Reflections and a Wedding

I'm sure you'll agree, the Mackenzie Country holds a special place in many people's hearts. So, it was no surprise when Bernie's daughter Renee and her fiancé, chose to get married in Twizel, a little alpine village in the Mackenzie district. 

However, it was a surprise when they asked me to take their wedding photos.I love taking photos (at an amateur level) but have no experience in wedding photography. I guess they had more confidence in my ability, than I did. 

Driving from Nelson to Twizel took a good chunk of the day and it was early evening when I finally arrived. I headed to Lake Ruataniwha, hoping to get a few sunset photos but there was a slight breeze over the lake which wasn't ideal for reflections. So I drove to Wairepo Arm (beside the Ohau B canal), thinking it might be sheltered.  

 

On the eastern side of Wairepo Arm there didn't appear to be a breeze. The hills were bathed in a soft golden light, which complimented the viper's-bugloss growing along the foothills.

Knowing I only had a small window of time when the light was soft and golden, I rushed to find a spot beside the lake to get some photos. I can see why photographers scope out an area before hand. However, I hadn't had that opportunity so I drove back to SH8, crossed the road and parked beside Kelland Pond. Then walked across to Wairepo Arm (this time I was on the west side). 

I got as close to the lake edge as I could without slipping in! Being a wetland, it was grassy and spongy, making it uneven underfoot. There were a couple of times when I was close to getting wet!

 

In a world where everything is so fast paced (maybe my perception), I treasure moments of solitude in nature. There's no pressure, no comparison, no expectations, no rush ... just time to appreciate one's surroundings.

After awhile I started to feel the affects of being around all the dry grass. My eyes started itching and my eyelids felt like grains of sand were floating around beneath them. 

Years ago,I wouldn't have gone anywhere without anti-histamine tablets. However, nowadays hay fever is a distant memory, so I was surprised when it came back. I was hoping a pharmacy would be open the next day.

Taking photos with itchy eyes might not make for the best wedding captures. 

I could easily have sat there until dark but I didn't have my phone with me and knew Bern would be trying to contact me. Wouldn't it be amazing if somehow you could capture the sounds and smells when you take a photo. Maybe one day, that might happen.

And as I mentioned earlier, the reason for the trip to Twizel was for Renee's wedding. It was a fabulous day and despite my jitters about taking the photos, I really enjoyed it! 

Hiding behind a camera really does have its perks, especially for an introvert like me.

Ant & Renee
'The Happy Couple' 

St James Tarn

If you enjoy alpine scenery, alpine walks and alpine vegetation, I recommend stopping at St James Tarn (along Lewis Pass Highway). Only a few metres from the carpark, lies a picturesque tarn and on a still-day you'll be rewarded with reflections. 

The photo below was taken a few years ago when I stopped for the dogs to have a stretch. Luckily, there wasn't a breath of wind and the small mountain lake was just like a mirror.

However, when I stopped this time, a slight breeze caused a ruffle over the water, however with or without reflections, it was beautiful.

I decided to walk the 20 minute loop track, which starts at the beginning of the St James Walkway. The track is well maintained and the board walks are covered in netting as a necessary safety precaution when they're covered with ice and snow.

The loop track, also known as the Alpine Nature Walk winds through an alpine wetland with views of Gloriana Peak and the Spenser Mountains.

It amazes me how anything can survive in such harsh conditions; bone dry in summer, ice-cold in winter, battered by wind, and if that's not challenging enough they're somehow able to grow in nutrient-depeleted soil. 

There were lots of varieties of plants; different kinds of grass, flowers (which mostly seemed to be small and white), assortments of mosses, flaxes, intriguing-looking lichen, native hebes, etc. I'm not sure of the correct names for the plants but one day I'll download a phone app that  identifies plants.

It was an easy walk and one that took longer than the estimated 20 minutes because I stopped so many times to look and touch different plants. Some of the flax leaves looked woolly and felt soft and furry. There were mounds of lichen that looked like clumps of coral and felt brittle and delicate to touch.  

Even on a calm day, some of the trees had a wind-swept look with lichen hanging from their branches.

