A Day in the Life

Here are a few photos to show the amazing changes that happen to our sea view over the course of a single day--not only the big changes of water depth in the estuary due to tides, but the dramatic changes in light as the daily weather patterns chase across this narrow part of the country. On the way north to here, just below Auckland, we came through a place where the east coast and the west coast of New Zealand are less than a kilometre apart! You can see both bodies of water (the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean) on either side of the car as you drive over the narrow neck of land.

We are getting to know the area a little bit, finding the local characters...for example, this morning I went into the local library. This library is NOT, I was firmly told by the cardiganed and bespectacled guardian of the checkout desk, a public institution, but a volunteer organization. And they do NOT, repeat NOT, issue guest cards to non-residents...at any time...for anyone! But (several minutes later, and reluctantly) I COULD borrow from this section ONLY, which holds paperbacks for holiday guests...but I MUST bring them back in good condition! Oh, those boxes of magazines, well, yes, in fact, I could also borrow from those. A list of open times? Yes, here's one...it says that special cards can be issued to non-residents? Well, yes, but those cost $10, and they are NOT guest cards!! Well, now that you have a special borrowing card, you can borrow from the whole collection...but the ones on THAT shelf are 50 cents per item, because, we are NOT a public institution, you know, and we must raise funds for new books somehow. This particular book you have chosen, for instance, will cost you 50 cents...it wasn't on that shelf? Well, we are NOT a public institution, you know, and we must rely on volunteers, who sometimes mis-shelve things...!! :) You get the picture, I'm sure--I've never been so entertained (nor had my patience tried so much) at the library! And they actually have a good collection that will keep us well-stocked for the month.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a walk along the exposed sand of the estuary at low tide. To get there I had to descend the incredibly steep stairs down from the cottage, enjoying the exotic subtropical gardens our next door neighbours have made along their stairway as I went down. The views from the stairs are worth the climb.
These huge pohutakawa trees grow sideways from the cliff, twisting in and around the enormous orange sandstone boulders at the bottom of the cliff--this area really specializes in different kinds of rocks! The shore must be quite a sight in December when all the trees are in their Christmas red bloom.

The boulders themselves are host to this seaweed, which reminds me of strands of pearls clustered in a pirate's treasure chest.

It was fun to get closer to the oystercatchers that appear across the low-tide expanse of sand twice a day. Gotta love those pink legs and that orange beak!

So far we have not wanted to go far from the cottage, content just to spend our days watching the sea from the deck. Late this afternoon we spotted a school of dolphins playing just offshore, and Frank saw a manta ray swimming just under the surface of the estuary! However, we have been told that the rest of the Northland Penninsula is not to be missed, so we will rouse ourselves for a road trip over the next few days.