Roomy and Comfy

Saturday saw me on a work trip to Kaitaia on Barrier Air flight 713. Thanks to pilot Sam and the Barrier Air team for another great trip, and thanks to for the front seat

Barrier Air's Cessna Grand Caravans, ZK-SDD, ZK-SDG and ZK-SDC at Auckland on 9 December 2023

I only had my small lens on so a desperation shot of Warbirds Douglas DC-3 ZK-DAK

Another desperation shot... Texel Air's Boeing 737-800 ZK-TXE 

Mixing with the big boys... Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZD departed ahead of us

Holding for Emirates' Airbus 380 A6-EVR

...while Air New Zealand's Airbus 320 ZK-OXL held for us

Lining up on Runway 23

The international tarmac

What's the construction about under the weather radar?

Reflections in the Manukau Harbour

Rosebank and the Upper Waitemata Harbour

RNZAF Whenuapai

Whangaparaoa Peninsula, with Tiritiri Matangi Island just off shore and then the north of the Coromandel Peninsula in the distance

Kawau Island in the foreground, Great Barrier Island in the distance

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... Hargreaves Basin Gittos Point, centre top, Kaira Creek going left and Oruawharo River going to the right

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... Ngamotu Point and Island in the centre looking across the Whakaki River

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... Moturoa Island and Motuouhi Island below and then down the sandy beach to Motukumara point and Frenchmans Bay to the right

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... A pensive moment for pilot Sam as we passed Kaipara Head looking out to the Tasman Sea

Tinopai and Komiti Bay

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... looking up the Otamatea River

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... the community of Pahi on the left and Whakapirau on the right of the Pahi River. Karakanui (left) and Kapua Points (right) in the bottom right of the photo in the Arapaoa River

The headwaters of the Kaipara Harbour... the community of Pahi on the left and Whakapirau of the right Pahi River.

The winding Wairoa River east of Dargaville

The Hokianga Harbour entrance

The headwaters of the Hokianga Harbour... the community of Horeke and the Waihou River.

The headwaters of the Hokianga Harbour... the community of Orira on the Orira River. Totara Point would be coming up on the left hand side of the plane

On descent into Kaitaia on a hazy day... looking towards Doubtless Bay

On descent into Kaitaia on a hazy day... Looking towards Rangaunu Harbour and north to Cape Reinga

On descent into Kaitaia on a hazy day... unfortunately we didn't do a flyover

Finals Runway 30 at Kaitaia

Finals Runway 30 at Kaitaia

Arrived safely...

The conversations on board are always interesting... "Wow, I like these new seats, so much more roomy and comfy"

The conversations on board are always interesting... "I really enjoyed that... I'm sorry I'm going back by bus... it's going to take eight hours!" Barrier Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan at Kaitaia on 9 December 2023