Maybe when I stop here again, I'll have more time - it would be nice to walk further along the St James Walkway. Apparently the entire walk is 66kms and usually takes between three to five days, with huts along the way. It's suitable for all ages and abilities, so I may get an opportunity in the future, to see what overnight tramping is like.

Being a scorcher of a day, with no wind, it was a treat getting into the car and blasting the air-conditioning! 

Lake Paringa

50 kilometres north of Haast is the scenic Lake Paringa. It might be small(ish), but it provides a great spot for fishing, boating and swimming.

The reflections were fabulous, I couldn't get to the lake's edge fast enough with my camera. It's an area managed by DOC and has small camping spots for motrohomes and tents. Being DOC - dogs weren't allowed (*sigh*).

Perhaps some of Lake Paringa's biggest fans are sandflies! Or at least it seemed like that when I visited.

I'd only walked 100 metres from the bus when I was welcomed (or plagued) by a mass of tiny, black biting insects.

How did they even know I'd arrived? Turns out sandflies are attracted to shiny surfaces, moving objects, warmth and carbon dioxide. So, here I was, with my camera (a shiny object), beathing out carbon dioxide, while walking/moving along the lake edge. I was a prime target for these pesky critters.

As annoying as they are, I was interested enough to type 'Sandflies' into the friendly search engine 'Google'. Here's what I found out ...

• The New Zealand sandfly is actually a black fly and there are 13 species of backflies in NZ
• Only the female sandfly bites, she needs blood to lay eggs
• Apparently sandflies leave when the sun goes down, but mossies will still be buzzing about after sunset
• In NZ, sandflies are most active on warm, cloudy and windless days. They seem busiest before it rains
• When it's really cold, some places in NZ have no sandflies at all

Up Ship Creek

If you're travelling up (or down) the West Coast, it's worth putting aside a couple of hours to visit Ship Creek. It's about 20kms north of Haast. 

Ship Creek (Tauparikaka)

After I'd parked the bus, a couple travelling in a campervan came over to chat. They'd noticed I was travelling with dogs. And regrettably, they'd left their pooch at home, as they knew many areas of the West Coast were managed by DOC. They couldn't believe how restricting DOC are with dogs. I totally agreed!

Anyway, here I was at Ship Creek, and another DOC sign stated 'No Dogs'. So, Oakly and Boo stayed in the bus while I went to explore.

There are two walks at Ship Creek. The 'Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk' and the 'Dune Lake Walk'. Both are easy, loop walks.

I decided to walk through the ancient swamp forest, which runs alongside Ship Creek. Being tannin stained, the water was a chocolate-brown colour, which enhanced the reflections.

You might be wondering how Ship Creek got its name. I thought it might be associated with the gold rush days. And thanks to 'Google' I found the answer. Ship Creek was named after a large fragment, belonging to a ship, was discovered at the mouth of Tauparikaka Creek. The wooden debris was unusual and hadn't been seen in New Zealand before, so its source was unknown. Over the years, other remnants were washed up and the mystery was solved. It turned out they were fragments off a sailing clipper named 'Schomberg.'  In 1855, the Schomberg set sail on its maiden voyage, from Liverpool to Melbourne. Originally, the Schomberg was described as the finest and fastest ship in the world. James 'Bully' Forbes, the captain, boasted that he'd reach Melbourne in 60 days. However after becoming becalmed, the voyage extended to 80 days. Then alas, the Schomberg ran aground after hitting a sand bar and its 300 passengers, stepped ashore in Victoria. Fragments of the ship drifted in all directions and some were discovered on a West Coast beach in the South Island. And that's how Ship Creek got its name.

New Zealand's tallest trees, kahikateas, seem to thrive in the swampy habitat.

Kahikateas (white pines)

The walk looped back to the start and I soon found myself back at the lookout tower (by the carpark). Nearby are picnic tables, toilets and a few information boards. I climbed up the two levels of the lookout tower to be rewarded with 360 degree views. 

View from the tower

I decided not to walk the Dune Lake track as I didn't want to leave the dogs in the bus for too long. Besides, that walk could wait for another time. So, instead I wandered along the beach, taking photos of reflections over the glass-like water.

