Swimming in Lake TeAnau

 

Scaup Diving, Lake Wakatipu

This little duck was swimming like mad through the lake. Taken from the wharf at Queenstown.

Mt Cook Lily

Descending from Mt Olivier, a stroke of luck. A Mt Cook Lily posed perfectly in front of Mt Cook!

Tracy Sledging (on her Backside)

Descending Mt Olivier, Tracy took the easy option.

We Knocked the Bastard Off!

The summit of Mt Olivier, the first mountain that Sir Edmund Hillary ever climbed. I don't think we'll ever climb Everest so we went for the easier option. Mt Cook is in the distance.

Mueller Hut, Mt Cook National Park

DOC told us the hut was full, so I carried the tent up to the hut. When we got there we found out that there was plenty of room. But by then I decided that I had carried the bloody thing up, so we were damn well going to sleep in it. So we pitched the tent in the snow. You can see it next to the hut in the photo. It was a cold night.

Simon on Mt Olivier

Walking the ridge to the summit of Mt Olivier. There was a steep 1000m drop just behind me.

Mt Cook at Sunset

Taken from the Mueller hut.

Koru

Koru is the Maori name for the curled up shoot of a tree fern. This one was found in our back garden.

River, Abel Tasman National Park

 

Camp

After a hard day paddling, we were ready for food and a drink. Fortunately a sea kayak can carry a lot of wine. 

Silver Fern

Photographed in Abel Tasman National Park. The silver colour of the underside of this fern does not show up well. It would need a flash to bring out the colour.

Tracy Kayaking, Abel Tasman National Park

We spent the xmas holidays in Abel Tasman National Park with our friends Sian and Richard. We hired kayaks for 4 days and paddled our way north, camping on beaches at night. We started out in brilliant sunshine but spent the last night in the rain.

This is day 1, Tracy and I had a twin kayak, she at the front and me steering. In the background is Adele Island.

Richard and Sian

 

Head of the Avoca Valley

Kaikoura Mountains

Taken from the veranda of our motel. This was the seafest weekend 2004.

Mt Cook

Reflected in the Hooker lake.

Ice, Hooker River

Found in the Hooker river, Mt Cook National Park.

Mt Sefton

Taken from the bridge over the Mueller river.

Tracy Paddling, Punakaiki

It was early spring, and the water was freezing!

Sunset, West Coast

Taken from the beach at Punakaiki.

Tracy in the Sunset, West Coast

Taken from the beach at Punakaiki

Spotted Shag, Punakaiki

We lay on the beach, watching a Norwester blow in, and this little chap walked right by us.

One Ring to Rule Them All!

Yes, that is the actual ring from the movies! The man who made it has a shop in Nelson. Unfortunately, he is dead now but his son (aptly named Thorkild) runs the shop and kindly let me try it on.

Mural

This fantastic mural can be found on the Esplanade in Kaikoura. It is on the side of a dairy. I love the sunlight on the back of the whales.