Yesterday I had the amazing experience of flying around the East Coast with Andy Stevenson in his Piper PA-46 Meridian ZK-UTE...
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| Lined up on Runway 32 at Gisborne |
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| Aorangi and Waitahaia River |
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| Aorangi |
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| Hikurangi at 1,752 m (5,748 ft) is the highest peak in the Raukumara range - trying to hide in the cloud. It is the North Island's highest non-volcanic peak |
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| On the other side of Hikurangi - The Tapuaeroa River |
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| Aorangi from the other side... |
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| and Hikurangi from the other side |
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| A look at the erosion on Tapuaeroa River |
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| Ruatoria |
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| Waiapu River |
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| Tikitiki |
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| Waiapu River looking down the Coast |
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| Waiapu River with Hikurangi clear now in the distance |
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| Port Awanui - Shipping came here until the 1930s. The wharf has long gone |
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| A beautiful day down the Coast |
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| Another look at the erosion... Andy talked about earth flow as akin to the ice flow on the glaciers. |
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| Whareponga |
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| Waipiro Bay |
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| The community of Te Puia Springs and Whakauparangi peak |
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| Forestry - a blessing and a curse on the East Coast |
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| Entering Tokomaru Bay |
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| Tokomaru Bay wharf |
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| Tokomaru Bay |
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| Mawhai Point |
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| Motuhina Island and Nuhiti |
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| Motuoroi Island and Anaura Bay - Cook's Landing Place 1769 |
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| Paerau Point |
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| Karaka Bay |
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| Tolaga Bay |
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| Cooks Cove in front of the wing... He took Endeavour in there |
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| More of Tolaga Bay |
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| The old coach rode that went along the Coast |
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| Gable End Foreland and Light |
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| Sam fishings for crays |
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| Whāngārā, the setting for Whale Rider. The legendary voyager Paikea reached Whāngārā after journeying from Hawaiki on the back of a whale. The whale became the rock, Whāngārā Island, at middle right in this image, with its distinctive ‘whale’ shape. |
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| Wainui and Gisborne |
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| Views of Gisborne before rejoining for Runway 32 |
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| Add caption |
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| My ride, Piper PA46T Meridian ZK-UTE |
What a great day. That took me back to my years in and around the region 'in the day'.
ReplyDeleteMy home turf! Love Gizzy and the East Coast. Truly paradise!
ReplyDeleteWhat a buzz!
ReplyDeleteIt's a magical part of New Zealand. I lived in Gisborne from March 1978 (when Fieldair were still operating multiple Beaver and DC-3 aerial topdressing aircraft out of there) until October 1998 and used to regularly visit the East Coast. I've also stood on top of Hikurangi (several times, including in the snow in winter), Whanokao, Aorangi and Wharekia. Even though I've now been living in Wairarapa for 21½ years since leaving Gisborne, those photographs make me feel homesick.
ReplyDelete