Has this world learnt so little?

I refer to the rejoicing in the world over the death of Osama bin Laden, and my post here is so heart-felt I've not even replied to last week's comments!

One of my client/friends posted the below on his FB page. I find it very apt:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

We as a species need to take stock of how we function!

My friend Bob McKerrow has an interesting take on "taking tea with Osama bin Laden" some years back... more >>

So lets finish with some cheerful images: a little of autumn back-lit, a little expressing a less static landscape, and lastly how dusk settles on Lake Wanaka this time of year.

Moody walks and a big shake up

What with a spring weather pattern emerging I've been of a mind to make some landscape photos that have obliging rays of sunlight filtering through the ever pervasive clouds racing by, and alighting on my chosen foreground. For some odd reason mid week I tended to think this might happen at nearby Glendhu Bay, and on the new walkway.

This was as close to obliging light that I got to see, but I did enjoy sitting and waiting in a gentle rain under nearby Kanuka trees, accompanied by much bellbird song...

The walk back was nice and moody, and I was joyfully surprised to briefly sense two Kereru native wood pigeons fly over me. They seem rare in the Wanaka area..


Back again two evenings later the light was even less, so I played around with looking at rocks...


Which brings to mind the awesome and devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch yesterday morning.

As blogger friend and seasoned Red Cross professional Bob McKerrow put it: "Yes, it is so good to read that no one died. With a name like CHRISTCHURCH, maybe someone was looking over the city?"

I don't think anyone can satisfactorily explain otherwise the fact that no one has died amid such devastation. There are just so many amazing images now on the web, that it takes an age to look at them all.

You can see Bob's excellent overview here>>

... and as of Mon. 6 Sept. here>>

Also friends Gregor and Heather may have lost their house, the damage is so bad here>>

The practical health qualities and symbolic nature of water

Last week I posted a comment on Bob McKerrow's blog - he was writing about water quality in the context of his International Red Cross work:

"Such a simple thing pure water when you have tons of it. I was told years ago that the daily mortality rate of kid's from impure water is in the thousands, and that thought haunts me!"

Bob replied:

"Yes, we often take pure water for granted. UNICEF figures put children dying of water borne at at least 50,000 plus a day. Staggering".

I'm having trouble getting my head around this figure! Even if it was 10/day I'd be "haunted"!

So since us humans are evolving at an ever increasing rate we must keep in mind as we nominate "zero tolerance" for so many things now, that this figure needs to be significantly reduced - to zero, that's my vote on water quality - and it's do-able!

There is still plenty of it around here, and it's pretty pure despite our Lake Wanaka being so full of what is essentially flood water...


Last week I was posting about our New Zealand Goverment's intent on mining in our National Parks and Conservation Estate, and mid week I was discussing this with one of my friends - he's a bird tour guide and every year or two does significant yachting voyages in the Pacific, and on his travels he's formed an opinion I'd like to share: that the most insidious thing re. these mining proposals is not so much the holes in the ground, scars on the landscape or rivers being ruined as they drain these areas, but that because so many other countries follow New Zealand's lead on so many issues that they'll say "oh, well lets rip up our own mountains [and degrade our water] - if it's OK for New Zealand to do it, we'll follow suit". [I just saw on TV yesterday: UK hung elections - they were checking out how we handled this a few years back]

Of course what will be glossed over I can guarantee, is when and how the environment will be restored - river catchments made healthy, as they feed our lakes and oceans!

As Bob has said: "water is first and deserves a gold rating".

Sort of makes me wonder: why do we have so many New Zealand Government Departments, yet none seem to have the sole focus of water quality and water health!

So how can we help: for starters we must make sure we preserve natural environments like this, as an inspiration and model the world can follow...


It's been my life's experience that when I dream during my sleep and water is part of the dream, that this symbolises, and is a solid guide to my emotional state. So I'm sort of wondering how I'll process these words during tonight's slumber. Will the dream be a worriesome adventure of staying safe and out of the way of brown turbulent flows and mud avalanches, or will I be floating on a turquoise ocean aboard a sparkling white yacht, under a pure blue sky!?

A few hours ago a first time viewer of this image I made yesterday stated it reminded her of the underworld. But I'd say it's that other place where we can ponder the context of knowledge gained and not just the content, which we tend to interpret so erroneously if we exclude the context of the information. Our egos love content organised in a nice linear fashion, but this is only a small part of establishing awareness, which in turn helps establish a universal truth that shines in the light...


