Since we have been in NZ, the weather pattern has been such that we get sunshine every other weekend. The weather changes very quickly here so you have to take advantage of the clear skies when you get the chance. Last weekend after signing the lease to our new flat (more on that after we move in), we headed just west of Auckland to the Waitakere (pronounced why-tack-ery) for a hike in Cascade Kauri regional park. The Waitakeres are a mostly undeveloped area that lie between the edge of Auckland and the west coast beaches.
It has been raining quite a bit here so Pete chose a walk that was partially on a paved trail and partially along a tram route. The trail led from the car park down to Waitakere Dam, one of five dams in the Waitakeres that collectively provide about 25% of Auckland's water. At 25 meters tall, the dam was an impressive structure.
This is a stump from a tree fern.
Not very good for Pete's woodworking
projects, but so cool!
The NZ International Film Festival started in Auckland this week. Neither of us have been to showings at a film festival before, but Pete recognized a movie that he was interested in and it was showing at a theatre that is usually a venue for musicals and plays. The decor of the Civic Theatre in downtown Auckland is reportedly amazing, so our tickets to the show doubled as an inexpensive way to see the inside of the theatre. It is a beautiful theatre! We just found out there is an Andy Goldsworthy documentary showing on the weekend as part of the film festival, so we will be back for round #2!
It has been raining quite a bit here so Pete chose a walk that was partially on a paved trail and partially along a tram route. The trail led from the car park down to Waitakere Dam, one of five dams in the Waitakeres that collectively provide about 25% of Auckland's water. At 25 meters tall, the dam was an impressive structure.
Walking across the top of the dam
Looking up at the spillway
Native vegetation at the foot of the dam
The base of the dam gives way to a spectacular waterfall
Tramway to the dam and the water pipe that
takes water from the dam to the treatment plant
takes water from the dam to the treatment plant
Walking through a soggy tunnel along the tramway.
A much needed trail umbrella
There was a lot of native vegetation along the trail.
This is the native Nikau Palm.
This is the native Nikau Palm.
This is a stump from a tree fern.
Not very good for Pete's woodworking
projects, but so cool!
Scalloped bark of the tree fern
The NZ International Film Festival started in Auckland this week. Neither of us have been to showings at a film festival before, but Pete recognized a movie that he was interested in and it was showing at a theatre that is usually a venue for musicals and plays. The decor of the Civic Theatre in downtown Auckland is reportedly amazing, so our tickets to the show doubled as an inexpensive way to see the inside of the theatre. It is a beautiful theatre! We just found out there is an Andy Goldsworthy documentary showing on the weekend as part of the film festival, so we will be back for round #2!
The elephant and buddha bedecked foyer
(there are 414 elephants in the entrance area)
(there are 414 elephants in the entrance area)
There is a pair of lions protecting the stage...
their glowing blue eyes are a tad freaky.
Beautiful stage curtain and parapets
rising to meet the starry sky.
And today, I got to go into the field for the first time! I tagged along on a stream sampling run to the southern sites. It was really good to see some of the sites we monitor. I've done most of my research in relatively isolated coastal areas. The work we do for the Auckland Council is crazy impacted by humans. We had a couple of really lovely sites today, including one reference site that is meant to represent good water quality conditions. Others, however, were not in such good shape. One stream smelled like cow poo, many looked like chocolate milk, and one was threading through a mall parking lot. Hopefully the data we collected today will help make a case for improving how we manage streams as Auckland continues to grow.
One of our less impacted urban sites.
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