The photo below shows the start of the Dune Lake Walk. It crosses over windswept sand dunes before it heads into a dense coastal forest, with stunted, wind-swept trees.

Lake Tekapo - Reflections & Rabbits.

Lake Tekapo never, ever disappoints. In all seasons it's spectacular. I thought when we stayed a few years ago, when lupins were blooming (click here to see that blog and photos), that I would've seen Lake Tekapo at it's best. And without a doubt it was breath-taking, but, here I was in autumn. And it was equally as stunning. The warm golden colours and reflections literally made me stop in my tracks.

It was everything I had dreamt it would be.

The NZMCA park on the eastern side of Lake Tekapo was a great place to spend the night. I arrived late afternoon and wondered whether I'd find a spot. The park, which is situated amongst pine trees, must be one of the nicest parks around. There were a few spaces I could've parked, but on closer inspection, they weren't level and the ground looked damp. I wasn't keen on getting stuck! Imagine having to ring the AA again, to ask for help. I'm sure there are better ways to become a valued customer! 

Eventually, I found a spot that looked firm and reasonably level. 

My furry companions as always were eager to get out and explore. And the beauty of this wee bus is, once I'd turned the engine off, we were good to go. So, with leads on, we set off to the lake. 
Once out of the NZMCA park, the leads came off, and the dogs raced around, while I took photos and we all explored.

Before long, it was obvious we were in 'rabbit country'. Many, short, fluffy-white tails flashed into view as rabbits zig-zagged about as they sped for cover. The dogs were delighted!  Me?  Not so much! I love rabbits, but the dogs love them so much more! 

Both dogs have terrier in them. Oakly is Bichon/Foxie and Boo is Bichon/Jack Russell. And they're obsessed with hunting! I wish, I could let them go and know after a couple of hours of chasing & hunting they'd come back. But they don't. Once in rabbit terrain, their hearing suddenly turns off, their speed increases and I'm left wishing I had of had them on leads.

Miraculously they did come back. And much to their disgust, their leads were put on. 

It was a good time to take photos. The lake was calm and I happily clicked away. I was in my happy place - the dogs, not so much...hahaha

There are many reasons I like recording my bus adventures by blogging, and one is, when I research an area, I always find something of interest. 

And here are a couple of things I discovered about Lake Tekapo...

Maori were first to discover the Mackenzie Basin as they travelled the area, hunting moa, birds and eels. 

Later in 1855, a sheep thief, James Mackenzie, travelled inland with a large number of stolen sheep to avoid being discovered. And that's how the Mackenzie Country got it's name. 

The first sheep farm in the Mackenzie area was built by John and Barbara Hay on the shores of Lake Tekapo. When the lake is low, remains of the old Tekapo homestead can be seen on the eastern shores.

Lake Tekapo is the second largest of the three lakes in the area, which roughly run parallel to each other. From east to west, there's Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Lake Ohau. Lake Tekapo is 27 kms long and has an average depth of 69 metres (its maximum depth is 120m).

The rocks in the foreground show how low the lake level was at the time we visited, usually these lie underwater.

The development of Lake Tekapo's township began after the hydropower stations were built in the 1930s. Water from Lake Tekapo is diverted through a 1.4km long tunnel, which runs under a hill to the west of the town. It then travels along a 26km long canal to Tekapo B Power Station, which is on the shores of Lake Pukaki.

Lake Tekapo is fed from the northern end of the lake by the Godley River, whose source is the Southern Alps. This is why the water is a dazzling shade of blue, the melted glacial water contains finely ground rock flour which is light, and stays suspended in the water. The sunlight reflected off the rock flour, creates a spectacular turquoise colour.

I didn't go into the township to take photos, although photographing 'The Church of the Good Shepherd' is always tempting. But, for this trip, I kept to the lake and soaked up the views and reflections. 

Perhaps this caravan found the best spot to park ... amongst the pine trees, overlooking the lake, with an end of the day sunset.

After lots of photos, I took the dogs to an area that the NZMCA has fenced, just for dogs. There they could run around unleashed. Great for me not having to worry about losing them, however they weren't fooled, they knew that the real adventures lay outside the enclosure!