There is a reverse side to everything, and while it maybe a play on words, reflection on just water alone will reveal there is another world that we can be inclined to ignore all to often, and I'm reminded too, as I write, that our bodies are apparently 70% comprised of water!

Water and rock - we cannot compress the former, and it will wear away rock. It is a true life source and force stronger than rock, yet in our living we allow the vanity of polluting it. This is crazy, and 50,000 children a day can attest to this as they suffer their way to a premature death!


We can lead the world if we can bring into our lives the tranquility and balance evident in nature by keeping this fair land, a land that many look to for inspiration and that visitors so try to emigrate too, as pristine as we possibly can. Then we'll go some ways towards drawing awareness to quality of life...


And we can be playful too...


Wisdom is said to grow by evaluating the context of all perceptions and knowledge that we garner from life, and filing it in our heads as provisional.

Water has content: it can be alive and oxygen rich, pollution free, or "dead". But it's really the context of what we have and could loose so easily, that we need to be very much aware of!

Christmas, compassion and camping

The last few weeks for myself, leading up to this festive season, has been pretty interesting: an infection in a tooth spread into my jaw, and the thought stopping pain became a challenge. But all the way through I just thought of two things: that it'd improve and that some people live with severe pain for years in their lives! It all gets quite humbling in fact especially when I ponder that not long ago folk died of this sort of thing.

I found an effective way to deal with the pain was to keep busy so I've again been mindlessly scanning my old library of colour slides. This was essentially revisiting the past so it became a game to think of some of the nice places I've been privileged to camp at around the Christmas period.

A Christmas mountainerring bivy - Cook River in South Westland...


Getting to this amazing camping spot was not easy and I was so exhausted at one stage I discovered this was a nice way to relax...


While the rocks provided shelter for our puny 4 person tent, the rain was so bad it pooled almost into the tent [that's an early version of yours truly btw]...


So we did some excavations...


We were camping high for an attempt on the long, but technically easy west ridge of La Perouse - the route made famous by the incredible rescue and carry of Ruth Adams in 1948. [see Bob McKerrow's blog for history of La Perouse]. But opposite our campsite this was the astounding view of the Balfour Face of Mt Tasman...


When the weather cleared we then had just enough food left for one attempt on La Perouse, but for various reasons we ran out of puff. I don't recall exactly why apart from myself having a sore back - something that had developed in similar circumstances once before and debilitated me on a much easier climb. I think the others who left me picnicking, for a hour or three on a nice airy rock were also worried at the degree of our remoteness and how our resources were wearing thin.

So knowing the mountains will still be there we retreated mindful of hungry tums. That's La Perouse hidden in romantic clouds...

I mentioned it was a four person tent, but from memory we were five young souls, and so Michael closest in friendship to myself, elected to sleep alone up the hill further in a dry spot under a rock.

When "departure" morning dawned and it was obvious it was "now or never" to leave, someone went up to his dry little spot and advised him we thought it wise to head home. But he did not want to come! It fell on myself to convince him otherwise - on climbing up the hill I found him in a severe state of depression, and lacking finesse, eventually and lovingly literally emptied him out of his sleeping bag. Of course going out in the most demanding terrain on offer in New Zealand, we had many thoughts as to how easy it'd be for him to fall into the river, or down the side of the gorge. However we now know exercise is antidote for depression [up to a point]!

On our return to our homes we made sure he sought help, but very sadly within an autumn and a winter he'd passed on after a days' powder skiing. This was maybe my first encounter with, 1] depression, 2] compassion; for the ensuing experiences, which of course included his family, tested all of us with many a journey of our feelings and emotions. For myself though this was just the first insight into compassion and I found it not easy to grasp on the first encounter

That journey for me has never ended though, and it's been an "inner" one for a long time and included many teachers, and I'd not have it any other way! Especially over the last several years I've seen perspective altering examples of it. So the understanding of the importance to all of us grows on me!

I ponder often that there maybe a progression for some like myself: we [hopefully] grow up with love, then realise that it's got a flavour of "unconditional", especially from our parents [hopefully again!]. And that maybe the understanding of what is needed to help us all on our journeys is an understanding of compassion built on these solid foundations.

So while I've been tied down a bit resisting feeling sorry for myself [having to chew chocolate on one side only!], Christmas once more found me in a dry safe place with good company and food...

