I am a fan of the writings of Jonas Gagnon. Admittedly, the fact that he is my cousin and a good friend of mine biases me. Nonetheless, his writings are often insightful, thoughtful, and real. I was reading his blog the other day (http://fact-fiction.tumblr.com/) and, inspired, I emailed him and challenged him to a Poetry-Slam-Off! As I see it, the rules are simple - everytime he posts a poem on his blog, I will respond with one of my own.
Unfortunately, this is MUCH easier said than done.
But a challenge is a challenge. Here's a couple verses of a poem I am writing about the many lives of cats. It's still very much a work in progress, but I hope you are amused, regardless.
He hunts for mice along the lake
Their furry little souls to take
Grey angel of death in the grass
They tremble as they hear him pass.
Green eyes peer from under the bed
Sinister plots reel through his head
A tail that slowly thrashes and twitches
Enemy mine, familiar of witches.
Back to you, Jonas!
Cheers,
Trent.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
More Photos!
Here are a few more images... We'll try to put a few more up when we have more to say. Also, Shelley didn't like the picture of her I wanted to post. So no pictures of her until we are finished our negotiations.
Kaiteriteri! Photos!
We had a great time in Kaiteriteri! Here are some photos to prove that we were actually there. The birds are Pied Shags, and the photo was taken just north of Kaikoura. The rest of the pictures were taken in and near Kaiteriteri. Enjoy!
April 17, 2011
Kia Ora!
This past week we went on a short vacation to Kaiteriteri on the north end of the South Island. Kaiteriteri is a very small vacation town between Abel Tasman National Park (to the west) and the city of Nelson (to the east). The beaches of Abel Tasman and Kaiteriteri are renowned in New Zealand, and for good reason. The relatively unconsolidated granite bedrock of the region readily erodes away, producing golden sand, which in turn forms crescent-shaped beaches between steep rocky headlands. Dramatic and picturesque!
Having first rented a small bach (to Canadians, a cabin (west) or a cottage (east)) in Kaiteriteri for $90 per night, we left Christchurch heading north along the east coast. The weather was perfect for a long drive – very sunny and not too warm. We first stopped for a few hours at a rocky beach just north of Kaikoura. Aya and I explored among the rocks, and we almost walked into a New Zealand fur seal. It barked a bit at us, but it didn’t seem otherwise too concerned. Across the road from the beach, the rusting hulk of a steel-hulled yacht was lying in the grass. Spray-painted across the hull were the words “FOR SALE”, which immediately had me daydreaming about buying a boat, fixing it up, and sailing throughout Polynesia looking for good surf breaks.
Continuing the drive north, we passed through the increasingly arid but starkly beautiful country around Blenheim with its abundant vineyards. From Blenheim, we got a bit sidetracked, and drove north to Picton. Picton is really beautiful – steep, forested mountains that plunge down into the sea, forming inlets and numerous islands. The downside of driving through Picton is that we had to drive a VERY winding road for 20 km to get back on the highway to Nelson. Rowan made it as far as Governors Bay before he threw up. Good times. Still, the drive was interesting, and worthwhile (despite the fact that we had to drive about 50kph for an hour or so).
We finally arrived at our bach in Kaiteriteri, aptly named Manuka Heights (it was in a grove of manuka trees, and was high enough above the ocean to provide awesome views of the bay). Warren, the owner of the bach, was generous enough to also provide us with a big bowl of apples (many varieties of apple, pear, cherry, etc. are grown in the Nelson area). We woke the next day, and went down to Kaiteriteri Beach. Aya and Rowan had a lot of fun there over the next three days, playing in the sand and water. Even though it was a bit cool (daytime highs were probably only about 18C), the water was still relatively warm (it was probably about 18 or 19C). We swam a fair bit in the clear blue-green water (well, Aya and I did, Shelley thought it too cold, and Rowan is a bit cautious of the water), and I went snorkeling three times as well. I had bought a cheap mask and snorkel at The Warehouse (like Walmart) for $13, and while it leaked like mad it still provided me with a great diving experience. At Kaiteriteri you can snorkel and dive among GIANT submerged boulders, which means lots of drama and lots of fish. I saw a lot of other sea life as well, including a giant 10-armed lavender starfish. Very nice!
Aya and I spent a great deal of time looking in rock pools as well. At low tide, we found a lot of starfish, sea urchins, and crabs, all of which were very exciting. The beaches there are very photogenic; I’ll post some pictures, although pictures never look as nice as the real thing.
We went for a short walk in Abel Tasman National Park, as well. You can’t really drive into the Park, which is fine with me, and we walked along the first kilometer of the trail which crosses a big estuary. From the bridges, we watched thousands of tiny crabs emerge from their holes dotting the mudflat – very cool just to watch them crawling around / foraging / doing whatever crabs do. Just outside the park, we did a short hike down to the iconic Split Apple Rock, a large round boulder - split perfectly in half - lying in the shallows just offshore. Very pretty.
