Harbourside

I've been saved from dwelling on the demise of the English language by a weekend at the beach.  I was first told I had antiquated views of the use of English over thirty years ago, so it's unlikely to be the last time it occupies my thoughts seeing as my views haven't changed.

My daughter has been the other member of my bubble during our Covid lockdown and this weekend instead of her visiting me to see if I'm OK, I went to stay with her.  Her current house-sit is my favourite of all the places she's stayed.  It's right on the harbour beachfront, not the flashest of houses, its design is a bit higgly-piggly but it has a feeling of home for me.  

Thanks to a lovely friend who offered to call in to feed my two cats, I stayed two nights and now feel like I've had two week's holiday. 

And because of very changeable weather the view out the front of the house was constantly changing.   I could probably claim to have seen the four seasons in two days.  No, not really, although the wind was extremely fresh from time to time it was never cold.

When I arrived on Saturday white caps were racing across the harbour.

The little boats out front were bobbing around and I spent most of the day on Sunday, when rain came along to accompany the wind, worrying about that little boat on the right.  I thought it was sitting too low on the water. 

 

It was fine.

  

Last night the wind and rain really strengthened but it was all blown over by this morning when the harbour was as calm as usual, sun shining and the little boat added to the charm of the place.

 

A boat came down the channel and looked to be heading out to sea but it just did a quick tour around the anchored boats before returning to the marina.  Some sort of harbour watch I guess.

I had a quick stroll along the beachfront before returning home.  Correction, a short, slow stroll.  There were a few people out enjoying the sunshine. 

Lately I've had a hankering to feel the wind of a west coast beach on my face.  That would not have been acceptable under the current Covid level but that changes from tomorrow night, so that's where I'll be heading in the next few days. 

By the beach

I had a night at the beach which is only 40 minutes away but the lifestyle is a bit of a contrast.  I stayed with my daughter in a renovated old house sitting right on the harbour.  Road access was up a little side street I've driven past for years and had no idea the beach was just on the other side of the houses.  

Most of the houses along that side of the road have gates opening on to the grassed verge to allow boat access to the harbour.

Saturday was a changeable day.  Brilliant sunshine one minute, then dark clouds, blustery winds and heavy showers.  

Looking to the left towards the marina entrance

Around a bit to the right is the Marsden Point Oil Refinery.  There was a huge container ship at the wharf.

The light constantly changed throughout the day.

The interesting, craggy peaks on the other side of the harbour are Mt Manaia at Whangarei Heads.  The legend is they represent the family of a Maori ancestor who were turned to stove through ritual chants in a dispute over the infidelity of his wife.  

Sight of the weekend for me was seeing this magnificent sight going slowly down the channel heading out to sea.  I'm pretty sure it is the R. Tucker Thompson, an iconic tall ship which is usually based in the Bay of Islands.  A few minutes after I took this they had another two sails up and were picking up speed quickly. 

From a distance

On Saturday, while I was staying at my friend's home, we went for a walk at One Tree Point, a bit further up the harbour from where I usually take photos.  The tide was way out, just turning to come in.

  

We were surprised to see a pair of paradise ducks at the water's edge.  That's the female leading her male.  She is the prettier of the two.  It's not unusual to see them around but they are usually on land, grazing on pasture or on wetlands.  Fresh water wetlands, not sea water.  We have a lot of them here on the farm and don't take a lot of notice of how noisy they are.  I don't think I've ever seen them at the beach before.

The heron was every bit as noisy as the ducks - and a lot more wary.  The little oyster catcher took no notice of us, leaving it to its noisy neighbour to sound the alarm when we got too close.

Other than the birds, one lady walking her dog shared the beach with us. And then, as the tide came in, the birds disappeared, too.  It was hard to remember that there in the distance, to the right of centre, is a city of 50,000 people.  And right in the centre of the photo we spotted my mountains.

I used the zoom to be sure and yes, there they are, the Uppity Downities.  The peak closest to here is the middle of the three on the left. 

Beach fences

One Tree Point sits on Marsden Bay at the south head of Whangarei Harbour. 

When I was there mid morning earlier in the week there wasn't a soul to be seen at the boat launching ramp.  To the right of the ramp there are two fences that run from the grassy banks at the front of private properties down into the water, making them private beaches.  That's Marsden Point Oil Refinery you can see in the background on the right.

At the approach to the boat ramp there's a little grassed area with a couple of seats under huge old trees.  A couple of little fences (maybe they are more handrails than fences), help you find your way down on to the beach. 

The view from under the trees.

I enjoy taking part in Good Fences each week and visiting as many of the other contributors as time allows. 

Last sunsets of the 60s

I am not old.

I cannot be old, though threescore years and ten have wasted away, 

like a tale that is told, the lives of other men:

I am not old; though friends and foes alike have gone to their graves,

And left me alone to my joys or my woes,

As a rock in the midst of the waves.

Martin Farquhar Tupper

So there ya go.  The sun has set on my 60s.  Any time now I'm likely to be sensible.

I'm happy enough with my age, it's been a lot of fun getting here and I'm certainly happy with the day. 

Yesterday I caught the culprit, or at least one of the culprits, that have been killing my chickens.  Thanks to the SPCA for the trap and to DOC staff for tips on trapping ferral cats.  Last year to celebrate my birthday I went in a boat under the Iguacu Falls in Brasil, this year I trapped a cat.  Can't say my life lacks diversity!

Here are a few of the sights I enjoyed on 'my' day.
 

Who wouldn't be happy?