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Donald

Wanderings between Wanaka and Dunedin and some good wild weather for photos

Since I'd not been to the Dunedin for awhile, the nearest large city to where I live, a couple of weeks ago I trundled off in the first rain we'd had for ages, for a little break.

There was some heavy rain in the Maniototo so water on the Pigroot highway...

Getting near the east coast I could see a clearance developing, so knowing full-well this presents opportunities and good light for landscape photography I took the Coast Road through to Warrington.

This is the classical view photographed by the greats such as Geoffrey Chance, so with respect to them I tried a B and W rendition with cooperating sheep...Looking south to Doctor's Point...East out to sea...Time for something brighter - a chandelier in a cafe in Portabello. It had some neat prism type glass hanging, so figuring this would cause some strange behaviors with how my camera calculates focus, I went to work on it...

For months now I've been exercising / walking to the point of addiction so while in Dunedin I could not resist a walk up to Flagstaff from George St. So lots of vertical!

The variety of bush and tree species in the Dunedin environs is amazing and it's a credit to the city founders and those since, and the Council etc. that tracks like this are made and maintained. And despite it being a Monday I was impressed with the numbers out enjoying them...Not quite so many up here though in the Silver Peaks proper. Once again I was reminded of the extreme weather that can make it's home in these low hills covered in snow-grass and sub alpine vegetation - conditions that have caught many out over the years, to their cost...Great views though - North Dunedin...Saddle Hill to the south...A magnificent stand of trees on the Whare Flat Road - after taking the long way back over Flagstaff then down into the suburbs and turning north through Wakari, and heading for a return route through the bush ...Horses by Wakari Road...The colour of this letter box has been one of my favourites since childhood...Ross Reservoir, which supplies a lot of the cities water was quite low...So trip over and back home to work punctuated with yoga - one of my favourite activities - my friend and teacher Jen...And back into the local hills for more of my walking and wandering addiction...And like Flagstaff the weather has been mean for January. Here Mt Aspiring shows it's current mood in keeping with it...

Tarras, that little whistle stop on the way to Cromwell, Queenstown and or Wanaka

It's been awhile coming, but I'm settling at last into the year. I must admit I use this summer holiday time to do more varied things, especially thought wise as to the bigger picture - this year's work!

So distractions abounded, and one was a few evening photo trips with my good mate Roger Wandless.

We headed east from Wanaka in search of suitable grist for the mill of landscape photography, and found ourselves visiting a few side-roads near Tarras, 20 mins. drive from Wanaka. This stopping place gave us a unique view of the Grandview Mountains...The north Dunstan Range...The Lindis River Valley as it sort of meanders to meet the Clutha at Lake Dunstan. These truncated terraces have intrigued me for years, and I've yet to get the definitive photograph of them that meets some, as yet hidden aspect of my mind...North to the mighty Saint Bathans Range. Many folk don't realise this range, along with The Remarkables above Queenstown, hosts Otago's highest points...Tarras itself, well OK not quite, this is of the house / farm just south of the store and tearooms...A self portrait...Those terraces again - playing with them I was working on a dreamy look...

Do you think I achieved that "look", or is it looking a bit muddy?

Tarras Church - never knew it existed, as it's off on a modest hill top just minutes from the main road...

How often in life do we head somewhere in the distance to find something different? In our case we were reminded that under our very noses in terrain we've photographed almost to death, there are still hidden places we've overlooked!

Roger in action...

Some of you maybe interested in Roger's new book:

Fiordland Landscape and Life is one of the most ambitious photographic publications undertaken not only in this remote region, but in New Zealand.

The book has over 140 images including every fiord, major lake and of many other areas, both iconic and hidden throughout the extent of Fiordland National Park.. more >>...Fiordland Landscape and Life

Wanaka Search and Rescue has been too busy...

Five call-outs in a couple of weeks! Too many accidents and deaths of a tragic nature for Wanaka Search and Rescue of late. I've been on standby, so bags packed I took quite an interest in what might be coming up! I don't mind waiting, and understand the need - any operation is sophisticated and military like, and it has to be.

