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.

Thomas gets some visitors

In April through till early May, we had a wonderful visit from Thomas's Uncles Geoff and Derek. It was a great visit filled with lots of walks, snuggles, and catching up. Uncle Geoff arrived first and with great pride, walked his nephew around Cornwall park and shared some food at the cafe.

We also headed up to Leigh where Geoff and I had our first dive together. Thomas eagerly watched as we set up our gear and headed into the water. Thomas then proceeded to eat some sand with Mom as they enjoyed the weather waiting for us to return. It was a short, very shallow dive but a great introduction and a prelude to many more underwater adventures.

Then a second surprise, when Uncle Derek showed up and the adventures continued. As a family, we headed to the zoo and the aquarium where Thomas's two Uncles toted him around showing him the many wonders of the natural world. 

Then the three Wilcox boys went on a brotherly adventure to the Poor Knights Island, which will be updated in the next blog. After that, we enjoyed a few more days before the boys had to take the long trip home. We enjoyed a day of gaming at the local store and a final trip to Cornwall park, where we enjoyed some ice cream and a final day of pictures.

It was a short but a nice visit and both were reluctant to leave their new Nephew (and Mary-Ellen and I of course).

Hamilton Zoo

We were on our way out of town after a great adventure in Hamilton when we spotted the sign for the Hamilton Zoo. Early morning seems to be great times to visit the zoo and this morning did not disappoint. So with a wide-eyed child, we wandered into the zoo to see what this little gem had to offer.

Although Thomas didn't last long, we were able to enjoy some spectacular sights, many of which we did not have the opportunity too at the Auckland zoo. Unlike the view of one of the rhinoceroses at Auckland, there were six rhinoceroses out and feeding that morning and they were not the least big shy, being out in the open for all to see.

Another elusive critter from the Auckland zoo is the spider monkey. We normally can see them lazing in trees or hiding below the observation post, but in Hamilton, they were up and wandering around the grounds looking for food.

After both those great sightings we moved into an open plains habitat which was home to bison, ostrich, zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, and wild dogs. It was early feeding and and all the animals were out foraging. The giraffes, as usual were the stars of the show, as the crowded around feeding boxes and using their long tongues to gather food. One cheeky one even opened the top of the box to get better access. Thomas slept through it like a champion; with all the sounds and smells as well as an extremely bumpy path.

Not everyone was up and foraging though. The African wild dogs were clearly enjoying a sleep in, one of which refused to lift his head to anything, not even the zoo worker who wandered by. Not everyone can be a morning person.

Out of the plains and into the wetlands. We found ourselves in the aquatic version of Alfred Hitchock's Birds. I have never seen or heard quite so many ducks. They were almost literally everywhere; on railings, water, even some on the pathway. Some of my favourites, the paradise shell ducks were also their squawking like an old married couple, but the highlight was definitely the mandarin ducks with their highly colourful plumage.

We also got to see a New Zealand falcon, one of the birds of prey I had not seen yet since my arrival either in the wild or in a zoo.

The primates were also very well represented at this zoo, with siamang eating in the trees, chimpanzees lazily hanging around in the early morn, adorable cotton top tamarins being...adorable, and cheeky Capuchin monkeys trying to figure out how they can get out of the cage or some sort of hand outs from the very interested tourists.

The two biggest highlights however, where the red pandas and the Himalayan monal. Although we had seen many red pandas before, the enclosure in Hamilton was home to what seemed to be at least five pandas, all of whom were running around, eating, and generally in the open, unlike the Auckland zoo. It was a great opportunity to really see them and their behaviour up-close.  The Himalayan monal was quite possibly one of the most beautiful birds I had ever seen. It's iridescent, almost metallic looking feathers made it look like the most intricate and spectacular sculpture brought to life.

We finished up with a few aviaries containing many sleeping birds we had seen before so we hurried through a growing crowd and back to the car for the trip home to Auckland. A nice send off for our Hamilton trip and likely a place we will visit again soon.