Different strokes for different folks!

I guess all the years in the states with you and your kids has taught me that there is a proper car seat for each and every situation.  An infant, rear-facing one for new ones and a bigger one on up to the booster.  I remember that we did not have to use car seats for the kids as long as they were in seat belts. In fact, I only ever owned one car seat and each of my children took turns sititng it in.  Very small babies were held on a lap or were is an infant seat carrier that was like the car seats for infants today but were not strapped in.  In know, we were dumb, ignorant and did not care very much for our children to do such a thing to them!  But after the laws and restrictions in the US it is a little surprising to be here and to see what we see.  Kids are not required to be in car seats and even infants are not restrained.  I saw a baby car seat, like the ones you all use, sitting, sideways in the front seat but not bucklet in.  Mom was feeding the baby a bottle while she drove.  I see little kids riding in the front seat (I know another no no) all the time.  

Maybe the thing that bothers me the most happens in the morning.  As you have learned from this blog we live across the street from a catholic school that has students of all ages in it.  The street that goes between us and the school is two lanes going in on direction and that lane is right by the school.  There is one other lane that goes the opposite direction from which you need to make a right turn (remember we are on the other side of the road) into the school and it is on our side of the road.    But usually, those moms and dads that are dropping their kids off do not want to pull into the school.  If they drop them off on the other side of the road, right in front of our place, they can continue on and it is an easy entry to the motorway to go on into Auckland.  So each morning I can look out my window and see kids climbing from cars, from the front and the back seats and then they frog hop across three lanes of traffic to get to the school while their parents just drive off.  I feel like screaming at those parents becuase many of those kids can not be more than 6 or 7 and they are alone, crossing that street!  Makes one sad to see what is important to different folks.  

Mary, Mary... how does your garden grow?

I have always had a fascination with sea shells.  I always come home from each of our walks with a pocket full of shells and of course the sand that goes with them.  I have found that each beach has its own species oo kind that you see the very most.  So, in the spirit of sharing I have some photos of the different shells and a bit of information to share.  Please pay attention.

These shells I found on Cheltenham Beach nearly two weeks ago.  They are very rough and all on the ourside but they are very smooth on the inside.  I am not sure what they are called but they are all over the place.  The bumps or ridges on the ourside are not sharp but rather smooth.  

This is an example of one that I picked up on Mirangi Beach.  It is two shells that are fused together .  If you turn this over it is just like this on side.  Not sure why they are connected.  These are smaller and are only about the sixe of quarters.  This was the most prevelant shell on that entire beach.  Interesting because I had not seen it before.  

These shells I picked on two different sides of the island.  The smaller ones I picked up on the east coast.  The small blue one I found mostly at Long Bay Beach and they were everywhere.  They are relatively flat with just a bit of rounding on the outside.  They are smooth and have some color on the inside but it is usually just one color, like blue and then white.   They are about the size of a silver dollar.  The bigger ones I found at Muriwai, which is the black sand beach on the west coast of the island.  They are rounded on the top and are about an inch thick.  On the one side they are almost straight and there is no curve to it at all.  They are similar to the smaller ones inside.  The two white ones on the right are almost the very same but the bigger one is very shinny and translucent.  Pretty.  The bigger ones are about the size of a tennis ball.  

These I also got on the west coast and you can see from them that they are very flat on the one side.  I thought maybe the shell needed to get bigger for that to happen but the smallest one here is the size of a quarter.  They are so fun to look at.  

In reference to the Mary, Mary....the garden grows with silver bells and cockle shells....these are cockle shells.  Now you know. (They are also called a pipi shell.)

What a beautiful walk on a lovely beach

After we saw the birds and the other black sand beach we walked over to Muriwai beach.  It is very long and was very pretty.  I found many shells that were similar in color to those that I found on the east beaches but they were shaped differently.  One day I will take pictures of the different shells and discuss them.  The next pictures are of that beach.

This is a big cave that is on the north side of the outcrop of land.  We wondered if maybe it is the same cave that we saw on the other side.  It looks like the cave from the movie Goonies don't you think?

These two were taken from up on the hillside.  If I had turned around we would have been looking at the hillside that you followed the trail up to the bird colony.  

I think this gives you a flavor of what we saw over there.  One thing all the sites I read said about this beach was that you need to be sure and bring good and proper shoes during the summer as the sands get very hot because they absorb the heat because they are black.  The one ranger told us that it is hard to find a place to sit on the beach because there will be so many surfers.  He laughed at the few that were out in the water with their boards today because all they would be is wanna bes....there were notwaves today he said.  It was a rough and wild beach compared to those that are on the east side of the north island where we live.  

What a fun day it was to go and see something that is so different than we have ever seen before.  It was a fun day.  I was complaining that I had planned on bringing a plastic baggie so I could put some black sand in to keep.  But I forgot.  How fun it was to remove my shoes when we got home and find that I had a fair sampling of the black stuff right there for the taking.  And when I washed the shells that I collected I was able to add even more.  It was a great day....a real P-day....play day!

A science lesson now....

