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Winter 2020 NZ road trip

Started by Ianab, August 21, 2020, 03:37:04 PM

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Magicman

Well DanG I hate for your trip to end, but I enjoyed seeing the part of your joy that was shared with us.  Thanks for taking us along.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

dgdrls

Awesome trip Ian, 

Thanks for sharing!!

D

Ianab

Was a long trip home, we left Kaikoura at 7am, but the ferry was delayed an hour or so, and we didn't get home till about 6 pm. 

But going though the last of the pictures tonight. 

Leaving Akaroa township for a sightseeing trip. The boat skipper is like a 5th gen local, so knows all the history, which is fairly interesting.  The harbour was discovered by a French whale hunter back in the early days. He decided it was such a great harbour that it would make for a good French colony, so he returned to France and signed up a boatload of French and German families to settle there. Eventually they got back to NZ in 1840, but had to call into the British settlement in the Northland for fresh supplies and repairs. While there someone let slip their plans, and the British Governor at the time didn't want that to happen. So he dispatched a navy ship to get to Akaroa first and raise the Union Jack flag for England. Due to weather and good luck the British ship got there first, and the French arrived to find an English flag flying and 9 armed soldiers on the beach. 

Apparently it came down to some cannon fire, but an agreement was reached where the French settlers could stay, and were granted 5 acres of land each, but all of NZ was by then a British colony, and they had to accept that. Anyway, they did, as it was a LONG way back to France, and the township still has a "French" vibe to it. 




 

Checking out the cliffs and sea caves at the harbour entrance. 



 

Looking at the layers in the cliffs shows the various volcanic eruptions that formed the peninsula. The solid rock layers are separated by thinner layers of soft volcanic ash that erodes away easier. But the ledges make ideal nesting for the local cormorants, hence the guano stains.  



 
We then came across a couple of dolphins, but the skipper informed us they were feeding and not interested in playing. So they soon dived and vanished. 



 

That's OK, more sea caves to check out. 



 

And some fur seals.



 

Then we headed out to sea where the skipper thought there would be more dolphins, local knowledge pays off. 
 


 

These ones were in the mood to play, and with the boat running at 8 knots they were happy to play on the bow wave and wake. Probably had 5 or 6 small groups home in on the boat and play for a few minutes. Albie is the boats "dolphin dog". Dogs can hear the dolphins sonar and communication whistles, so if it's a slow day they stop and let the dog listen. If they are nearby he will point them out. He's also fascinated by them. 

These are Hectors Dolphins, which are endemic to NZ South Island, and are the smallest species of Dolphin. (4 - 5 ft adult size) 



 

Hills and volcanic rocks on the way back.



 


Lil enjoys a glass of wine, while Albie rests after a hard morning of dolphin herding. 



 


Albie will get up for pats though.



 

On the wharf ordering fresh grilled fish sandwiches for lunch. Nothing fancy, just a huge fresh salmon steak in a bun.  ;D

  



Anyway, that's Akaroa. Got a handful of other pictures for tomorrow. 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Walnut Beast


Ianab

And Taylor got to drive the boat.  :D



Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

petefrom bearswamp

Thanks for the great tour.
The only time we will get to see NZ
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ianab

Couple of extra tree pics from Akaroa. We had an hour to fill in between checking out from the camp ground and the boat trip, and there was this sign that said "Tane's Garden". Tane is the Maori God of the forest, so it seemed worth investigating.  ;D  Most of the reserve was regenerating native forest with various walking tracks that the locals use. Nice, but nothing awesome. The original forest would have been felled by the original settlers to build their houses etc, but a lot of the area has since been left to regrow, give it a few hundred more years. 

Some of the more notable contents.  This is a Kauri pine, planted to celebrate the coronation of the Queen in 1958. Probably a bit small, but growing well South of it's normal range, and probably only survived because of Akaroa's coastal micro-climate.  

And yes that's a giant sequoia in there behind it.  So potentially 2 of the worlds largest trees in the same place. 


 

English Oak, planted in 1918 to commemorate the end of WW1. Neat to have the plaques to date some of the trees. 



 

A Deodar cedar. Lil is looking concerned because we have one in the back garden, and now she's worried about how big it might get.  :D



 

Another American import, Ponderosa pine. Grown to a decent size in ~100 years. 



 

And an Asian import, Cryptomeria Japonica or Sugi in Japan. Actually fairly common and used a shelter and an ornamental, but this is a really nice straight one, more like a forest specimen. 



 

The Sugi from further back, so it's growing up through other trees. 



 

Anyway, I've always got an eye out for interesting trees when I'm on tour.  :)

Then back to waiting for our boat ride  :D
 


 
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Magicman

Thank you Ian for sharing the sights and scenery seen on your family's road trip with us.  8)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

WDH

I have enjoyed the journey too. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Jeff

Just call me the midget doctor.
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Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

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