Inspiration. A picture thread.

[bostonian]

I thought I'd post some of our experiences here with a bit of description.


Maramaratotara Bay. Referred to locally as Flaxmill Bay. It is a quaint little bay just a few hundred metres east of Whitianga on the North Island's Coromandel Peninsula. Getting to Flaxmill bay from the town of Whitianga requires either a 2 minute ferry ride with a 10 minute walk, or a 45 minute drive in a car. The ocean here is a stunning emerald/turquoise. At low tide the bay empties out allowing a large flat to explore. The shoreline offers overhanging rock formations. I took the picture below from the side of Purangi road. The tree on the left boasts a nice rope swing to launch you into the water when the tide is in.


Googe Map

[bostonian]

The Karakariki Reserve features a track that winds along the Karakariki Stream. The reserve is located near the town of Whatawhata on Route 23 (near Raglan) on the North Island. A small carpark at the end of Karakariki Valley Road marks the beginning of the track. A suspension foot-bridge immediately passes over Karakariki stream. From there the track winds along the stream through grassy areas, forest, and farm. Another suspension bridge a half mile in marks the proximity of some waterfalls. From there the track wanders into the hilly forest. The stream bed is a great place to find fossils. The picture here shows the first bridge at the entrance.


Google Map

[bostonian]

Mangapohue Natural Bridge is a highlight on the scenic drive from Waitomo Village to Marokopa (North Island). A short trail follows a boardwalk along a deep-carved river and through an impressive limestone gorge that brings you underneath a natural bridge. The 17 m high limestone arch, which spans the Mangapohue Stream, is all that remains of an ancient cave system. From here the trail becomes stepped and passes under the bridge giving a superb view of the ceiling studded with stalactite-like formations and an excellent view back down the gorge. The trail wanders into farmland where large fossil outcroppings can be seen (I'll post a pic).


Google Map

[bostonian]

Outcroppings of fossilized oysters and other marine life at the Mangapohue Natural Bridge site (see previous post). Continuing past the bridge itself, the wooden walkway ends and turns into a trail through farmland. Continuing 50 or so meters up the hill to the right you'll find these outcroppings. The oysters are large, some are the size of dinner plates. They are about 35 million years old. About 10 million years ago the seafloor rose exposing these.

[bostonian]

Ngarunui Beach sits just south of Raglan on the North Island's west coast. The beach is a magnificent blacksand surfing beach, it’s ideal for swimming, learning to surf or sunbathing. The beach has an area patrolled by surf lifesaversimmediately in front of the access trail to the beach. The beach sits below highlands, the road above the winds along these highlands offering great views of the beach and the Tasman Sea. Shown below is a shot from the highland. The moisture in the air causes a ghostly shimmering effect that combined with the constant crash of the waves, makes for an ethereal experience. You can look out to sea and see distinct small rain showers amid the sunny skies. Rainbows abound.



Google Map


...more pics to come....

[bostonian]

Another Ngarunui Beach scene.

[bostonian]

One more Ngarunui Beach scene. This time the camera is turned south looking over a sacred site on the highland. In the background is mount Karioi, part of the Pirongia Forest Reserve (a topic of future pics)

[bostonian]

In our town of Hamilton there is a "58 hectare world of horticultural skill and imagination." They are the Hamilton Public Gardens. They are owned and managed by Hamilton City Council. They are the Waikato Region's most popular visitor attraction, attracting 600,000 people and holding over 2,000 events each year. There are many gardens on what is a beautiful and peaceful site, they present the theme of 'the story of gardens' and are divided into the Paradise, Productive, Fantasy, Cultivar and Landscape garden collections. This particular garden is the Italian Renaissance Garden, part of the Paradise garden group.

[bostonian]

Another of the Hamilton Gardens. This is the Indian Char Bagh Garden, part of the Paradise collection of gardens.

[bostonian]

And one more before I sign off for the night. Here is another of the Hamilton Gardens. This is a portion of the Chinese Scholars Garden; another of the Paradise collection.