Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
Our summers are pretty fickle weather wise and this year is no exception. We've just returned, or rather been blown and rained out from a week camping at Stony Bay at the top of the peninsular.
Our camp cooker setup - ideal for those evenings when it's too windy to light a fire to cook on...
The week started out really well with a sketch in the main street of Thames whilst waiting for Fish & Chips at the excellent Green Lipped Cafe on Pollen Street. Thames is a really interesting place with it's gold mining and Kauri logging history from the 1800's. It always amazes me that it was once one of our largest cities, fortunately most of the old buildings remain and they make excellent sketch subjects...
Once at Stony Bay we promptly pitched our tents with the best view overlooking the bay, we couldn't believe our luck that it was vacant. Not until later did we realise that the previous campers on this spot almost got blown away when the Northerly came through! Below is a far more sensible spot, with tents pitched along the stream, safe from the wind and with some protection from the sun, sketched in the rain however...
Our camp cooker setup - ideal for those evenings when it's too windy to light a fire to cook on...
The kids had a ball, on the rope swing, fishing, building sandcastles and feeding the eels at night...
The parents enjoyed a few drinks around the campfire at night (wind allowing of course)...
Our neighbours at one stage (they seemed to have a shop awning attached to their Landcruiser?)...
A trip to Sandy Bay (yes, some bays come with very imaginative names) for a swim one day...
And a 5 hour blast over the old stock route to Fletchers Bay and back. We rode this about 18 years ago, but it seems a lot harder now! Unfortunately the grey day didn't help the view...
So the saturated tent and camp gear is drying at home and I'm back to work!
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