But I cannot escape an experience of my youth that revisits every Christmas day: Occasionally my father used to take me to midnight Mass, and on one such occasion I recall sitting behind a family I knew to be recent refugees from Hungray. Quietly and with dignity they sobbed and cried their way through the ceremony, and today the experience still haunts me every Christmas Day! The memory makes me tearful, still what is the point of this - crying will not help us develop compassion!

My son had his birthday a few days before Christmas, and that was one thing, but his present to me on Christmas day was one I found to be rather profound - one I'll treasure and never forget [it's message too], especially from a 17 yr. old...


The Dalai Lama grew up in big and wild mountains also, and maybe we need to value in different ways the fact that our country New Zealand is chock-a-block comprised of big mountains, very remote wilderness, and wonderful people, and that using these resources we can make the next year looming better in all regards...


Wishing you, by this shot symbolising warmth, a happy end to 2009 too!

A big day on the road visiting the past

The weekend just past I'd set aside to attend the raising of a memorial plaque in Kurow cemetery for my aunt and uncle who passed away a few years back. This involved motoring over the Lindis Pass to the Waitaki Valley and MacKenzie Country to meet with family. North Otago was where I primarily grew up, while my aunt Pat and uncle Jim worked and lived on the remote and very large Otematata Station for about 44 years.

Jim and Pat's new memorial mounted on some greywacke...


Across the aisle is great granddad Silas...


I was a bit late for the ceremony, but it suited my mindset to be alone, and so after reclining on the grass by the memorial and watering the poppies left at the graveside, I wandered about the other graves looking at the history - goodness even discovering folk I knew younger than myself are in residence! I quite liked the cultural difference of this memorial though, but some fresh and cool beers would be a nice touch....


Next I adjourned for lunch to the nearby Awakino Ski Field access road. These modest mountains, The St. Marys Range are where I cut my teeth in winter learning the art of looking after myself in the New Zealand mountains...


Away back in what seems like another age an older ski club member showed me some hidden graves of two very young children near the ski field access road, so in lieu of some exercise in worsening weather I looked for them and found to my delight that [presumably] the local farmer has tidied them up and planted roses. There is an enclosure each for the two little souls...


Grave of the two yr. old Emma Barrett who passed on in 1872...


Grave of 8 day old Jennett Robbie - also 1872...


Looking down the Awakino river to the Kirkliston Range in the Hakataramea Valley...


On the road again in changing weather - it went from gale-force nor west and about 33 Celsius, to sth east gale-force again, with a drop in temperature of about 15 degrees in an hour...


On the way back to Twizel to regain the company of my family I detoured a little to check out Benmore Dam. I found the visit quite thought provoking given the thinking behind my recent posts on the folly of building more dams on the Clutha River. I was just a kid when this monster was built. Many people don't realise too that it flooded an amazing white water gorge that few people have seen [myself only photographs], that was apparently unique in New Zealand and even more so in world terms...


Next I detoured again to Lake Ohau which is another one of my favourite childhood haunts [caught my largest trout there ever], and in my 20s and 30s the larger area became the focus of much tramping, mt.eering and powder skiing...


The end of a stock fence in Lake Ohau, and the block of mountains in the middle background is the Glenmary Range. The main peak Glenmary is about 8000 ft. and to the right slightly is the incredibly hard-to-reach Glenmary Glacier. I've had a lot of fun in them tha hills...


... and another fence near the Lake Ohau access road...


Many years ago I lived in Twizel for awhile and shifted this house onto two large sections. Apart from many years doing part time renovation on the house I planted about a hundred trees and put them on a trickle irrigation system. It paid off - although the house is long sold and I do miss it a lot, the trees give me great joy...

On another topic some of you may recall a post or two back in Jan. this year about searching for missing tramper Irina Yun on Cascade Saddle in my current near-to-home Mount Aspiring National Park. Well a few days ago her remains were at last found, and fellow blogger and mountaineer Bob McKerrow has done a very good post on the story, which incidentally I think will help her family grieve. Well done Bob... more>>

Lastly, it's been my trend of late to use this place to draw attention to issues I don't agree with such as the damming of the Clutha River, and the Project Hayes Wind Farm [my grounds are simple - blatant use of our unique landscapes at the expense of our own wilderness values and those of our children]. So speaking of children you should read what fellow blogger Marg has written lower down on her weekly post about what our uninspired New Zealand Government is doing to New Zealand early childhood education... more>>

Bits and pieces: Clutha River, crosses, Cardrona, and the horror of removing your own leg to live

I've blogged a few times on the recent revival of plans to dam the Clutha River, and it's nice to see I'm not alone:

The new Clutha River Forum, sent a press release to the media on Friday 16th October. They have considered Contact Energy’s four dam options, and unanimously support "Option five – no more dams" ...more>>


My son and friends like to do what kids like to do, and have done for generations: float down the Clutha...


