A Trip to Whangarei

Our family had a short two days trip to the area around Whangarei between Christmas and New Year. The best photos taken during this journey can be seen
in this Web photo album - Whangarei
(note: they are not the same as posted in this blog).



This ocean beach is aptly called Ocean Beach. See the place on a map.




A tranquil evening at Taiharuru river mouth. See the place on a map.




A rocky gap.





Amazing limestone formations around Waipu Caves.



Waipu Cove, Bream Bay.

Once more - the photos in this Web photo album are better, have a look.

Kaipara Harbour

A lovely day at Shelly Beach, Kaipara Harbour.

Boxing Day at Long Bay

From Long Bay photo album.
We spent Boxing Day at Long Bay, one of the most popular beaches in Auckland. The weather was fine, and people enjoyed walking along the beach, playing sports, BBQing or just relaxing. The water is still pretty cold so there were not so many people swimming. See more photos in the album Long Bay.

New Zealand Xmas Tree

Pohutukawa is a tree which blossoms at Christmas.

Boat

Piha Beach

Waiting for Christmas Parade

This photo had been taken just before Christmas Parade started in Swanson, Waitakere City.
I personally like such kind of pictures taken with big zoom, when distances squeeze to several flat planes and both close and far objects are clearly visible. It resembles a sort of pictures made on several pieces of glass, which then are stacked together.

Here you can see the main street, aptly named Swanson Road, and people waiting for the parade. On the second plane is a rail station with a train and some other spectators. At the background is Waitakere Ranges.

Laser Show at Smales Farm

Every year just before Christmas there is a laser show at Smales Farm in Takapuna. It lasts for about two weeks and includes musical laser animation, sculpture competition, live band concert and some other attractions.


This is a cascade of fountains coloured by a powerful lamp with changing filters.


One of the items entering the light sculpture competition.


A new feature this year is this guy playing with burning stick.
The music is broadcasting locally by a small FM station, so people can listen to music and watch laser pictures being inside their cars.

Rescue Team at Work

This is the last and most dramatic picture taken at Karekare beach. It shows two members of the beach rescue team who went to the rocky outcrop to warn fishermen about danger of approaching hide tide.
Every year several people, mostly amateur fishermen, are washed out by a sudden big wave on the West Coast. In this case incoming water will cover the only possible way back from the rocks.

The Power of the Sea

The same place and the same sea as it was in the previous post.

Colours of the Sea

This photo was taken with the polarizing filter. The filter reduces reflection of the sky which makes the water always blue (or gray if the weather is bad), so we can see what lies beneath the surface.
The place is Karekare beach, Auckland's West Coast at the Tasman Sea.

West Coast

Karekare beach on the Tasman Sea. The weather is still cold with chilling wind endlessly going from the south.

Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park

Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park is a big annual concert held in Auckland Domain. It is a free show which attracts a lot of people. They enjoy music and a great party atmosphere, suffers from usually bad weather :) , and watch with excitement a great finale with fireworks.

Another photo is a view of Auckland central from the same park.


At the foreground you can see some buses and a temporary ambulance tent. The buses will take people home when the concert finishes. The whole show is very well organized indeed.

Big Picture