Category Archives: New Zealand

New Zealand

Up on the sand dunes

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A line of people carrying boogie boards up a sand dune at Te Paki Stream at the north end of the north island in New Zealand.
Up the hill…then down!

A year ago I was in New Zealand. It feels like longer! I’ve been reliving that through photos. Te Paki Stream is way up north on the North Island. Boogie boarding on the dunes is a popular. I skipped boogie boarding so I could walk around and look more closely at the scenery .

They use these special 4 wheel drive tour buses on the north island for groups visiting the dunes and driving along 90 mile beach.
One of the specialized tour buses driving along the stream toward the dunes.
Te Paki stream and sand dunes.

Since I posted a few square today I’m going to declare myself caught up.

For Becky of Winchester’s Square Up Challenge.

New Zealand

Dorsal fins up

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A pod of pseudo-orcas feeding in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
Pseudo-orca in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

One of the highlights of our trip to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand last January was when we had the opportunity to enjoy a large pod of pseudo-orcas, over 100 by the estimate. They were feeding and we were able to enjoy their company twice, heading out to and heading back from the mouth of the bay.

For Becky of Winchester’s Square Up Challenge.

New Zealand

North island textures

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Sometimes it is the close ups that give you a real sense of place:

Lichens and mosses on the forest floor of a Kauri forest.
Water making designs in the sand at Te Paki stream.
Different kinds of clam shells in the sand.
Interesting textures created by water and the shadows of ripples over small pebbles on the seabed.

Shadows and textures really make the carving below. I think it looks more dramatic in black and white. The colors distract.

A Maori carving in a meeting house at the treaty grounds in Waitangi.

We spent a couple of weeks, amazing, delightful weeks, on the north island of New Zealand last January. It feels like more than 11 months ago. We were able to see our son over the Chinese New Year. He went back and while he was in the air going back the state department sent out its “do not travel to China” message. (I have some very pithy ideas about the US state department.)

Seeing him again is not in the cards in the foreseeable future, so I am sooo happy that we had that time right before everything closed down.

For Brashley Photography’s Mid-week Monochrome and HeyJude’s 2020 Photo Challenge #44.