Seeing Red

People stopped in their tracks to watch this evening's sunset. Logs that had been washed ashore made great front row seats. 

It was Valentine's Day, and nature acknowledged it by painting the town beach red.

And ... just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any brighter, it did!

The tide was on its way out and the shallow channels of water looked like rivers of lava.

I thought the sky would gradually fade to diluted shades of red but instead it changed to amber.

And never far from my side were my shadows - my dogs. They sat beside me, enjoying the cool night air.  

Such a special way to spend Valentine's evening.

Lion's Mane Jellyfish

Over the last couple of weeks, Tahuna Beach has seen lots of Lion's Mane Jellyfish washed up along the shore. These fascinating creatures are also known as the world's largest jellyfish and can be found in cooler waters around the coast of New Zealand.

The name Lion's Mane Jellyfish comes from the mass of long, yellowy-brown tentacles that look like the colour of a lion's mane.

They have a short life span of one year or less and during that time their colour changes. The younger jellyfish are a pale pink or yellow colour, then as they age they turn a deep reddish-brown.

These beautiful marine creatures are mostly made up of water - they have no brain, no bones, no heart, nor eyes. Although they don't have a brain they're able to function using sensory nerves. Their tentacles, which have tiny, toxic, stinging cells act as a net to capture and paralyse prey before eating them. Food is digested quickly and an opening found underneath their bell-shaped body acts as a mouth and is also used to discard waste.

Their diet consists of plankton, small crustaceans, fish, and other jellyfish. Due to their size, the larger jellyfish don't have many predators but the smaller ones can be eaten by large fish, sea turtles and sea birds. 

Lion's Mane Jellyfish don't purposely attack people, most stings happen when swimmers accidentally brush against them. Even those washed up onshore can sting, although the sting isn't fatal it can be painful. The recommended treatment if you get stung is to flush the area with seawater to rinse away any tentacles or stinging cells. Then apply heat, to permanently inactivate the venom. Others say dabbing vinegar onto the painful area will ease the stinging sensation.

Jellyfish can move short distances by contracting and relaxing a ring of muscles around their domed-shaped body or bell. The muscles open and close the bell, drawing in water and then expelling it, which pushes it forward. However, jellyfish are mainly controlled by water currents. As the jellyfish gets to the end of their lifespan they aren't as resilient and move to shallow waters to avoid the wild ocean currents. And because they're at the mercy of sea currents it's common to see them washed up on beaches.

Did you know a group of jellyfish is called a smack but when huge numbers of jellyfish appear suddenly it's called a bloom?

Affordable Real Estate - May Have the Odd Leak!

Traveling about and finding new beaches is one of my favourite past-times. Not only do the dogs love exploring new coastlines, but it also gives me an opportunity to hopefully come across a driftwood hut or tepee.

I'm fascinated with them!

Imagine the fun and hard work that would go into making a hut. The lean-to below was found on the shore of Lake Wanaka at Boundary Creek Camp. The lakeshore was smothered in driftwood of all shapes and sizes, which must have helped when making it. And wow - it had million-dollar views!

I love that these driftwood creations seem to be popping up everywhere. Once when I stopped at Kekerengu (north of Kaikoura), there were several driftwood tepees along the beachfront. It looked like a little tepee village.

Not so long ago, in 2016, some overseas tourists built a pretty impressive driftwood hut on Tahuna Beach. They used driftwood and shells collected from the beach and after about three days an amazing rustic cabin appeared. It attracted a lot of interest. Now, you probably won't believe this, but ... the Nelson City Council said it didn't meet council building requirements for a temporary structure, and taped it off, making it off-limits to the public! However, many locals complained, accusing the council of being PC crazy. Then less than 24 hours later, the council reconsidered their decision and the fence was removed. 

It was the tide that eventually took the hut away (just as the tourists who'd built it, had hoped it would).

Below are a few driftwood creations found on Rarangi Beach. They'd make great shelters on a windy day, although a little drafty, me thinks!  😏

Views over Cloudy Bay

An Evening at Tahuna Beach

The evening before Cyclone Gita was predicted to arrive I spent a couple of hours at the beach watching the sunset. I wasn't the only one who had that idea! There was a balmy breeze, with an ever changing sky for entertainment. And to add a splash of atmosphere, salsa music filled the air as dancers practised their moves further along the beach.

The soft orange sky didn't stay around for long before it turned a rich, burnt tangerine.

Then it grew pink, and pinker still! Even the sea had a magenta tinge as it reflected the colour of the sky.

Then once the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, a golden glow covered the entire sky - it was the perfect end to a summer's evening. 

Thanks Nelson - it's great to be back!

Rain - Rain - Rain

Most days this month I hear at least two people say 'Where has summer gone?" This weekend has been particularly cold. So chilly in fact, that on Saturday night I tossed up whether to light the fire or have a hot shower and jump into bed early. An early night won...I couldn't bear to light the fire in January.
Today it drizzled continuously. AGAIN! Fortunately around 8 o'clock we had a break in the weather. The rain stopped and the sun peaked out between clouds.The dogs didn't need to be asked twice if they wanted to go to the beach. They were keen!

In the hour that I was at the beach the colours changed dramatically. Nature certainly knows how to put on a light show!

First were the creamy yellow tones.

Next came dusky orange hues.

Which intensified as the sky darkened.

Surprisingly the sunset ended in a display of lilac and mauve.

Happy Place

Where's your 'Happy Place'?
Mine would be the beach. And it's Oaklys as well. He likes digging in the sand and chasing after sticks - while I like clicking away with my camera and watching Oakly enjoying himself.

So the other night, Oakly and I set off for our 'Happy Place'. I managed to capture some moody skies and Oakly didn't have to compete with the other two dogs for attention.

It really is time we set off traveling about on the road. I'm running out of new places around Nelson to take photos of!

Spring is in the Air

I read in this evening's paper there were clouds of pollen over the pine trees in Rabbit Island. That's a sure sign that Spring is knocking on the door. Our cars are now covered in a fine yellow powder - pollen - again, which is drifting over from Rabbit Island. I feel for the hay fever suffers!
After work, I shot home, picked up the dogs and my camera. The next stop was Tahuna Beach. My mission was to capture the pollen. Although I didn't manage to get that photo, I did manage to get a photo while at the beach on TV One Weather tonight.

Im not sure if that is sea spray around the pine trees or pollen?

Here's the photo that was chosen for TV One Weather.

Back Beach - Tahuna

I'm grateful to be living in an area where the beach is only 10 minutes away. It's nice to spend a Friday evening photographing the sunset after a busy week.