Nana and Grampie visit again

At the end of May we got another visit from family, when Mom and Dad returned for visit with Thomas (and us). It was fantastic to have another set of hands around the house especially as I tried to finish up my thesis. It was full of fun and laughter and the experiences were new not because of where we went but that Thomas was there to experience them. In and around Auckland we visited many of our favourite places such as the zoo where Thomas still got the biggest kick out of the chickens.

Our big trip away was to Hamilton, a place Nana and Grampie had not gotten to explore their first two times to New Zealand. We took a wonderful winter stroll through the gardens enjoying the changed but yet still beautiful scenery. I think they had a good time, especially taking some family photos with Thomas.

Being such big fans of the natural world, we also headed back to the Hamilton zoo which, we had raved about after our last visit. The grandparents were not disappointed, and we also had some better sightings of the animals at this zoo. The rhinos were much closer this time around and were enjoying a brisk morning meal. The giraffes followed suit, providing Thomas with a great viewing.

With my camera in tow, I also got a chance to try and get a photograph of one of New Zealand's iconic birds, the fantail. This of course resulted in a good fifteen minutes of me chasing the fluttering bird with only a little success.

We were not the only ones out toting our young in the park. We had a unique view of a chimpanzee mother out for a stroll with her offspring, much like Thomas, peering around with his tongue sticking out.

Of course, no zoo trip would be complete without a stop to the red pandas. A great spot for Thomas to stop and have a snack while Daddy and Grampie played "focus on the running red pandas". They were still so much more active than Auckland Zoo but they did eventually stop and give us some great sights.

Overall it was a nice trip and with a big sky we all headed back to Auckland.

It was a great trip and so nice to have the extra hands. The Grandparents got some wonderful time with the little tyke, and we all shared some wonderful experiences.

Sydney and the Shellfish Restoration Network Meeting

Towards the end of May, I got the opportunity to go to the third Shellfish Restoration Network Meeting in Sydney, Australia. This was my first time going to Sydney, and my third time to Australia. I arrived late at night, which gave me little opportunity to see much, but I was treated well the next morning. The meeting was located at Chowder Bay and I awoke early to take the bus from the CBD out to the meeting. Of course, not knowing where exactly I was going, I headed out exceedingly early. I arrived at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and with no one around, decided to enjoy the dawn and the sites I could see. Sydney has a strong connection with the ocean, with houses and buildings directly on the waterfront, following the coastline of every inlet and peninsula in Sydney Harbour.

The Institute and surrounding Chowder Bay was a nice place and I spent a considerable amount of time watching the numerous birds foraging in the early morning light. It still feels unusual to see so many parrots and parakeets but their banter was a nice accompaniment to my early morning exploration.

The institute itself is quite a nice building and perfectly located. The water taxi comes in directly on the wharf and there was a cafe and conference room for rent, which I am sure gets well used for such functions as weddings. And what a beautiful place to have them! Although I did not get to tour through any of the science buildings, they did have an active experiment set up for public display which was a nice way to highlight the science and show visitors the importance of the research.

The day went on and as the sun rose higher, I began to worry about the timing of the event, given I had seen no signs and still no one else had arrived. I explored a small dock and the beach while I continued to wait. I didn't get to see too much but I did run across some fish and the local oysters which undoubtedly were to be the focus of much of the days meeting.

Eventually people I recognized started to show up and the meeting began. It was a very productive networking opportunity for myself and a great way to keep opportunities for collaboration and information sharing among the sparse enthusiasts and researchers working in bivalve restoration.

The next morning of this particularly short trip was the field trip to observe and discuss the efforts being conducted within the harbour to increase habitat for shoreline organisms, including oysters. It was also a great opportunity to see Sydney from a different perspective. So in the early morning light, I was up and off again to Barangaroo Reserve near the beach. One of the biggest issues with urbanisation of coastal environments is the unnatural hardening of the coastline. What was potentially boulders or mangroves has been replaced by rock or cement walls, reducing the available habitat. Like many other harbours throughout the world, Sydney has been taking action to try and counteract this loss of habitat. One way has been the restructuring of these barriers, and at the reserve, this has come in the form of a restructured rock barrier that uses a stepping pattern to increase the available space, creating crevices and pools for animals to remain sheltered from the harsh exposure during low tide. We even saw some oysters growing on the rocks, showing that the work is starting to bring these organisms back.

From there, we headed to a boat that we chartered to take us around the harbour and see some of the other work that has been trialed to increase space for the flora and fauna of Sydney's waterways.

Much of the waterfront around the CBD was either stone or cement walls. These walls were certainly not devoid of life and we were happy to see oysters growing at the water line.

One of the modifications that were employed to increase available space was the removal of stone blocks and the creation of a small barrier that trapped water when the tide receded. Another modification that we didn't get to see was the half flower pots that played a similar role on a cement wall. 

Another tool was the use of a standardized block structured cement which is being deployed in harbours around the world. This will allow researchers to monitor colonization by shoreline species and creates little islands of habitat.

We moved away from the CBD to a secluded inlet further up the estuary to have some lunch. In the less developed areas, the shoreline was still dominated by mangroves and rocky shores. With the science largely out of the way, we enjoyed a small tour to see some of the city from the water. Although I am not much of a city person, it was a beautiful skyline that day!

It is amazing to see that Sydney was so very much like Auckland in it's connection to the sea. Small and large boats were abound, from personal yachts and sailing vessels to large commercial container ships and a host of ferry's coming in and out of Circular Quay.

And to finish it all off, that most iconic buildings and symbols of not only Sydney but Australia: The Sydney Opera House. It truly has a unique architectural design we got a great look from the water. I couldn't help but feel that I was only getting a small taste of this landmark, and that I would need to actually go and see something to fully appreciate it. Perhaps a trip for another time!

