pulled Golden Princess off the wharf...

...and she sailed off towards the Entrance, heading for her next port of call.

A brave paddle boarder makes for a lonely figure, as he manouveurs himself out of the way as the huge ship approaches. 

Maori God of the sea, Tangaroa performs a wero, or challenge, to those entering Tauranga Harbour. Here he looks to be challenging the ships officers standing on the gangway door.

Check out that BIG screen, I can hear the movie voices from where I'm standing.

The sun is setting fast and it's right in my line of sight as the ship glides past me, down at the water's edge. Passengers line the rails waving to us (and a launch) as they pass.

The sun is now directly in front, the ship silhouette against the bright light, I wait until the sun goes behind the funnels and take a sunburst shot just as it reappears.

The Sun Princess heads out into the Bay of Plenty...

...with the launch bobbing along in its wake.

I take a final shot as it disappears around the point and head back to camp...

...passing my two long time favourite fishing boats (and Pilot Bay icons) along the way.

A Golden Day in Golden Bay

Real-time

I still have another 2-3 blogs from our time at Pakawau to do but I thought I'd post this one now to let you know it'll be my last blog for a week or so- we're moving tomorrow to an area that has limited internet so it'll be a good opportunity for me to take a wee break.....providing the weather stays warm and sunny like it has done for the last two days.

We've been parked at the NZMCA Park at Port Tarakohe in Pohara, near Takaka, for the last two days. There was a POP here the last time we passed through, although we actually stayed at the Top10 Holiday Park back along the road. The park is overlooked by old Port Golden Bay cement silos from the long abandoned cement works. 

It's a great site overlooking the harbour and Golden Bay beyond. The only problem is it's very boggy underfoot because of all the rain we've had lately. There's a patch of gravel in the centre and that's where most of the arriving vans have been parking up. Not us! We don't mind a bit of mud (and a bit of space).

I said the only problem was the boggy ground but actually that isn't quite right. There's a short-term problem on the wharf opposite; trucks are arriving on a regular basis loaded to the gunwales with huge rocks which are then dumped in a pile on the wharf- they must be for a seawall somewhere. There's a massive crash and a huge thump as they up-end the trailers which gives you a hell of a fright when you're not expecting it. And then the bulldozer moves in; scraping, pushing and tumbling them into a row. 

The best bit is that they start at 6am and don't finish until 6pm! Though I can report that after a few hours of rumbles you suddenly don't hear them anymore....until they startle you awake again the next morning. It actually doesn't worry us too much, we've got used to so many different sounds while we've been on the road, nothing fazes us now. But I bet those on limited holiday time have silently cursed them.

ETA- a local FB friend has told me that the rocks are actually being barged across the Strait to Wellington and are for use on the new Transmission Gully motorway; a 2+ year project so the noise is going to around for awhile yet!

I walked to end of the breakwater last night to catch the sunset but it had been such a brilliant blue sky day that there was nothing to write home about. I'm not complaining though, it was so nice to see the sun, and to have a bit of heat in the day. And such a peaceful way to end the day.

I checked out the Little Blue Penguin nesting boxes hidden in amongst the rocks along the way; I wasn't wanting to disturb them by scrambling about the boulders. I didn't need to. I could smell the ones that were occupied. Poo what a pong!

Since I was already awake, courtesy of the rock dumping this morning, I walked back to the end of the breakwater again to see if the sunrise was any better and to watch the fishing boats leave for the day. This one's from the mussel farm just out in the bay.

Sunrise was nothing spectacular either but it was going to be another stunning day. I waited awhile watching the sky lighten as the sun rose, hidden behind the rocky outcrop at the back of the harbour. 

And then this afternoon I took a little tiki-tour up the road, I've taken photos along this stretch of coastline during our last visit but I'm always keen to revisit places and see them in different lights and seasons. This is Tata Beach- the last time I visited here it was well before dawn, I'd come to see the Spitting Shags.