One of the things that makes this a unique place to visit is that between the beach in the previous posting and the next one you passed a large bird colony.  From August to March this is a colony for gannets....a large Australian bird that weighs about 6 pounds.  They migrate to this area fro Australia each spring to lay their one egg and then after a few weeks they migrate 2000 kms across the Tasman Sea to Australia.  The birds mate for life.  It was fascinating to see them.  They are a beautiful bird and they fly beautifully.  

So the birds are now all over these outcroppings of land.  And there are even some on the island in the sea off the coast.  The ones on the island off the coast arrive earlier and do not stay as long in the summer.  Maybe they are the oldest ones who cannot get all the way to the land.  We saw a ranger working and he said that they are in the counting period right now and then they will lay an egg.  They take turns sitting on the egg.  It said that when the eggs hatch it really smells.  But then you get used to it and it is ok.

They are really a pretty bird.  

The two that are standing up to each other are counting.  There are a couple of different "couples" here.  It was amazing to watch them.  

They are very graceful as they fly.  The area is very windy and the birds like to glide on the currents.  When the baby birds have gotten big enough to make the flight to Australia they kind of take a running leap into the air and their wings catch the currents.  They then have time to glide on the currents and get used to flying and using their wings.  Hopefully that happens before they crash into the sea.  They eat only seafood so they can sustain themselves as they fly over the Tasman Sea.  

Muriwai Beach

Today when we went out for our preparation day we decided to go west instead of east.  We had been that direction before but did not go all the way to the coast.   It was only a 45 minutes drive from the flat to there.  There were rolling green hills as we went.  We saw lots of lat sheep....or they appeared to be fat since they still had all their wool from the winter.  We also saw lots of baby lambs.  We also saw horses that were coverd with blankets (it was 60 degrees today) and cattle, both black and whites as well as just black.  Slowly the vegetation changed as well and the soil became very dark, almost black.  And then we saw the beach!  It was a black sand beach!  We actually saw two.  You could not get to the one from the other although that might have been possible at low tide.

We saw this cave.  Not sure where it went but the water was like the sea with waves.  It was fun to watch them.  

It was rocky and hard to get down to the beach.  It was a fun walk.  There were a couple of surfers on the water and they came straight down the side of the hill, not down the path that we took.

Reserve

Parallel to Long Bay Beach is a large reserve.  It was so fun to walk around it.  There were trees of many kinds.  We also saw lots of birds.  We saw Eastern Rosella parrots chasing one another around the area.  I will include just a few photos of what we saw.

Long Bay Beach

Last week we visited all of the beaches to the north of Takapuna that are still considered to be part of the Auckland area.  Any further north and they are no longer part of greater Auckland.  Long Bay Beach is called that because it is really long.  And it is very pretty.  It is edged on the north and south by large volcanic cliffs.  Inland of the beach is a reserve.  

This is at the north end of the beach.  We were not able to go any further north as there was a rive that fed into the bay.  We tried to find a place to cross but were not able to.  Maybe at a differnt time of the day and the tidal schedule we could do so. 

This is at the south end of the beach.  Notice the layers of rock.

This is looking back at the north end of the beach.  

About the town

When we left Cheltenham Beach on Friday we had walked north, passed the restaurant and come to a small park on the left.  It looked like a fun place where you could have a sand-free lunch.  We walked through it and then back to the car through the little housing develpment there.   The first thing we saw as we left the park was this sign, posted on the fench between the park and the town.

I have never seen this sign down by us so I assume we would not need to worry about it.  I will have to look and see.  

We found many houses being remodeled and reformed.  There some that had been torn down completely and were in the process of being replaced by something else.  There were all kinds of architecture from a cape cod to a dutch farmhouse.  Some had really neat carved gingerbread of the outside.  One that I really like had this room at the very top....I bet it had a great view.

Just so you know, many of our walks are like them.  Me walking along taking pictures and  ...

At least I am not walking alone.

Cheltenham Beach

We visited a small beach named Cheltenham on Friday.  It is a bit further south than Narrow Neck and offers a great view of Rangitoto Island and Waitemata Bay.  We  only saw two other people walking it when we were there.  It had a nice little restaurant that is only open for lunch.  It can be reserved for private parties in the evenings.   Looks really fun.  Big.  It is called McHughs.  They have a fun menu.  We will have to go sometime!  It is just north of North Head where we were last week.  There are stairs that go up to North Head from this beach.  That is where I took this picture.  

This is the beach.  It is pretty huh?  On the left side you can see a white building.  That is McHugh's.  The beach had lots of shells.  

This is a close up of the sand.  It is a cluttered beach with sea weed etc.  

Beaches, beaches and more beaches

Over the past week we have done some fun walking along the beaches that are right close by.  If you look at the map you will see that they just do not end.  We have exlored them and can now give a review of them and tell you which one we really like.  There are pictures as well so hope you enjoy the walk.

Last week we walked the bottom ones....Takapuna has been the one that we have strolled along the most since it is right outside our door.  It is a lovely beach and maybe the most popular one.  Certainly it  is more commercial with many many places to walk to to find a bite to eat or to sit and watch.  We have  wondered often what it is going to be like when it is summer and everyone is visiting here.  It could be very busy right after Christmas!  We will see.




