Saturday, December 28, 2013
Old Plane
An old plane being repaired and refurbished at the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), Auckland, New Zealand.
If only it could tell us stories of where it has been, who it has carried and what it has seen.
PhotoID: B_20131228_33230
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Silvereye (3) - Huddle
Three Silvereye chicks huddle together while waiting for their mummy to come back with food.
PhotoID: B_20131102_32150
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Silvereye (2) - I'm Going To Fly
A Silvereye chick accidentally flew into our house and couldn't find its way out. My wife carefully caught it (while wearing gloves) and took it outside.
This is the last close-up photo of it before it flew back into the trees to join its family.
PhotoID: A_20131102_0007
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Silvereye (1) - Snug and Warm
A Silvereye chick accidentally flew into our house and couldn't find its way out. My wife carefully caught it (while wearing gloves) and took it outside.
It eventually gathered its strength and courage and flew back into the trees to join its family.
PhotoID: A_20131102_0003
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Waiheke Island Ferry
A Waiheke Island Ferry docks at Half Moon Bay in Auckland.
PhotoID: B_20131028_32079
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Musick Memorial Radio Station
The Musick Memorial Radio Station is an impressive building in the Modern style, which was opened in 1942 to communicate with ships and aircraft.
The station was the headquarters of the maritime coast station Auckland Radio ZLD, and of aviation radio ZLF.
ZLD and ZLF were initially operated by the New Zealand Post Office before the aviation radio service was taken over by the Civil Aviation Corporation, which moved it to Auckland Airport at Mangere. Later, ownership of Auckland Radio changed to Telecom NZ Ltd, and Telecom still uses the building for cellular services.
Following the closure of all New Zealand coast radio stations in 1993, the equipment of Auckland Radio ZLD, including most of the Oliver Road transmitters, was acquired by the non-profit Musick Point Radio Group.
The Group, which includes several former Musick Point operators and technicians, has a long-term lease on the building, and has reactivated the station on the amateur (ham) radio bands using some of the former ZLD transmitters along with a range of modern equipment.
One of MPRG's major projects is keeping the traditional marine radiotelegraphy frequency of 512 kHz alive, and it has a special licence to operate on this frequency which is outside the normal amateur radio bands. In recognition of the station's historical importance, the Group has been issued the amateur radio callsigns ZL1ZLD and ZL1ZLF. The Group maintains a radio museum in the building and operates a low-power FM broadcast station with recorded information about Musick Point.
512 kHz was an original ZLD frequency, and was used by ZL1ZLD, the amateur radio station at Musick Point, until mid 2013 when amateurs were allocated a new 630 metre band (427-479 kHz).
PhotoID: B_20131028_32110
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
Monday, November 04, 2013
Sunday, November 03, 2013
Spirit of New Zealand
Spirit of New Zealand featured at the Auckland Tall Ships Festival 2013.
The three-masted barquentine Spirit of New Zealand was commissioned in 1986, and undertakes an annual programme of around 340 days at sea.
She is believed to be probably the world's busiest youth ship. Subject to stringent, on-going maintenance surveys, refits and audits, Spirit of New Zealand is expected to be able to continue operating youth voyages until around 2035.
Source: www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/wawcs0142305/the-ships.html
PhotoID: B_20131026_32050
Saturday, November 02, 2013
Friday, November 01, 2013
Lord Nelson
Lord Nelson featured at the Auckland Tall Ships Festival 2013.
Lord Nelson is the first tall ship in the world to have been designed and built to be sailed by people of all physical abilities on equal terms – from able-bodied to wheelchair-users.
Her many special facilities enable disabled crewmembers to take an active part in the running of the ship. They include, wide decks for wheelchair users, a speaking compass to enable blind people to helm the ship, power assisted hydraulic steering for those with limited strength and much more.
Source: www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/wawcs0142305/the-ships.html
PhotoID: B_20131026_32011
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Young Endeavour
Young Endeavour featured at the Auckland Tall Ships Festival 2013.
Construction began in May 1986 in Lowestoft, England and on 3 August 1987 she began the long voyage to Australia with a crew including 24 young people. The magnificent sail training ship was given to the people of Australia by the United Kingdom as a Bicentennial gift back in 1988.
Source: www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/wawcs0142305/the-ships.html
PhotoID: B_20131026_32053
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Kayak
A lone kayaker wandering around the waters off the Auckland harbour.
PhotoID: B_20131026_32042
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Britomart Train Station
The interior of Britomart Train Station, Auckland, New Zealand.
PhotoID: B_20131026_32004
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Copthorne Auckland
A wide-angled view of the Copthorne Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand.
PhotoID: B_20131026_31999
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Te Henga (Bethells Beach)
A view of Te Henga (Bethells Beach) located in the north of the North Island, New Zealand.
Large sand dunes have accumulated in several phases over the last 4,500 years. This accumulation has occurred since sea levels returned to about their present levels following the last glaciation 6,500 years ago. These sands contain quantities of black titanomagnetite derived from the volcanic rocks of Taranaki and carried north by coastal currents. The dunes continually move in a dynamic coastal process.
The beach has been used as a filming location for several projects, including the music video for Shania Twain's 2003 single "Forever and for Always", the British/New Zealand TV movie The Man Who Lost His Head, and episodes of the U.S. TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. The New Disney Channel Original movie Avalon High was also filmed here during the battle scenes.
Source: Wikipedia
PhotoID: B_20131020_31986
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Bethells Beach
Pet doggie roams the warms sands at Te Henga (Bethells Beach), New Zealand.
PhotoID: B_20131020_31983
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Pukematekeo Lookout
At the top of Pukematekeo Lookout, Waitakere, New Zealand.
PhotoID: B_20131020_31977
Monday, October 21, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
My Tree, My Scratching Post
Kiki's having a go at one of her favourite scratching posts.
PhotoID: B_20131019_31917
Monday, October 14, 2013
She's Like The Wind
Kiki runs to me when called. She loves sprinting across the grass (and up the trees).
PhotoID: B_20131013_31902
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Giant Gollum
A giant sculpture of Gollum greets visitors to the Wellington International Airport, New Zealand.
PhotoID: B_20131011_31886