Waiohine Gorge

As mentioned earlier, if you read my twitter feed (which, to me, sounds so much better than “if you read my tweets”), Keryn has been off gallivanting around Queen Charlotte sound for a few days. As such I’ve had time to myself and today I finally got out to take some photographs.

Over the hill I drove and found my way to the Waiohine Gorge. I decided to revisit this lovely place party because of a photo competition I spotted the other day (while looking up info on the Morepork actually). Forest and Bird has a competition around a Wild Rivers theme, so I’ve been checking out likely spots for a good photo. The Waiohine river seemed like a good place to start.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

First stop was a grassy verge and hopping over two wire fences (the second of which looked like it could be electric, I did not test this theory). A short walk down a bank and I was on the rocky shore of the Waiohine River. I took a number of photos as you’ll see, and also watched as someone in a Ute slowed down to have a look at what I was doing (possibly the farmer whose land I had to cross to get to the river?). The ever present sandflies were thankfully not biting, and I did not this time drop my camera into the water. I think I’m almost over that incident.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

At the end of the road I parked and headed to the swing bridge. I was also taking the opportunity to take more photos for Peter Brett’s fan competition which I think I’ve mentioned earlier. The idea is to take a photo of yourself with Peters book and he chooses his favourites, the winners getting pre-release copies of his next book. Previously I had taken photo at the top of the Rimutakas and I figured I’d follow up with forest shots. Here are a couple (it’s all a bit geeky, but hey I take a good photo and like the series so far so why not?):

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

I’d seen a few cars but no people so far. On the bridge I noticed something at the far end and getting closer it turned out to be a wood pigeon. I swapped lenses and started snapping, getting slowly closer. I got within a few metres before it flew away.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

I walked the track on the other side of the bridge, taking a few photos along the way. I stopped at a pretty stream that crossed the track and took lots of photos of tumbling water and moss covered rocks.

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Photo by Brendon & Keryn

Two trampers came past while I was taking the photos, they’d been overnight at the Totara Flats Hut having walked from Holdsworth and had changed their plans, exiting at Waiohine rather than heading back the way they came. This meant they needed transport. I finished up after they had both passed by, the sun was burning off the cloud cover and it was getting too contrasty for decent shots. I caught up to them both at the bridge where they were talking to another visitor about getting a ride out to the main road. They were going to have to wait for this other guy who had only just started his walk, so I volunteered to drive them out, seeing as I was going that way anyway. I dropped them on the main road as requested.

Back in Lower Hutt I’ve been looking around places for head units and accessories. The local Repco wasn’t nearly as useful as the one in Upper Hutt in terms of the parts I need so I’ve emailed a bunch of places and we’ll see what they come back with.