Classic Boat Show- Lake Rotoiti

While we were at Lake Rotoiti, the NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show was held at Kerr Bay over the weekend. Sadly for the organisers the weekend was a disaster weather wise; there was torrential rain overnight on Friday which flooded much of the large grassed area when the displays were. For a brief hour or so on Saturday morning the rain stopped only to return mid morning and rain solidly until late afternoon. Sunday dawned fine but it didn’t last long with passing showers and the odd heavy fall for most of the day, it was also rather cold. The sun (and humidity) finally made an appearance mid-afternoon just as the last of the hardy competitors & stalwarts were packing up to leave.

I managed to take quite a number of photos in between the showers and have uploaded them to a Flickr album which you’ll find here if you’d like to see them all.

Below is a small selection if you don’t manage (or want) to check the album out.

The only ones pleased with the rain were the ducks!

Considering the weather & the distance people had to travel there was still a reasonable turn out from the public, although most sat in their cars or took shelter under the marquees whenever a squall came through. A sharp contrast to the previous weekend when jetboat racing was held and the weather was extremely hot and sunny.

This chap had the right idea.

There were a number of lovely old steamboats plying the waters, giving rides to paying guests.

The ‘old’ and the ‘new’-

The most popular boats of all were the ‘monsters’, classic motorboats over 18’.

While some of the racing was cancelled because of the weather, the monsters (named that by the organisers) managed to fit in a few races but they were off in the distance and hard to see because of the drizzle and haze.

Once launched or after a race, the boats pulled up on the beach in front of the crowd.

As we were walking over to the show a guy sitting on a chilly bin (esky) went roaring past us up the road, I found him later with his unusual mode of transport beside another little beauty. A Morris Minor truck towing the tiniest little caravan you ever did see. With the kitchen at the rear, water & ablutions on one side and a sleeping compartment  on the other this guy was set up for travel on the road. Given his age, I’m not so sure he’d manage to get himself through his bedroom door though. And he certainly wouldn't want to invite a lady back for the night!

These small hydroplanes were fascinating to watch, they travel at quite a speed. Although the bottom guy was having a few issues.

The model boats attracted some attention from the local ducks. Perhaps because I saw a few nearly get a boat up the rear when they swam across the race course.

This lovely boat belonged to one of our neighbours at the camp site.

The sailing boats raced back and forth across the bay, their colourful sails adding a bright spot to the overcast days.

A number of canoes, kayaks and whalers were paddled and rowed along the water front.

Although the weather put a dampener on the weekend it was still great to see all the old boats and to also see the joy they brought to their owners & especially once they had them in the water. The prize for the most dedicated would have to go to this guy who steamed his way up and down the bay for most of the day, towing a cute little dinghy behind him all the way….I really wanted to hitch a ride in that dinghy.

And just in case you missed the link above to the photo album, here it is again- NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show, Lake Rotoiti

Camping in the City

Last night found us in a very tight little spot at a camping ground right in the middle of Remuera. It was surrounded by houses & tucked down a narrow tree lined driveway at the bottom of a hill. David's driving & backing were outstanding both getting into the place & back out of it this morning.

Five styles of camping

 

We were up early so we could get everything ready to go as soon as we'd watched the first America's Cup race. We had been asked to get to the park early as there was going to be a lot of vans arriving & the bigger vehicles had to move right down the back of the carpark. Once ship-shape all we had to do was hitch up & pull out, the ute stuck out across the driveway otherwise we'd have hitched before the racing began too.

We were hoping to get to Alexandra Park, which was only a few kilometres away, by the time the second race was due to start. And then David had the brilliant idea of live streaming it on his iPad which we attach to the dash (when we're using it to navigate), & that way we wouldn't miss any of the action. Of course we forgot about the huge data use live streaming uses & quickly used up all his allocation and then some! Another lesson learned, although we both said it was well worth the expense (over $100) and we wouldn't have missed the sailing for the world. Thankfully the second race was postponed otherwise we may have been looking at another couple of hundred dollars!

Once we were parked up at Alexandra Park, David phoned Telecom to check & see why it was still showing his data was being used even though he had everything switched off after we got the notification he was over his limit. And once again David's charm worked wonders, the very helpful telecom guy said we were such good customers that he'd pass a credit for all the excess usage! Sweet!

We've had a quiet day inside the fifth-wheeler backed up to the race course fence watching all the comings & goings as dozens of vehicles(and people) in all shapes & sizes arrive and are directed to their parks. It's a blustery overcast day, a good day to catch up on chores inside.

As you can see & as is typical of us we were first to arrive.........

.........in our area of the park

Quarter Acre Pot

We purchased a Quarter Acre Pot at last year's Covi Motorhome Caravan & Outdoor Show which is held at the Epsom show grounds in Auckland. So far I haven't tried it out so I thought while we're parked up at home I'd trial it along side cooking the same dish in the oven.

Quarter Acre Pots are thermal cookers that require no power, a bit like a slow cooker that doesn't need to be plugged in. Because we'll be off the grid a lot of the time I'm hoping it'll be an ideal way to prepare a meal. I also like the fact that you can prepare the meal in the morning before you leave for the day & it'll be ready to eat when you get back or to when you pull into another site after a day of driving which is when you least feel like cooking dinner.

Here's the blurb from the link above-

The Quarter Acre Pot is a simple to use non-electrical multifunctional appliance that can be used as a Thermo Cooker, Cooler, Bain-Marie, Rice Cooker and Yoghurt Maker. Take your Quarter Acre Pot Camping, in the Caravan or Motor Home, Picnics & Outdoor Events .

