My wife and I sought to escape winter weather this year by heading south—to the Southern Hemisphere in fact. Conveniently, our daughter lives in Wellington, New Zealand. So we flew cross-country and then cross-Pacific to reside from mid-January to mid-March in Middle Earth.
We’ve been to New Zealand many times in the past, but this was our first visit in four years, thanks to the pandemic (ironically, we escaped Covid the whole time there but came down with some other kind of virus upon our return!). This time, rather than travelling all over the country, we decided to stay in just a few places. The map will provide some orientation. Part I takes up our stay on the South Island, from Christchurch to Golden Bay (west of Nelson). Part II will focus on the North Island, from Wellington to New Plymouth.
Due to a relative lack of pollution, the light in New Zealand is strong, even stark at midday, especially in the summer. Twilight affords softer, more slanting light, although the sunrises and sunsets are vivid, exactly suiting my photographic tastes. Still, there are cloudy days where the light is more diffused, and that’s when I liked taking photos of the wondrous vegetation. The native bush is quite different from the Appalachian forest at home, maybe not as diverse but equally interesting—especially if you like ferns! We did spend some time in Christchurch and Wellington, but most images are from walks along the beaches and in the woods.
After our arrival in Wellington, we spent a lovely week in the suburb of Breaker Bay, to which we’ll return in Part II. Then we flew down to Christchurch on the South Island.
Christchurch suffered a devastating earthquake in February 2011 (we were actually in the country during the quake, though far away in Wanaka; our daughter miraculously escaped harm in the ravaged central business district). Horizontal and vertical shaking coupled with soil liquefaction on an alluvial plain were impossible to resist, particularly by old masonry buildings. The damage “may be the greatest ever recorded anywhere in a modern city” [New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 4 March 2011]. Some 185 people died, most of them in the Canterbury Television Building. Rebuilding has been extensive, but it’s far from complete, and reminders of the devastation persist beside new construction.
New buildings have much better bracing, in hopes of riding out the next shake (not if but when it occurs, as major faults run through Christchurch up through Wellington).
We also visited the lovely Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
And we took a day trip up into the Southern Alps. We visited the rock formations called Castle Hill or Kura Tawhiti, then glimpsed the mighty Waimakariri River.
From Christchurch we took the train up the east coast, with a brief stop to view the Kaikoura Mountains.
In the small port city of Picton we met our daughter, arriving on the Cook Strait ferry with her car.
We then drove over to Golden Bay (so named not for actual gold but for golden sand beaches). To get there you have to climb up and over Takaka Hill (793 metres) on a very winding road that deters some. I have a t-shirt that reads: “It’s just a hill; get over it.” And so we did.
After reaching Takaka, and learning how to pronounce it, we proceeded about nine miles east to Ligar Bay (rhymes with “tiger”). Ligar Bay is small, protected and relatively undeveloped. We spent two and half glorious weeks there, basking in the light, walking the beach just across the road, and enjoying a family of California quail in our front yard. It was in many ways the high point of our holiday.
Here are a couple of doctored images of Ligar Beach at sunset, in fact consecutive shots with different sky swaps. Some may cringe, but I encourage them to start a conversation about the use of AI in photography.
Did I mention ferns? Here are a few (okay, a double-few) among many:
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Lad – over 60 years ago, I was staying with an American who was GM’s head honcho in Melbourne – he told us one evening over dinner that during his working life he’d lived and worked in over 60 different countries, but as far as he was concerned, New Zealand was the most beautiful one of them all.
Gazing at these photos I can see what he meant. I don’t think I’d go strong on their earthquakes – I doubt whether any insurance company would provided earthquake cover if you had a place in Christchurch!
I imagine the light you’re referring to is much like it is here – extremely deep blue skies and very strong light. High contrast, every book says it would be awful, and yet – for some inexplicable reason, it gives you the most stunning photos.
Your photos of Liger Bay left me wondering – are you working for the Liger Bar Tourist Bureau?
And those ferns . . . .
I could have ended there, saying “words fail me” – but nobody would be believe it anyway. So I’ll add one last thought – why no photos of an NZ steam loco, for Paul’s collection?
Pete,
Thanks as always for your comments.
Earthquakes are indeed unsettling (literally!). But NZ’s spectacular geography depends entirely on the collision of tectonic plates, which slip and slide in violent ways. A major rift runs right through Christchurch and Wellington. So quakes are the cost of scenic wonder.
We’ve been to your country (not, unfortunately to your west coast) several times, and I would agree that Oz light is very similar to Kiwi light.
No, I don’t work for the Liger Bay Tourist Bureau, if there were such, but I would gladly do so, gratis. It’s a special place.
As for artifacts of any kind, I guess I prefer natural kinds, mostly living ones, to anything humans have made–including your cars and bicycles, as well as Paul’s trains. No offense intended. I won’t get into any discussion of which is somehow better as a photographic subject. I like what I like.
Ha ha – well you’re safe – I don’t “do” arguments, I think they’re obnoxious & childish, in adults.
But cars aren’t an obsession of mine – they just happen to be there, when I’m passing with my camera – if asked what I “take”, I’d have to get out two sheets of paper at least – the list is pretty well endless. I even found myself moving chairs around in my dining room this morning, because I spotted a fascinating pattern in the shadows on the tiled floor. Another shot – the shadows of me & my dog, at dusk – casting shadows that went about a block up the street – very mid-western, I thought. And that insane panorama of an island over 10 miles offshore – I can’t post it on DS, it’s 8 feet wide and 6 inches high! “Eclectic” is what I think they call it!
Lad, I’m enjoying your photos, especially the sumptuous ferns in Wellington and Plymouth which you capture so well (your greens are beautiful to my eyes). And my favorite photo of all, the starfish on the sand, is a particularly satisfying composition. It sounds—and especially looks—like you had a great trip. Thanks for sharing!
Claude
Thanks Claude. Glad you are enjoying them. Ferns are one of my favorite subjects, and where else to enjoy them than in Middle Earth! And yes, it was a great vacation.
Hi Lad
Nice to see some tree ferns getting a bit of photographic love. The Otari-Wilton’s bush looking down from above is great and I took the liberty of downloading then running a quick b&w conversion in calculations to see how it would look – red, red, multiply, 90 percent seemed pretty good to me. Deleted afterwards, I don’t hang onto other folks’ images unless agreed.
A quick question to the gallery. Does anyone else save images while browsing and then play around with them in PS?
It’s been a long time since I visited Golden Bay, but it seems like it’s still as laid-back as ever. Wellington through New Plymouth is my usual stomping ground, so I look forward to seeing your part II images.
Cheers
Thanks Mer. Tree ferns are fabulous from almost any angle, and Otari-Wilton’s Bush trails afford many views. I have also done a b&w version of this and other ferns, delighting in the patterns and textures. You are welcome to do what you wish with any of my images, with two conditions: (1) you don’t profit from the use; (2) you make proper attribution in any use. I would also like to see what you do with them, but that isn’t a requirement.
Hope you enjoy Part II!