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.

Final post. Dawn over the upper harbour from the Onehunga side.This blog is complete for now, holding the daily postings for a whole year. There will be no more reports or photographs in this series. Thank you for following, and thanks to those who called by regularly, the comments were of special value.

On reflection it has been positive and enlightening. The benefits are obvious to me and more may yet appear. I have lived in this area for nearly forty years and because of this exploration, I have discovered places I had no idea existed and organizations I hadn’t heard about. I have talked with active conservationists, cycle enthusiasts, bird watchers, ramblers and everyday people who regularly use this area. I have also enjoyed looking at the water itself and the change of colours and textures it goes through depending on the weather. A side benefit has been the need to get out and about, always looking for an opportunity to get an interesting photo. The car has been very useful.

Benefits:

A stock of photos of my local area, which I can develop with different art media.

Improved knowledge of my area’s geography, history, archeology, birdlife and vegetation.

Managing to maintain my interest in the project for a whole year and keeping a daily record on my blog.

I bought a new camera and through regular use I have slowly built up an understanding of the basic features.

This is right under the new Mangere bridge and motorway construction, it's part of the coastal walkway and bike trail meandering past the rubbish tip, industrial area, Waikaraka speedway and Cemetery. It sounds a less than desirable place but has it's moments of beauty and at the right time can be stunning.

Early morning down by the road construction for the new motorway to cross the Onehunga lagoon - but you would never know. It was so quiet before the earthmoving equipment began shaking the ground and drumming the air.

These are the high tension wires as they pass over the water by the boating and yacht club on the Onehunga side of the harbour.

I love the way plants cling to the most unlikely places and manage to survive. This one in a crack between one of the piles and Onehunga wharf. The clouds are reflected in the tide.

These visually intrusive power pylons march across the bays, totally spoiling the outlook for me. This is a sympathetic shot of one. I don't know how I could bring myself to do it.

This tree clinging to the rocks obviously found it too difficult to grow in this environment. Quite stark I thought on this still morning.

Just before sunrise this morning I caught the full tide looking this pleasant colour, it was calm and the light quite low. Normally this shallow water would be carrying the bottom in suspension and it would be quite muddy.

The clouds came and went, this is mainly in the shade, just a little sun - right at the top of the picture. Taken from the old bridge looking towards the heads.

The sound of the rustling grasses in the wind reminds me of my childhood secret reading places and the games we used to play once the grass grew long. The smell takes me back there quicker than anything. I would find a dry ditch and weave the grass over the top, fill the bottom with cut dry grass or bring a rug from the house. Then lie there listening to the birds so high you couldn't see them and the whine of the power and telephone lines. Summers are not the same in the city.

Summer continues, the wild grasses and flowers hide this pedestrian footbridge over the stream on Oruarangi road, the inlet winds in and out and round about, a surprising length for such a little catchment area. I wonder if it has ever been dredged, the sides are quite silted up in places. This stream goes past the settlement and Marae.

Somehow reassuring that these small sprats? are still swimming around. The water must be able to support them. It would be interesting to see down deeper at the life below this polluted wharf area. I am not really sure I want to look.

Hillsborough Bay, this small beach has been made more attractive by the importation of sand, by building a playground and landscaping. Today there were mothers and children in the water and a young man letting his dog go for a swim. They are all there but mostly obscured by the Pohutukawa tree. Just under two weeks to go before this project will be complete. The last photo will be published on the 31st January and then I will consider the work and write how it has affected me.

The end of the wharf and from here straight out to the heads if you are flying the way a seagull does - boats have to to and fro about following the channel.

This is not the most distressed pile I have seen, when they get really bad they are removed and I have seen character piles but these are not to be put on this blog because this is supposed to to be photos of the Manukau. The tide only just makes it into this one.

This is a pile from the wharf at Onehunga showing a more unusual colour of reddy brown. I like the way the wood has split into circular segments. The manukau harbour water is in the background of course.

I walked along on the old wharf that doesn't seem to get much use, stepping across the joints that went all the way down to the water, there are some quite fascinating worn piles, but I am limited to only do one post a day. So there might be quite a few coming up in the next few days.

On the opposite side from the coastal traders and ships is this area where fishing, non commercial and emergency vessels tie up. I rang the Ports of Auckland at Onehunga to ask permission to photograph there and was surprised to be allowed to enter. High tide was almost at midday and as I was dropping off tickets holders to the BDO about that time I took the opportunity to call in to the port wharves.

The light was just starting to catch the grass on this island in the lagoon. I noticed the white poles and I wonder what they are for.