I found a recipe in amongst a pile I was sorting & thought it would be perfect to trial in the Pot & to compare, in a casserole in the oven. I was hoping to include it here but I've now gone & misplaced it.

So in case you're wondering what it is, it was called a "Chicken, Chorizo & Butter Bean Bake"

Basically there are two "billies", a large one that fits inside the outer thermo container & a half size one that fits inside the bigger billy. After water is brought to the boil in the outer billy, the smaller one with the food ready to go is placed inside that. It sits in the top half of the bigger container above the boiled water. The lid is fitted & the outer thermo lid is closed and then the whole container is popped into the carry bag & put somewhere safe & secure to work it's magic. The boiling water transfers it's heat to the thermo outer & slowly the food is cooked. And that is that. Meats, casseroles, soups, desserts & cakes can all be cooked in Quarter Acre Pot.

And the verdict? I left it cooking for 8 hours & I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It was definitely tastier than the same casserole done in the oven, much more flavour and the chicken readily fell off the bone. Now I'm looking forward to trying it out on other recipes, maybe some of the less likely "slow cooker" ones. I'll let you know how they go.

Napier, Art Deco Capital of the World

One of the reasons for visiting Napier, other than catching up with family, was to attend the 25th annual Napier Art Deco Weekend. Napier celebrates its iconic Art Deco style with a weekend of festivities and fun which now attracts tens of thousands of people from around the world. Over 65% of visitors & locals dress in the Art Deco style of the 1930s. Boas, braces & boaters are de rigueur, in fact if you're not dressed up you feel very much out of place. There are over 200 different events that you can attend during the week leading up to and including the weekend, a lot of them are free; it's one big street party.

Strolling the Promenade

"Far from the world's great population centres and from the European and American cities where 20th Century design evolved lays a small city that is unique. Napier, was rebuilt in the early 1930s following a massive Richter 7.8 Earthquake. Subsequent fires destroyed most of its commercial heart. By the end of the decade, Napier was the newest city on the globe.

Nowhere else can you see such a variety of buildings in the styles of the 1930s - Stripped Classical, Spanish Mission, and above all Art Deco, the style of the 20th Century - in such a concentrated area. Napier's Art Deco is unique, with Maori motifs and the buildings of Louis Hay, admirer of the great Frank Lloyd Wright.

Enhanced by palms and the angular Norfolk Island pines which are its trademark, and surrounded by fertile fruit and grape growing plains, dramatic hills and the shores of the South Pacific, beautiful Napier is the centre of the Hawke's Bay region. In Napier, you can enjoy the legacy of its brave rebuilding and savour the spirit of the optimistic Art Deco era."

One of the main events to start the weekend is the Automobilia Vintage Car Parade, this year led by a stunning display of Bentleys from around the world. Over 300 fabulous vehicles all polished until they shined with most of the drivers & passengers in costume from the era wound their way up Napier's Emerson Street which was lined five deep with people.

After the cars came the motorbikes & cycles.

 

 

The parade finished on Marine Parade at the Soundshell where the vehicles were lined up for inspection, what an incredible sight it was.

If you'd like to view more of the vintage cars click on the link below to see my full Flickr set;

Art Deco Vintage Car Parade

David & I headed to town on Saturday evening to watch the street dancing and the catch the entertainment at the Sound Shell. We arrived at Memorial Square just in time to see the "guests' arrive for their Depression Dinner at "Tin Town", they had walked the length of the main street after visiting the "soup kitchen" set up on Marine Parade. Dressed in rags & hand-me-downs, rattling tin cans, some even begging, they played their parts really well.



Lined up for the Depression Dinner

Sunday morning I headed out early, there were two events I wanted to photograph; the Soap Box Derby & the Gatsby Picnic. Both are very popular events and it was great to see fathers helping their sons & daughters prepare their trolleys. This was serious business, they were all walking the course & talking tactics.



 

The Gatsby Picnic is one of the most popular events of the whole weekend. The long lawns, both top & bottom that stretch along Marine Parade from the Sound Shell to the Floral Clock are a sea of colourful canvas, parasols, sun umbrellas & gazebos. Families & friends, young & old dress up in 1930s style, elegant & stylish, they bring their best china, furniture & knick-knacks from the Art Deco era, set it all up and have a picnic lunch or high tea. There are many fabulous displays and some people go to a whole heap of trouble to have everything looking just right. It's a visual treat wandering amongst the parties going on.

Families, couples and teens walked the promenade along the beach front, slowing to have their photos taken, catching up with friends or checking out other gazebos.

It was another stunning summers day, children played on the pebble beach over looking Cape Kidnappers, a few sat in the shade of their parasols watching the boats & yachts race off shore.

In the shade of the Veronica Sun Bay, people watched the navy band play and couples dance.

And as the hot afternoon wore on eyes turned skyward to watch "Those Magnificent Men"; flying displays by  RNZAF Red Checkers, the Warbirds Display Team & others.

We love you too Napier!

It was another fantastic Art Deco Weekend & it just seems to get better & better with each year.  And even though I left my home town 20 plus years ago I'm still very proud to call Napier home.

If you would like to see more of the Art Deco Weekend click on the links below;

Art Deco; Out & About Saturday

Art Deco; Sunday- Gatsby Picnic & Soap Box Derby