31st December to 2010 – Happy New Year!

Fishing…again!

Once again Aidan started the day off by going off on a boat fishing. This time however it looks as if all his fishing has finally paid off.

(Picture: It was this size!)

Aidan hauled in a Snapper weighing 6.8kg, only 115g under the record for his age and had he been in the Swordfish Club he would have taken the prize for his age group for 2009.

The tourists were particularly taken by his catch, asking to have their photos taken with it when he was sitting outside Russell Radio/The Swordfish Club.

(Picture: One very, very happy boy)

For some reason unknown to me, I was tasked with the challenge of gutting and filleting the beast.

(Picture courtesy of Sara: With a little help from Wade we hacked the head off)

He also managed to reel in one weighing 3kg before the holidays were out.

Hogmanay Grub

That evening we headed to the Russell Boating Club for a meal and drinks before the bells.

(Picture courtesy of Tania: Dancing the night away)

(Picture courtesy of Tania: Sara and Bart)

(Picture: Techno-raving in da BC!)

Aidan immediately headed out onto the jetty attached to the Boating Club and decided he wanted to fish. Having no fishing rod, he asked the kitchens if they had an old milk bottle and some bread. He proceeded to cut the top off the milk bottle, put bread in the end and then tied it to some rope so he could try and catch some fish.

After that we headed down to the waterfront at Russell Wharf to take in the New Year and watch the fireworks. Unfortunately, by this stage my hand didn’t seem to be quite steady, so the fireworks photos are but a blur.

Happy New Year!!!

30th December – Road Trip

On the 30th we headed over on the car ferry to go for a run and see what we could see.

Te Waimate

First up we headed to Te Waimate Mission house.  This is where Nan works.  It is also the second oldest house still standing in New Zealand.

(Picture: Te Waimate Mission House)

The Rt. Rev. George Selwyn bought the redundant Te Waimate Mission House in 1842 to establish St John’s Theological College.  This only lasted for a couple of years though because his wife being a female of the species moaned about it too much.  She called it ‘comfortless and untidy’ and poor Selwyn moved the College to Auckland, where it still is today.

(Picture: Looks comfortable enough to me)

(Picture: iBook, Google Maps, Graphics Tablet and External Storage)

Next-door was the Kirk and graveyard, always good for a wander around.

(Picture: Da Kirk next door)

Missionary George Clarke helped design & build Te Waimate house.  Here he lies, next door.

(Picture: Missionary George Clarke in his final resting place)

Rainbow Falls

After that we headed towards Rainbow Falls for a wander.  You get a good few from the top of the Falls.

(Picture: Rainbow Falls)

(Picture: Bart framed)

(Picture: Yet more water falling)

The real beauty is when you take a walk down to the bottom of the falls though.  It is at times like these that you wish you had brought the tripod and some ND filters.  The rest of them wandered off to the car and got annoyed with me taking so long.  Can you blame me?

After that we headed back to Russell for yet another barbecue.  Yum

Coming next – New Year!

27th to 29th December – Sailing, Philosophising, Fishing and Flying

Sailing & Philosophising

The 27th was agreed to be the day that all the ladies would go sailing while the men-folk stayed on dry land discussing life’s many unanswered questions.

This started off with everybody meeting down near the Wharf while Aidan and Granpa navigated the Yacht from Matauwhi Bay to the Wharf.

(Picture: The girls got the YMCA thing all wrong)

Luckily the girls were sitting where they were as Nan’s stair-lift malfunctioned and jettisoned her towards the bench.

(Picture: Nice catch girls!)

Once Nan was propped up again we kept an eye out on the horizon for Captain Granpa and his trusty Skipper Aidan.

(Picture: I spy a Shetland Flag)

(Picture: Ahoy me hearties!)

(Picture: The ladies bundled aboard)

Once we had seen them safely set voyage, Wade, Bart & Myself had the small task of deciding where would be a nice quiet serene place that we could go and discuss life and all its intricacies.  A unanimous show of hands appeared when the pub was suggested.

