I was here recently, it was just after some severe west coast storms, you can probably tell.   The beach where the Fox river meets the sea, was covered with driftwood, smashed, broken and then beautifully smoothed by the action of waves and beach. I knew I should have collected some as I wandered through it. But all I took were photographs. I was reminded of my walk when today I was looking at the handmade markmaking tools that Glenn Grishkoff has on his site. Just click on his name. 

Cosy Nook Harbour Southland. There is a storm passing through, and the haze is salt laden mist driving inland.

We went on a bit of a road trip down in Southland, these trees had us dreaming of the forces that made them. At a certain height they all streamed away with the prevailing winds, awesome to look at. They weren't all in the same place, but they did seem to be the same type of tree, a marcrocarpa of some sort. I took every opportunity to take a photo when I saw them.

I managed to clamber down to the small sandy beach below our holiday accommodation at Whale Bay. It was before sunrise and the shadows were soft. I would like to be able to draw  boulders like these and hope to use my photos as reference.

A weekend away, on the exposed west coast. The constant roar of the surf breaking on the rocks just below the deck, tui in the flax, curtains moving in the breeze, summer is coming just around the curve of the earth.  

The other day I was asked where was the best sunset I have ever seen, after a brief moment to consider I replied it was on the Manukau Harbour. I was surprised by my answer and even days later consider it correct. Yesterday coming home from a morning out with Diane, I took a photo of the calm on the out going tide. The sky was huge with clouds, almost navy blue in places, the harbor was stunning again. There is something that draws me to the water and it's ever changing shape and colours.

Down to the beach. Banded Dotterels and Oyster Catchers were the only ones there.

Looking across Matai Bay, I was hypnotised by the colour of the water as the sun went in and out of the clouds. There was more seaweed than usual on the shore from the morning storm.

The shingle beach at Raaki Bay, we walked to one end and it was a little disappointing that the wind had pushed the waves almost flat so there was none of the wonderful sound of the stones rattling up and rolling back down with each wave. There was no evidence of human littering, no beach glass and no plastics and that's got to be a good thing.

Taupo Bay in the far north, an awesome looming rocky headland, fierce equinox weather with passing squalls and high winds, a pair of dotterels on a deserted beach, gannets diving, even on a hazy day - a magical place.

Matai Bay, with the sand blowing and rain coming in like a freight train still managed to be a pristine beautiful place devoid of humans, bar us. Earthquake liquefaction would be an issue, I think it's just a vast sand dune underneath.

This dinghy was nearly afloat in the bay by the wharf on Motuihe before the two sailors returned from collecting bags of rubbish on the island. They had a ketch or was it a kestrel? anchored out a bit deeper.

I am continuing to look for the elusive blue beach glass, this was the bluest thing I could find today.

More beautiful rock formation at White's Beach near Blenheim. I love the colours and textures, all made by the wind and water. Taken with the small cannon A80. Must get the Lumix over there next time I visit.

There's more purple in nature than you would think. I was out looking for beach glass at Kawakawa but I think it must be a summer thing, because this is fairly typical of what I saw on my walk along the length of the beach.

We are in for a wet weekend again and may not see the sun until monday, most of us here are tired of the rain. This is another front coming towards us. Spring is almost here and some of my scarlet runners are planted in the ground already. Which reminds me that I started my blog in 2006 around this time and I was also talking about the rain back then!

Along this short beach I looked for sea glass, hoping to find greens, aqua and clear and dare I hope for blue. I found mainly brown. The sounds that pieces makes when sliding against each other in the hand is very distinctive.

On top of the seawall was a series of posts with holes for chain or rope of some sort. I wonder if the linking has rusted away and been removed, or if it is away being repaired, or maybe has even been stolen? I could imagine it being there, and I think it would have made for a more interesting photo.

Much later: I rang the Council, they got back to me, the bollards are under a works programme and will have new aluminum poles put through the holes by October.

Man made curves, a breakwater at Devonport. I would like to see the tide washing over this, the variations would be endless. The waves would run up the slope and back down, each one different.

Just a little south of the main boat ramp at Narrow Neck Beach are these surface eroded land forms showing where the earth folded, where it has dropped and was lifted. The tide continues to come in right up to the base of the cliffs.