On my last post on the Clutha a couple of weeks ago I posted photos of an unusual cliff Dougal and I came across. According to my good friend Ian who used to work as a scientist on the mountain building processes in New Zealand, this is layer after layer of glacial silt, much of it deposited by wind, then modified by the ebb and flow of the glacier's terminal and lateral moraines, and weathering, but as it's densely packed it's resisted this quite well - the scolloped areas indicating less dense packing...


During the week I had cause to make some photos of a local Wanaka church to illustrate the invitations to a friend's wedding next year. Although they cannot all be seen here I was intrigued by the number of crosses [4 at least] adorning the structure's roof and how light and shadow add some more...


This weekend has not been blest with good weather, but sniffing a clearance at noon today Dougal and I headed to the top of the Crown Range road to go exploring to the east.

Dougal looks down the Cardrona Valley...


A substantial ancient landslip [dead center of photo]...


With amazing speed a snow storm came in...


...and then it cleared again for the rest of our descent down an easy road...


And lastly dear readers if you're feeling hard done-by with life and maybe things like the recent increases to our NZ ACC fees, or whatever, we can get some perspective [thanks to Bob McKerrow's blog] on life by reading how Ramlan had to saw his own leg off ...more>>

Using keywords to blog and draw attention to issues such as the renewed threat to the Clutha

Over the nearly two years I've been publishing this blog those of you original readers will note my subject matter has ranged somewhat, but been tied together by New Zealand landscape photography themes.

This has been a little deliberate as initially the whole concept was an experiment on how to use keywords to promote a web site, which is a part of my work. However before long family were the first to comment and their kind words prompted me to keep a limited public diary that has now grown into a useful place for approx. 100 readers per week to drop into.

The last few weeks many of you will have noticed a new theme: "Save Our Clutha River" [link to my previous post]. Well I'm unashamedly getting in early using keywords and phrases right here to attract visitors to links and photos, thereby raising awareness!

Today I did some more exploring of the Clutha - this time a curvy area known as Reko's near the Wanaka Airport. I figure it's now time to digitally document parts of this wonderful vibrant river and then publish often...


I can confirm to those of you with a landscape photography bent that I've tinkered somewhat playfully, breaking rules even, with exposure to bring out a tad of the low key look. It's just that the high quality tangental lighting of our early winter can be used on so many interesting levels when making a landscape image.



But wait there is more [we can do on Sundays]: This week's interesting heads up to Bob McKerrow's blog item "Mixed-gender dancing, drunkenness, and general merry-making on Sundays"

Mist clouding the future of the Clutha

Following on from last week's post about a series of dams on the Clutha, it's obvious there are attempts to fog the real intention as locally we've been asked to indicate for or against.

Autumn fog and river mist on the Clutha in the early early dawn near Albert Town...


...because in the last week I've learnt that a guy who rents a cottage and land from one of the big energy companies such as Contact Energy or Electrocorp beside the river down Luggate way has been told he will not be able to renew his lease or renting deal!



So it seems there is real intent for one dam at least! And it's interesting, alarming and ominous that this information is being withheld.

Typical Clutha river bank between Lake Wanaka and Luggate...


If you've missed last week's links and post there are a number of links to check out re aspects of the river and walkways/park that are planned.

Meanwhile I've had a pretty busy but worthwhile and fun weekend [bit late with this my Sunday post 'tho] because I was involved helping run an Outdoor First Aid Course with the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council

A scenario down by the Wanaka Yacht Club building...


As one of the students remarked it was a good weekend for it, what with the early onset of winter weather prevailing. I see from my New Zealand landscape photography files that a few of us started Nordic skiing [touring] at the end of May last year, so it looks like climate change for us means earlier and earlier snow falls!

Mt Aspiring from the Snow Farm...


This week's link to a good blog with a winter theme: Bob McKerrow and others aiming to be the first to reach the North Pole without outside help back in '86.