Blokarts on the Beach

When the wind blows….just another excuse for …………

fun on our world famous in NZ “Tahunanui Beach.”

Officially its not allowed, the designated site is the western end of Rabbit Island.

But after some time best to park up and watch someone else expend their energy.

Probably the most expensive plane

…to ever touch down at Nelson Airport, and its a private one

exactly the same as the one Peter Jackson brought recently a 550 Gulfstream, ….value approx. $65m give or take a dollar. Been there since arriving in the weekend.

Low tide shows clearly why…

Mariners of old got caught out.

At full tide everything looks serene.

Maybe the fact that Nelson has one of the highest tidal ranges in NZ, up to 4.6m on a spring tide may also have caught out the unwary.

Low tide shot here depicts exactly what I mean.

Many ships floundered before when entering the haven and Port of Nelson

in the days before a channel and deep water entryway, The Cut, was blasted into the Boulder Bank.

Our Nelson lighthouse

is open to the public, sort of.

You’ll need to visit the Nelson City Council offices in town to organise to get a key, then pack a cut lunch……………

and either walk approximately 8km [there is no road] from The Glen down to it, or find someone with a boat that can ferry you across a short 1-2km distance from the Yacht or Rowing Club to the Boulder Bank itself.

No doubt about Sailing…

Its clearly a hobby, or a sport, close to every Kiwis heart…………..

guess when you are surrounded by so much sea everywhere there’s no choice in the matter really.

A speedboat

What better way to enjoy the start of summer

but out on the bay in a speedboat.

Finally Sunshine a plenty……

and not before time, it seems records were broken recently with some of the wettest winter months on file.

Thank goodness in the last few days we have had some hints of summer coming.

Coming to a small screen…..

near you this Saturday and the “Big Race” on Sunday.

…… I suspect I know where the owner of this ……….

Nelson vehicle will be on Sunday too?

Water everywhere……

Visited our daughters and families in Christchurch this past weekend,

and stopped over at Maruia Falls just to see the effects of all the rain.

Sure was some water this time.

Even to the extend of creating small eddies that contained many logs awaiting their trip further down the river.

Here’s a Youtube video of some folk being just a tad more adventurous at the falls a few years ago.

Interestingly enough in these seismically aware times……the falls creation was as a result of the large 7.8 1929 earthquake that hit the Murchison region.

In the process it diverted the course of the river, choosing the new path, which after many extra years of erosion has resulted in what we see today.

More info on the Maruia Falls here.

Nows Good….

A sight to bring happiness to any Kiwi.

If you’re an ex-pat you sure don’t want to see this.

Or for that matter this either?

Slow Down…Yes its finally happened…

For years its been talked about, and now…..

………its done.

The stretch of Main Road Stoke between Robinsons complex ……………

and the Saxtons roundabout, adjacent the Bunnings store,

….has now officially had its speed lowered from 80km/h to 50km/h.

This will please many related residents.