In between showers, a quick shot of the view from Highbrook Park, looking North. Just after this was shot, the two rowers near the signal pole somehow hit it. No sinking disaster, but it made a fairly loud bump. The mix of rainy clouds and sunrise lent for some nice lighting. In the background we can see Mt Wellington. Tomorrows image source.
Heading out early one morning in the weekend to pick up a ladder I had purchased, I stopped in at Highbrook Park. The wider Highbrook Business Park is one of the newer business development areas in this part of Auckland, and has a nice mix, or use of fitting some natural environment in with the businesses.
Parking up at the gravel park, I managed to get todays shot in just before the rain started rolling in. It passed (tomorrows photo), but meant I strolled much of the walk with camera under t-shirt, keeping it dry whilst I wondered why I had not dressed warmer for so early in the morning.
Shot 2 from the park tomorrow.
Way back (in New Zealands short history), in the 1860’s, coal was mined and burnt to make gas at the local gasworks around the country. This was used to light all the street lamps (before electricity) in those given towns. Skip forward to the 1970’s and natural gas from gas fields began being shipped around the country. Present day, gas is one of NZ’s primary energy resources.
For quite some time (again, looking back) CNG – compressed natural gas, was used in New Zealand to power cars. I believe at one stage, per capita, we had the most CNG powered cars in the world. A locally supplied and produced fuel source, it both helped us during the fuel crises periods around the world, and in theory offered a locally regulated fuel option for the country, which potentially could lower motoring costs since we didn’t have to purchase it offshore. It was also a little less harmful on the environment.
Between expensive conversion costs, space taken up by tanks, and perhaps lack of support from our government, CNG has all but died out in NZ. LPG is another option in vehicles, but even though we largely produce our own, prices are set at an international level. Between this, and the limited support in finding a local petrol station that can fill your car, it looks like this too (for vehicle transport) will sadly fall to the side, leaving us with the internationally priced crude option.
Image shot on the Sony Nex. Using Gimp I slightly bumped up contrast and saturation.
My last image from the New Plymouth holiday. Down on the waterfront looking towards the old power station.
Anyone visiting New Plymouth really should spend some time on the waterfront area. They have a great walkway that stretches for several Km. The Wand, and various walking tracks that begin down by the sea.
Not much else to add today. Photos back up in Auckland tomorrow!
A drive further along from yesterdays post took us to Opunake. Without meaning offence, as with many townships around NZ (well…the world), its one of those ‘blink and you miss it’ places. A small, and nice township, first surveyed (by westerners) in 1868.
Stopping in for a packed lunch, the waves were strong. Typical of these west coast areas. A number of people were fishing off the beach, although with no success in the time we sat and watched as we ate our sandwiches.
I didn’t really spend much time in the township, but for anyone passing through, have a look ‘here’.
As with others – shot on the GRD IV and resized in Gimp.
MikeHawkey.com 