• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

This is dead girl, live boy, a goat, two wetsuits and a dildo territory.  oh, and pink furry handcuffs.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

In after Baud. Damn.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

All hail the time of the bunny!

I did not have this on my fuck 2025 bingo card.

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road – Albatrossity – New Zealand #3

On The Road – Albatrossity – New Zealand #3

by WaterGirl|  December 23, 20205:00 am| 19 Comments

This post is in: Albatrossity, New Zealand, On The Road, Photo Blogging

FacebookTweetEmail

On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.

From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.

Submit Your Photos

Albatrossity

It is often said, and not entirely in jest, that if you drop your camera in New Zealand and it accidentally takes a picture, the picture will be stunning. There are indeed some beautiful landscape photo opportunities in that country, and although none of these were the result of a dropped camera, I hope you enjoy them anyway!

Map of places mentioned in today’s post.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 9
Road to Arthur's PassDecember 31, 2015

The Southern Alps run down the spine of the South Island, and dominate the scenery in much of it. This is a view on the road from Christchurch to the west coast of that island, via Arthur’s Pass, Midsummer snow is still on much of the alpine landscape, and a glacial river valley is in the foreground.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 8
ŌkāritoJanuary 1, 2016

Another view of the Southern Alps from the lagoon at Ōkārito, on the west coast of the South Island. The tallest peak there is Mt. Cook (Aoraki), which is not tall (3,724 meters, or 12,218 feet) by most standards, but in that far southern latitude, it is more than tall enough to have many glaciers and snow year-round. The lagoon is a shallow estuarine wetland, and is the only breeding site for the rare White Heron (kōtuku). The tiny town of Ōkārito (population 32) is also the site where you can book a tour to see the rarest of the kiwi species, the rowi (aka Little Brown Kiwi) which has a stable population in the surrounding forests thanks to intensive management and trapping of mammalian pest species. If you happen to do that in the future, please give my regards to Ian Cooper, who owns the tour business and has a passion for kiwis that is unmatched in my experience.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 7
KaikouraJanuary 6, 2014

Our final view of the Southern Alps is from the east side of the island, near Kaikōura, and includes one of the best reasons to visit that town, a Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans). Due to a fortunate geological configuration, the sea around that town has upwelling currents rich in food, which attracts both seabirds and whales. Typically one has to be far out to sea to find an albatross; here you can see several species from a boat that ventures only a mile or two from shore. I know you are wondering, so I can tell you that there will be more albatross pictures in the next installments of this OTR series.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 6
MaungatautariDecember 31, 2013

The North Island also has mountains, including this one, Maungatautari, aka Sanctuary Mountain. This is a fenced wildlife sanctuary, one of the first in the country, where native birds and plants can thrive, thanks to a 47 km encircling fence that excludes mammals. Incredibly, this entire enterprise is the result of a citizen initiative, and is still administered and funded by a non-governmental community board.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 4
NelsonDecember 30, 2014

Christmas in New Zealand is the time when the native pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) trees bloom extravagantly, and it is easy to see why they are also called New Zealand Christmas trees. This fine specimen was in Nelson, but the species is widely distributed and can be seen in most coastal cities in the country.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 5
Takaka HillJanuary 8, 2014

Southern beech trees are another relic from Gondwanaland, a genus (Nothofagus) of 43 species found only in the Southern Hemisphere, including South America and Australia. They are not closely related to the beeches of the Northern Hemisphere. These magnificent specimens, with Elizabeth for scale, were on the northern part of the South Island.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 3
MahanaJanuary 4, 2016

New Zealand also has a thriving wine industry, producing some world class white wines, most notably Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Gris, and Reisling. This is the Mahana Winery in the Nelson-Tasman district near Moutere. Many other fine vineyards are about 100 km east of here in the Marlborough District. New Zealand seafood paired with a local wine can be quite special!

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 1
NelsonJanuary 8, 2014

Public art in Nelson NZ. The painter was applying the finishing touches to this interesting mural of a NZ Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri or kekeno).