It being a Sunday afternoon also meant that a partially live band was playing.  I say partially because it was a father & son team who had opted to use a backing track for all other musical instruments.  Interesting decision.

Even with the background noise we managed to discuss and solve many of the world’s mysteries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  (Pictures: Great men, deep in thought)

Before long the wimmen-folk returned and we began to realise just how mentally drained we were by the afternoons hard work.  Thus it was time to start on the Jack Daniels.  Unfortunately nobody had reminded Nan to take her tablets while they were on the boat.

(Picture: Nan – Medically unaided)

Us younger generation decided to hang back and play a few games of pool.  Jack Daniels conveniently had a promotion running at the time.  Lord knows how many wristbands, wallets and hats we had procured by the end of the night.

(Picture courtesy of Sophie: Bart in action)

(Picture courtesy of Sophie: Hmm, less balls on the table than I remember)

Fishing Trip

On Monday the 28th Bart, Aidan and I headed off on a fishing trip aboard The Belfast while Tania & Sophie went dolphin swimming/watching.

(Picture: Aidan & Bart poised for action)

We also saw dolphins.  Not exactly the critters you want to see when you are out fishing.  It may go some of the way to explaining why we didn’t catch much. By the time I got the camera out of the bag they had travelled quite a distance.

(Picture: Dolphins in the distance)

All our fish were too small and had to be thrown back except for the Golden Snapper that Aidan managed to snag.

(Picture: Aidan and his Golden Snapper)

(Picture courtesy of Tania:  Meanwhile Tania and Sophie spotted these critters)

Flying

That afternoon Aidan & Sophie went flying.

(Picture: What’s that yellow blob?)

(Picture: What is that???)

(Picture: Ah! It’s Aidan & Sophie!)

Aidan was told that they were only going to go up to 100ft, which he reckoned was about the height of the mast on Granpas boat.  Only once they had been up was he told that they were actually at 1200ft.  He thoroughly enjoyed it though.

(Picture: On the descent)

That evening we all headed down to the wharf for a spot of fishing.

(Picture: Aidan, fishing, again)

(Picture: Russell Wharf at night)

Lazy day & Fishing (Again)

Tuesday the 29th of December was quite a lazy day.  Aidan and I went down to the wharf in the morning for a spot of fishing…again.  While we were there Aidan got invited back out on The Belfast to go fishing…again.

Sophie went diving, Tania and I headed over to Paihia on the fast ferry for a stroll about town.  While there I purchased a new polarising filter for my 50mm lens.

(Picture: Zipping along on the Fast Ferry to Paihia)

(Picture: Aidan at the helm of The Belfast) 

So, that brings us up to New Years Eve, I am slowly getting this thing up to date!!!

26th December – Boxing Day and 7 Months in

Boxing Day

Was a fairly lazy day, we all set off down to Long Beach from where I Skyped the oldies.  Amazing how far technology has come when you think about it.  I was able to have a voice and video conversation with people across the other side of the world from a 10” Netbook equipped with a Mobile Wireless Broadband dongle, all while sitting on a beach in the sun!

(Picture: Long Beach)

The kids played in the sand whilst the adults soaked up the rays.

(Picture: Sophie and Wade playing on the beach)

(Picture: Tania with cuzz and her hubby and my new camera bag)

After that I headed off into town to take a few pictures and have a beer.

Russell is swamped in history as it was the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand.  The Maori were happy to trade food and timber in return for firearms, alcohol and other manufactured goods.  This resulted in Russell being a busy port but also meant that it gained a reputation for lawlessness and prostitution and became known as, “The Hell Hole of the Pacific”.

It is now a popular holiday destination with a population of nearly 900 and many holiday homes.  It is also home to New Zealand’s oldest surviving industrial building (Pompallier Mission) and Christ Church, which happens to be the country’s oldest surviving church, and probably the most photographed as well.