The last operation finished yesterday and it was for a hunter who went missing in this terrain in Mt. Aspiring National Park. Not easy country the Rob Roy valley and glacier... A typical operation begins at search HQ Wanaka. And sooner rather than later a team is dispatched. There is a nice helicopter landing area up behind the Dept of Conservation HQ in town. Here members get ready to fly into Cascade Saddle a couple of years ago at this time of year, to look for a missing tramper. It's sort of opposite Rob Roy...It was a shock to be landed on Cascade Saddle in cold mist, with the odd snow flake threatening...A last briefing between SAR members about to start a close area contact search on foot on Cascade Saddle, with the Dart Glacier in the back ground... The success [and safety] of any operation has a lot to do with communication and trust. It's not all training though, as pre Xmas every year we have a get-together and a meal, with speeches and awards [we've been recognised nationally more than once]...Training has many aspects in many different environments, such as this river safety day...

All too often I reflect on why some tragedies are not averted! It's a complex topic, and after the above mentioned Cascade Saddle operation I blogged extensively, hoping my advice would be found. I've had a few email me, so this has been encouraging.

Enough to post here on the same topic again, adding to the below older one, dated Jan. 2009!

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to take a few more shots while helping search for a missing tramper [Irina Yun - now presumed drowned - if you wish to read a comprehensive overview of the scenario then Bob McKerrow a highly respected and experienced NZ mountaineer has compiled an overview on his blog].

The Cascade Saddle is actually the low point on...

>> more via Cascade Saddle Search and Rescue operation in Mt Aspiring National Park.

New Years Resolutions, a hot time in Wanaka and heading bush, to snow and ice country

Dear Readers

It's been a very special few days here in Wanaka. Not because of the sudden influx of party goers and holiday makers, most relaxed, sadly many drunk. No, not the many nubile young woman on the lake's beaches either!

Instead my friend Bob McKerrow, humanitarian with the International Red Cross and mountaineer, and his family have been here; and then our mutual friend Brian Miller, a publisher [Lifelogs] and author from Dunedin called in. From the left: Bob, Brian, and me...So amongst many dreams mulled over and dispatched comes the thought: New Years Resolution!I think I'll make one to keep having great trips in our Southern Alps...

Bob, letting his hair down perhaps, has had a great trip getting to Wanaka [after being a an earthquake magnet in Christchurch] including a flight over such peaks and valleys covered by the names: Mount Cook, Godley, Murchison, Tasman, Whataroa, Butler, Franz Josef and Maccaulay valleys. In short a lot of Mt Cook National Park.

But for myself I have a resolution to honour, and so rather than being surrounded by nubile young bodies / beautifuls, and guys with their eyes velcroed to their breasts - all oblivious to the brutal sunburn possibilities. No its time to go bush! I doubt it'll include rock, snow and ice as per images here, but I can dream!

I'm not sure where yet, but I'm leaving this town for a few of the crazy days of summer, and it gives Bob a chance in my home to take his well earned rest from disaster recovery housing schemes in Sri Lanka a step further.

Traditionally this is a time to climb a few good mountains. Especially since the weather is so settled here and we've avoided the tropical cyclone up north over Nelson and Wellington etc.

One area I love because of it's close proximity is the Ahuriri Valley Conservation Estate - the perfect place if you have four wheel drive. Here are a few more photos, the first ones taken recently and the others in another passage of my life... A trip I learnt a lot on in this area many years ago - a Search and Rescue exercise with the Dunedin Face Rescue Team of the time... Yet another trip - we traversed the whole of the glacier under Mt Barth looking for a safe route up the face of Mt Barth on the left on an avalanche day. We "gave it away" as too risky, but it was a fun walk...Sometime later I did a solo ascent of the face of Mt Barth - it went well, but I knew on the descent I'd have to tackle this stretch with no protection, unlike when Hank led it on my first traverse of Mt Heim and Mt Barth in a day. Anyway a couple of careful moves across a brief void, and I was on the easy ground just above where he is in this photo...On the above traverse - Mt Aspiring in the background...

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More>>Bob's blog on his Godley flight [as mentioned above].

More>>Brian Miller's LifeLogsWherever you are, whoever you are - to you and yours I wish you the Very Best for the New Year. Stay Safe too!

A cheerful Christmas collection

Merry Christmas dear readers.

Please find below an eclectic collection of recent images I quite like for various reasons...

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