Back under the bridge we went and back to the wharf where I said my goodbyes and raced back to the airport to catch my flight home.

Poor Knights Islands

At the end of April, I had a great opportunity to go explore one of the few places that every diver here in New Zealand has suggested as the crowning jewel of New Zealand dive spots, namely the Poor Knights Islands. This would also be a very special vacation not only because I was getting to share this experience with my brothers, but this was essentially the last chance for some time that I would get to dive with my good friend Jan Hesse. He and his partner Imke, who had been good friends to Mary-Ellen and I, would be heading back to Germany in a few weeks. So, in the afternoon, my brothers and I packed up the rental car, waved goodbye to Mom and Thomas who were going to enjoy some quality time together before she went back to work, and headed up the coast to Tutukaka. With the sun well and gone, we managed to meet up with the rest of our team and settled in for a good night's sleep before our big day.

Photographer: Jan Hesse

The next morning we were up early and off to the dock where we sorted out all our gear and boarded the ship run by Tutukaka Dive. The crew made the entire trip very pleasant and would highly recommend them for anyone wanting to visit this wondrous place. After about 45 minutes, we started to see the islands growing larger on the horizon and the overcast day started to clear up. Before we knew it, we were piloting between the green capped stony walls of the numerous outcroppings and arches that make up this string of islands.

Before we knew it, we were donning our gear and over into the beautiful blue water. Geoff, Jan, and I buddied up for the dive, and we went through a few checks to make sure everyone and all cameras were working well.

The blue water was completely alive with fish life in this little corner of the islands, with great schools of blue maomao, sweeps, and two spot demoiselles above, below, and all around us. For Geoff, his experience with fish is limited to snorkeling and now diving at Goat Island, which although great for seeing fish up close, pales in comparison to the diversity and abundance here.

We headed into a gully where numerous schools of fish were hiding in the current, including some large kingfish. The swell washing through the gully was a bit much, so Geoff and I backed off and checked out the many fish that were hanging around the kelp and boulders. A friendly Sandager's wrasse was among the many fish that came up to investigate the awkward visitors to it's realm.

Jan was eager to continue along the wall past the gully, while Geoff and I decided to slowly start our ascent back the other direction, towards the boat. Along the way we investigated nooks and crannies, observing some of the elegant and less obvious marine invertebrates that inhabited them. 

With little air to spare, we surfaces from our first big diving adventure together, filled with excitement and eager to complete our surface interval so we could get back in. Derek, who had been snorkeling with Imke was still in the water lollygagging in the shadow of the rock face. He had been enjoying the schools of fish from the surface and just generally enjoying the ocean. 

Once everyone was back on board, the boat headed out to show us some of the interesting above water features. One of the most exciting was Rikoriko cave which was large enough to drive the boat into. Aside from the sheer size of the cave and the amazing colour, this cave had some unique acoustic properties which the captain demonstrated using a Maori instrument he had found while diving in the cave many years ago. The echo was phenomenal and we enjoyed our lunch staring at the plants hanging form the ceiling and the intense blue water.

Then we started motoring to our next dive site, going through a few arches, much like those in the bay of island. Although we had now seen quite a few arches, it was none the less exciting.

Our next dive site was a new one for me, a cave, or rather a cavernous tunnel, that bore through the rock. Again we jumped in, and Jan was off like a jet towards the cave. Geoff and I toddled along towards the rock face, enjoying the swaying algae and fish that accompanied them.

Geoff was more interested in staying outside the cave and chasing fish, but I wanted to at least see what it was like. I am not much for spelunking but this rather open cavern was more my style and well worth seeing. Past the narrow opening, Jan and I ventured into a wide space, with very little fish life. The darkness was pierced by rays of light coming through cracks in the cavern wall above water. It was both eerie and exhilarating and there was significant life along the edges of the cavern. I soaked in the sights for a minute or two before leaving Jan to complete the circuit while Geoff and I headed around the outside towards the other mouth of the cave.

Outside the cave, Geoff and I had a blast snooping around the large boulders and watching schools of fish swim by. I have always enjoyed sharing these adventures with my good friends like Jan and Bryan, but it was exceptionally nice to be able to share this with my brother, who has been my closest friend far longer than any other.

Geoff had particular fun pointing out the many small fish that were hiding among the carpets of algae, which I attempted to take pictures of for him. The swell didn't make it easy, but I managed to get a few.

Large schools and small triplefins and blennies were not the only fish to see though, and we again were met by several Sandager's wrasse which followed us from one set of boulders to the next. We also got the opportunity to see one of the New Zealand scorpionfish who was lounging on a rock. His camouflage was good but not enough for Geoff's keen eyes and he swam off when he figured out we had seen through his ruse.

Of course I couldn't help but poke my head under every boulder, looking for octopus and the many colourful invertebrates that can be found there.

Excited and running low on air, we surfaced and headed back to the boat. I got Geoff out of the water and then proceeded to locate Derek. Imke was heading out while Derek was still hanging out among the salps and comb-jellies, watching schools of fish pass below him.

Before we knew it, we were back on the boat steaming our way to Tutukaka again. That night we all enjoyed some barbecue and reminisced on the days events. Our other friends who had joined us, told us that the spots we had gone to were not even the best diving spots. With no sense of unfulfillment, we headed to bed, grateful for the chance to see this truly spectacular place and knowing that some day we may return here to see some of the other great spectacles that it holds.

The next day we packed ourselves up and headed to Whale bay, where we had visited a little over a year earlier. A nice end to a great trip.