(Picture:  Obligatory pic of Christ Church, Russell)

A few more beers that evening and then back to our temporary accommodation.  We had a couple of extra guests that were discovered during our stay in Russell.  Here is one of them that we named, but I can’t remember the name now…

(Picture: Our friendly guest)

So 7 months in as of Boxing Day.  Not much else to report for today, a nice short post.

25th December 2009 – Christmas Day!

Christmas day in New Zealand is a rather strange affair. I would imagine that the bookies would have some pretty peculiar odds for a White Christmas out here.

Aidan awoke us bright and early. Too early. We sleepily plodded down the road from our temporary residence to Nan & Granpa’s to see whether Santa Claus had been good enough to take a detour for Aidan this year.

Turns out he had.

Christmas Morning

(Picture: Aidan opening one of his many presents)

(Picture: Aidan opening more presents)

The opening of the presents started to make me feel a little more christmassy, but, as always, some people just have to ruin it. Just when I was starting to enter happy festive mode and possibly even place a santa hat on my head despite the heat, the impossible happened….

….two people managed to get the dress code wrong! Yup, this was the moment when the Easter bunnies turned up!

(Picture: Easter Wimmen)

Shortly after this, Nan was presented with a special hand-made mini replica of herself. The head wobbled all by itself and included a wonderful comment about criticism that has slipped my mind just now. Perhaps somebody would be kind enough to add it to the comments. Also if someone could lip-read, I would appreciate knowing what Nan is trying to say here….

(Picture: “Minime where have you been?”)

After that Aidan discovered that somebody had got him a very nice fishing rod and reel for Christmas…

(Picture: An appreciative little face)

After all the present opening finally finished (far too much everybody, we can give it a miss next year), then Granpa realised that something else had appeared outside.

(Picture: Aidan and his shiny new BMX)

The Bush

After that was all over we headed off into the bush. We followed a road that seemingly went nowhere for a considerable length of time. This really was, ‘Out in the sticks’.

Once we arrived, we were met by a bunch of friendly people with ice buckets to keep our beer & bourbon in and a plethora of amenities. The ladies were particularly taken by the toilet facilities.

(Picture courtesy of Sophie: The unisex toilet)

Aidan, as usual, made himself comfortable around the food that was available.

(Picture: Ow, ow, yow!)

Realising it was going to take some time to cook he set off on his new shiny BMX.

(Picture: Off-Road BMX riding)

(Picture courtesy of Sara: Bart enjoying the local beers)

Meanwhile Wade seemed oblivious to the goings on around him…

(Picture courtesy of Sophie: Uncle Wade testing the tenderness of the meat)

(Picture: The Bar)

The above picture shows the bar where (rumour has it) Nan spent quite a bit of her time. I personally don’t believe it in the slightest…

(Picture: “You never forget…”)

(Picture courtesy of Sophie: “…how tiring it can be!”)

(Picture: Cooking Mussels Kiwi-Style)

(Picture courtesy of Sara: Tchhh, some people just don’t like getting their photo taken)

(Picture courtesy of Sara: The kids all gathered around in bewilderment as Sophie told the story about the day that she broke nothing at all!)

Civilisation

After all that we headed back to civilisation to meet Aaron and Laura who drove up from Auckland with their pet shop for a couple of days in sunny Russell.

Why is it that the return journey never takes as long as it does on the outward bound leg? It appears to have something to do with your subconscious having no idea how long it is going to take to get there so decides to stretch it out as much as it can. The return journey is different though. Is it because your mind knows how far you travelled? Does it recognise turns in the road, certain trees, bumps, landmarks? Does your brain keep telling you to continue when you recognise a scenario? Does it slow down when it doesn’t? If anybody is aware of the definitive answer then please leave a comment.

Anyway. What the hell is this?

(Picture: Nan’s ball of wool started panting)

Christmas Day was finished off by drinking some more, and some more, then a little more.

All in all, a good day.