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...
This weekend a new cycle path opened that completes the north western motorway cycle lane, helping cycle commuters to avoid K-Road, Symonds Street or Queen Street completely - a real bonus (unless you enjoy cycling amongst 4 slow moving congested lanes consisting mainly of buses).
The cycle lane is entered from the motorway overbridge on Upper Queen Street. From there it's a very smooth and fast run downhill (sadly not so fast uphill) beside the motorway offramp, under Grafton Bridge and Wellesley Street, eventually depositing you on to Beach Road where a cycle lane has been added beside the citybound traffic lane.
While I was drawing, a bloke stopped by and pointed out where he recalled all the houses were before they were cleared for the motorway. A friend mentioned his grandmother used to pick fruit in an orchard in this gully too. Back in those days the Symonds Street cemetery extended down into the gully as well. It must have been quite a different place!
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