From Takapuna we went to Narrow Neck Beach.  It was almost high tide so the beach was limited but it was fun.  We had not seen the water as churned up and white as it was that day.  Pictures to follow.

The water was pretty stirred up and although the waves were not really high the boats etc were bouncing pretty good.  Not sure I would have enjoyed being on the water.  

There were people parasaling as well.  They were having a great time.  In the background is the big island Rangitoto which is the sleeping volcano.

There was this really old tree that was suspended from the land over the beach.  I was fascinated by it and went up close to see what it was.

Over the years the water has eroded the dirt right out from under this tree and you can see the entire root system.

That was all we saw at this beach.  We will have to return when the tide is lower.  It is a lovely area and not very far from home.  You park across the street and behind it is a lovely park.  It should be a fun place to visit again.

From the eye of a bird....

It truly was a bird's eye view from the top of Mt Victoria on Monday.  The skies were blue (storms blow in very fast so they could be blue and then suddenly not!)  and the ferries were running from the outer islands.  I will attach photos.  Each of these islands was at one time an active volcano but now are dorment.  The biggest island, off to the left,  Rangitoto, has been dorment for 600 years but not extinct.  

This is directly across from Mt Victoria, north of Auckland.  The ferry is really big and will carry probably 200 people.  There were actually 5 ferries that we saw while we were up there carrying people back and forth.  

This is looking back to Auckland.  In the foreground is Devonport Beach.  It is about mid way in the tide cycle.  When it is high tide the water will go all the way up and cover the sand completely.

This is looking west back towards where we are from.  Those tall buildings are right by the office in Takapuna.  The one on the left of the three in the center is a hotel.  It is supposed to be very nice and is where anyone coming to visit the church offices will stay.  We understand that all of the rooms have a small kitchenette.  You can see that it is starting to get cloudy as the sky is no longer blue.  Not long after this is started to rainon us.  

So this is the 360 degree from North Head.  It was a nice hour we spent.  

North Head, Devonport, New Zealand

On Monday we took a bit of time and drove over to North Head in Devonport.  We had been told that this was the best place to see a 360 degree view of Auckland and the surrouinding areas.  I will show those pictures later but first, to the fort.  This is on observation booth.  Inside there are windows on three sides.  Above the windows is a hand-painted map of the harbor.  All of the island have been painted in and below them are the degree marks so if invaded the lookout could tell them the exact location.  

1880 the British Royal Engineers reported to house a battery consisting of three 7 inch and three 64-pr guns. The defensive plan continued and North Head was made into a fort with trained soldiers stationed ready for battle. In 1889 Fort Cautley was developing with new guns, an 8 inch disappearing gun, with a 7 inch RML and a 6-pr Nordenfelt on both northern and southern flanks of North Head. (meaning if the enemy got around the north side then the south side would also be able to attack).

During the 1890's Fort Cautley was complete with tunnels, underground storerooms, Barracks, guardrooms, kitchens etc.

Search light emplacements built and now the role of Fort Cautley was to stop any enemy sailing entry to the harbour of Auckland. Interestingly most of the work was done by prisoners with simple pick and shovels digging the tunnels by hand.

In 1896 the minefield was laid extending from North Head across the inner harbour, a generator room can still be found on the south side to provide the power to detonate the mines.

The turn of the century North Head was heavily fortified but the Russian invasion did not eventuate and it was decided to dismantle the guns at that time. Almost all of the guns were sold for scrap metal. Some say that several are still buried into the side of the hill. One gun is known to be at Newmarket in Auckland pointing down the main street.

Then in 1933, the government decided to reconstruct North Head of new batteries. Work began in 1935 with three new search light emplacements and emplacements for 4 inch guns at North Battery.  (Quoting from the government website.)

I will attach a few photos that I took while we were there.  This is where a big gun was. 

This is entrance into the tunnels that connected all the places together.  The soldiers slept in them and had kitchens and everything.  

We were there for about 35 minutes and then it started to rain.  Perfect timing. 

Memories of Home

I have been trying to decide if I want to post pictures of my trip home to the States or just leave this as NZ but since that was part of the time we spent here then I decided that I would.  Here I am just going to include pictures from the short time I was in Provo.  When I got there Nate and his boys, Matt and Julie and their children, David and Sharyn and his family and Carrie and Richard and their children were all there.  The first thing to greet me was a huge water slide!

They had gotten it to the house on Friday (I arrived on Saturday a.m.) and the kids had been playing on it constantly.  There was a hose connected at the top that kept it nice and wet and cool!

That is Michael, Carrie and Richard's youngest, that is smiling at me.  

This is Alex, Nate's middle one, that is concentrating on the trip down.

This is Matthew, Carrie and Richard's oldest that is sliding down.

This is Jacob, David and Sharyn's only son that is flying down...cannot remember if he ended up going face first before he was at the bottom.

Maya, David and Sharyn's youngest had had enough of the slide and was here watching them as the ended up in a puddle at the bottom!

The slide and bouncy house were up until 10 p.m. on Saturday.  We certainly got our money's worth from this.  What great ideas the kids had in arranging to get this set up!