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3 2
Maud IslandJanuary 5, 2014

The Marlborough Sounds are a very scenic array of ocean, islands, and peninsulas at the northern tip of the South Island. This is a view of Maud Island, a wildlife sanctuary that is home to the endangered Maud Island Frog, several Takahes, and Scirocco, the Kakapo parrot made famous by David Attenborough’s filmmaking crew.

On The Road - Albatrossity - New Zealand - #3
Takaka HillJanuary 9, 2015

Finally, although we did not make efforts to see locations that were featured in the Lord of the Rings films, it is difficult to escape them. This is Takaka Hill, where some of the scenes from The Hobbit were filmed. It is also the site of many caves and sinkholes, some of which contain bones of some of the extinct birds known as moas. The birds were flightless, and if they fell into a cave in this karst landscape, they usually perished in that cave.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Tuesday/Wednesday, Dec. 22-23
Next Post: Wednesday Morning Open Thread: Festivus In Action »

Reader Interactions

19Comments

  1. 1.

    Van Buren

    December 23, 2020 at 5:52 am

    Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos.

  2. 2.

    sab

    December 23, 2020 at 5:58 am

    No wonder your nym is albatrossity. That bird is amazing.

    OT: after three weeks of cloudy skies the skies here in Ohio cleared. 800 year planet conjunction is over. Oh well.

    Different cultural references. I majored in English history. I thought “Wow, back almost to the Magna Carta!” My sister, Chinese art historian, thought “Wow, back to the Sung Dynasty.”

    I thought “Huh?”

    She actually saw it. I had cloud cover. Make of that what you will.

  3. 3.

    Zinsky

    December 23, 2020 at 6:02 am

    Wow! Stunning pictures!  I know that a lot of the outdoor scenes in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy by Peter Jackson were filmed in New Zealand, all of which were breathtaking.  I hope that someday my wife and I can go there.  Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing!

  4. 4.

    JPL

    December 23, 2020 at 6:13 am

    Moas are often featured in the NYTimes crossword puzzles.   Your pictures and stories are such a treat to read in the morning.   Thank you.

  5. 5.

    Sm*t Cl*de

    December 23, 2020 at 6:54 am

    If you drop your camera in New Zealand and it accidentally takes a picture, a weka will grab the camera and run away with it.

  6. 6.

    Van Buren

    December 23, 2020 at 7:08 am

    @Sm*t Cl*de: If it’s a small camera, a weta might do the same.

  7. 7.

    p.a.

    December 23, 2020 at 7:12 am

    Great stuff. NZ is on my list. Coworker’s son had, in the 1990’s, possibly best job ever: Northern hemi summer Alaska fishing guide, So hemi summer guide in NZ.

  8. 8.

    Mary G

    December 23, 2020 at 7:12 am

    Scirocco, the Kakapo parrot made famous by David Attenborough’s filmmaking crew.

    I had never heard of this incident before. It is hilarious comedy gold, not least because Stephen Fry is there giving the commentary. I am still chortling after watching it twice.
    ETA: The pictures are fantastic as always. I like the albatross, the Christmas tree, the beeches, and Maud Island.

  9. 9.

    WaterGirl

    December 23, 2020 at 9:39 am

    Oh my gosh, that third photo in KAIKOURA!

    The blue of the water, the bird, the sky, everything.  And the “Christmas tree”!  Lovely way to start the morning.

  10. 10.

    Chris T.

    December 23, 2020 at 9:56 am

    @WaterGirl: The pohutukawa (Christmas Trees) are spectacular. The blooms don’t seem to last very long though. I suppose in a way that makes them even more special.

  11. 11.

    Sandia Blanca

    December 23, 2020 at 10:53 am

    @p.a.: My Alaskan relatives love to go to New Zealand, halfway around the world for them. They’ve currently been there for all of 2020, having been “trapped” when the pandemic hit.  Not such a hard life for people who are semi-retired from their self-employment. Currently swanning around enjoying the lovely summer weather.

