Tutukaka’s harbour & the adjacent Ngunguru bay + river were first surveyed in 1837 by HMS Buffalo; the Royal Navy sought out Kauri, prized timber for warship topmasts & spars. Patrolling the harbour’s shallows today are Bathytoshia brevicaudata | oru | short-tailed stingray (📷1); not sure if the individual we nicknamed “Ray Charles” on our last visit still swims. Like the pōhutukawa, the Phormium tenax | harakeke | flax around the marina is blooming (📷2); stalks can reach 4–5m & the #flowers will be a major source of nectar for tūī & bellbirds over the summer. Meanwhile, house-sitting has provided opportunity to source/ sample local #Kiwi favourites as well as obtain less traditional supplies for the festive season, such as sauerkraut to support the #German folklore of eating it on New Year’s Day, ensuring prosperity (📷3). It’s also meant time to play with old tech kept in storage with parents e.g. this 13 year-old MacBook Pro has gained a new lease of life running @elementary OS 8 & will be reborn as a CD media streamer (📷4). #reuse #repurpose
🇳🇿#newZealand #northland 🚀#travel