Tata Beach from the top of the road with the Port Tarakohe breakwaters in the background.

And just over the hill from Tata is beautiful Wainui Bay and the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park.  Can you see the two people exploring the sandflats. 

I headed back to camp stopping to take a photo of the 'hole in the rock' near the the harbour. And look who's taking centre stage, our happy little home 'Out There'. As a matter of interest, tomorrow, October 4th, marks our 4th year on the road, we've certainly found ourselves parked in some very interesting places. Here's the blog from that day- Shell Shocked.

And that's it for a few days, here's hoping for some good weather! See you soon.

Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans- Napier, Part 2

Real-time

Continuing on from Part 1

I needed a wee (literally) break from shooting the murals so parked up on the Parade and headed...

...along to see Mum at the Sunday Market. Mum has a long history with crafts and markets. She was a potter (and a very good one) right through my childhood and teenage years, supplying shops nationwide. We, that's Mum, my sister and I, were once regulars manning her pottery stalls at A&P Shows, craft markets, street markets and anything else that came along.

Mum has long given up pottery and many of the markets, she now sells pre-loved clothing at the Napier Market, and she loves it.  Yes, she sells a few items and makes a little pocket money, but that's not as important as the fun and friends she has at the market. Mum is a people's person and she loves the personal contact and enjoys the weekly banter with stall holders and customers alike. I can tell you she has way more energy (and patience) than me, that's for sure. Do say hi to her if you're visiting the Sunday Market.

I sat in on her stall for awhile so she could grab a coffee and say hello to 101 other stall holders, and then I helped her pack up before I headed off down Marine Parade to the National Aquarium of New Zealand...

....where, as expected, over half of the building was covered in stunning murals. All in shadow. Oh well Shellie, make the best of it.

National Aquarium, Marine Parade- Marine Protected Areas- Interrelationship Between Species & Habits- there's a few!

Aren't they just amazing? But wait, there's more. All the storm grates around the building have paintings on them too.

After the aquarium I headed back into the city to tackle the remainder of the murals.

Council Building, Hastings Street- Climate Change/Ocean Acidification

Nearly my most favourite mural (except for the mottled look)- Station Street, Napier CBD- Plastic Pollution

The penguins touched a soft spot in Dickens Street, Napier CBD- NZ Endangered Sea Birds

And this was my favourite I decided; I love the colour and the way the artist has incorporated Napier's Art Deco theme into the painting. 

Look at the way the ladies morph into birds...or maybe the birds become ladies, and the touch of naughty nakedness too.

Dickens Street, Napier CBD- Plastic Pollution- Cigarette Butts in Coastal Marine Environments (although I can't see any relation to cigarette butts here, only beautiful seahorses, I'm thinking this artist just loves colour and painting!)

And down the same alleyway, a slight detour from the theme, older paintings on the wall alongside the Police Station.

Then it's a final drive to the other side of the city, just as the sun is dropping behind the hill. It's been a long day.

Cathedral Lane Carpark, Napier CBD- Coastal Development/Level Sea Rise/Lonely Whale, a painting in 3D. What you can't see is a professional photographer, model and minder in the left hand corner doing a photo shoot...

...although I could have captured him in a more flattering position, while he wasn't looking. I think he's moving the stones the model is standing on. 

And on an opposite wall the 'cigarette butt' lady has another mural. I told you she must love painting although I can see cigarette butts in this painting. Plastic Pollution- Cigarette Butts in Coastal Marine Environments

In the same carpark- Overfishing (and another half shadow)

We use over 1 million plastic bags per minute worldwide- tag line

The final one in Herschell Street, Napier- Plastic Pollution Affecting Sea Turtles

And that was the Napier's Sea Walls project; all 31 'Murals for Oceans'. What a fantastic collection of amazing artworks by some very talented artists. Click on the link if you want to know more about the PangeaSeed Foundation, the organisation behind the worldwide 'Sea Walls' movement.