  12. 12.

    Paul in St. Augustine

    December 23, 2020 at 10:54 am

    The topography of the country is amazing. Mt. Cook’s peak is a scant 5 miles inland from the Tasman Sea. Try to imagine that from any beach in the US you have visited. Sea level to 12,000 feet in 5 miles.  On my first visit to the country, one of the activities I participated in was a glacier hike on the Franz Josef Glacier. We had to walk through a tropical rain forest to arrive at the starting point of the hike. As great as these pictures are, they do not do justice to being there. Imho, New Zealand should top everyone’s bucket list.

  13. 13.

    stinger

    December 23, 2020 at 11:02 am

    Thank for these amazing photos. All spectacular, but as a tree hugger I can hardly take my eyes off that beech. “Relic from Gondwanaland” makes my head spin.

  14. 14.

    Chris T.

    December 23, 2020 at 11:08 am

    @Paul in St. Augustine: Mt. Cook’s peak is a scant 5 miles inland from the Tasman Sea. Try to imagine that from any beach in the US you have visited. Sea level to 12,000 feet in 5 miles.

    It is indeed amazing.

    The Kaikoura coast seems even more amazing to me though. The mountains may not be as tall but they nearly drop directly to the ocean (this is kind of a problem at times, like that last round of earthquakes) and then the sea-bottom drops off rapidly, hence that upwelling and all the whales and seabirds.

    Hawaii is … different, but similarly spectacular, with its volcanoes rising out of the ocean.

  15. 15.

    Albatrossity

    December 23, 2020 at 11:24 am

    @Chris T.: Geologically, Kaikoura is fascinating. It is on the edge of two tectonic plates, and that deep underwater canyon that forces upwelling that attracts whales and albatrosses close to the shore is part of the trench system associated with that rift boundary. So it is an earthquake prone zone, even more so than the rest of the South Island. Lots of good information and maps here.

  16. 16.

    JanieM

    December 23, 2020 at 11:47 am

    The Southern beech tree is indeed magnificent, and all the pics are gorgeous and enticing. But to me the star of this show is the albatross. No wonder it figures in so many legends and stories, it’s breathtakingly beautiful in flight.

    And to this Ohio native transplanted to Maine, 12,000+ feet seems pretty tall. There’s a rumor that all things are relative…. ;-)

  17. 17.

    pat

    December 23, 2020 at 12:29 pm

    Did no one notice the resemblance of the “Christmas tree” to the representations of the Corona Virus?

    Lovely photos. Thanks.

  18. 18.

    J R in WV

    December 23, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    Wonderful photos of a beautiful place. Friend of ours spent 3 months cycling around the NZ islands with her son. Recumbent trikes custom built down in RTP, where son works as geneticist / programmer in a large greenhouse. Stories were great. Beer was great. People were great. Pics were good, but not this good!

    Thanks again! No surprise more Albatross birds will appear! Thanks in advance!

  19. 19.

    Johnny's mom

    December 23, 2020 at 6:50 pm

    I have never suffered from wanderlust, but New Zealand is intriguing and beautiful. Thank you for the map – very helpful.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - Albatrossity - The Birds of May 3
Image by Albatrossity (7/31/25)

World Central Kitchen

Donate

Recent Comments

  • Elizabelle on Saturday Night Open Thread (Jul 12, 2025 @ 9:27pm)
  • Jackie on Saturday Night Open Thread (Jul 12, 2025 @ 9:25pm)
  • Liminal Owl on Fox News Friday Open Thread (Jul 12, 2025 @ 9:23pm)
  • BigJimSlade on Saturday Night Open Thread (Jul 12, 2025 @ 9:20pm)
  • Martin on Saturday Night Open Thread (Jul 12, 2025 @ 9:19pm)

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
No Kings Protests June 14 2025

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

Feeling Defeated?  If We Give Up, It's Game Over

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!