Every morning we went for coffee at Kaiteriteri. There is a nice café there, with a patio overlooking the ocean. That’s pretty much all I need for a good vacation, actually; (1) coffee at a nice café, (2) snorkeling and diving with the fishes. I could add (3) bouldering, but the rock there was too crumbly to climb on. Otherwise, I could have had it all. I did manage to go for a nice 8km run one morning, which was very nice – running amidst the bellbirds and tuis.
We wanted to drive to Takaka and see all the sights there (Pupu springs, Harwood’s Hole, etc.). On the second day there, we tried - but only made it only about six kilometers up the INCREDIBLY winding road before Rowan threw up (despite having eaten Gravol). Aya was looking pretty green as well, so we turned around and went back to Kaiteriteri. Maybe another time…
On the day we were scheduled to leave, we woke up to wet and stormy weather. We had been lucky enough to have warm sunny weather for our entire stay; we felt fortunate, as we are well into late autumn here in New Zealand. We drove into Nelson and had breakfast at The Yello Café. Breakfast in New Zealand is frustrating for breakfast-loving Canadians. You can buy a nice breakfast here, but it is (1) VERY expensive (e.g. toast will run you $6, pancakes will run you $14), and (2) not any better than Canada. At any rate, Nelson is a very beautiful little city. After a bit of a walkaround in the rain, we got back in the car and headed back to Christchurch. We drove southward via a different route that our northward trip, and went through Lewis Pass. New Zealand is a beautiful country, and is amazingly empty. My kind of country, really!
In the end, Shelley and I agreed that the south island of New Zealand looks a LOT like British Columbia, especially where pine trees have replaced native forest. While driving, we’d often say “this looks like McBride”, or “this looks a lot like Kelowna”. There are two important differences, though. First, New Zealand (at least the south island) is a LOT tidier than BC. Less trash, less garbage piled about, and almost a complete lack of abandoned rusting vehicles in the yards we drove past. People in New Zealand seem to take a great deal of pride in maintaining the land they inhabit. Second, you are never far from the ocean in New Zealand. Generally speaking, you are less than two hours drive from the beach if you are ANYWHERE on the south island. The longer I am in New Zealand, the more I think that living near the ocean is a necessary thing.
So, we’re back in Christchurch. We had another big aftershock last night (magnitude = 5.3), which had us a little spooked (only Aya did the correct thing – she was under the table, holding onto a table leg, like a shot). Ahead of us, another week of work! I’m finishing up an OLD manuscript and starting some insect identification this week, while Shelley is working on a paper on her post-doctoral work here. We’re planning on heading back to Canada sometime in the next two months or so.
On a final note… HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our fathers (who share a birthday), and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the Gagnons who have just turned another year older (Joshua, Chiharu, and Jes). Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dan Gable, and Ryan Dorward. (If I have forgotten anyone’s birthday, feel free to email and berate me.) GOOD LUCK to Merle and Jared, who are still somewhere in Australasia, as far as I know… Finally, I need to email Tracy N., who is considering writing a paper with me… ;)
That’s all for now! Take Care!
Trent
This past week we went on a short vacation to Kaiteriteri on the north end of the South Island. Kaiteriteri is a very small vacation town between Abel Tasman National Park (to the west) and the city of Nelson (to the east). The beaches of Abel Tasman and Kaiteriteri are renowned in New Zealand, and for good reason. The relatively unconsolidated granite bedrock of the region readily erodes away, producing golden sand, which in turn forms crescent-shaped beaches between steep rocky headlands. Dramatic and picturesque!
Having first rented a small bach (to Canadians, a cabin (west) or a cottage (east)) in Kaiteriteri for $90 per night, we left Christchurch heading north along the east coast. The weather was perfect for a long drive – very sunny and not too warm. We first stopped for a few hours at a rocky beach just north of Kaikoura. Aya and I explored among the rocks, and we almost walked into a New Zealand fur seal. It barked a bit at us, but it didn’t seem otherwise too concerned. Across the road from the beach, the rusting hulk of a steel-hulled yacht was lying in the grass. Spray-painted across the hull were the words “FOR SALE”, which immediately had me daydreaming about buying a boat, fixing it up, and sailing throughout Polynesia looking for good surf breaks.
Continuing the drive north, we passed through the increasingly arid but starkly beautiful country around Blenheim with its abundant vineyards. From Blenheim, we got a bit sidetracked, and drove north to Picton. Picton is really beautiful – steep, forested mountains that plunge down into the sea, forming inlets and numerous islands. The downside of driving through Picton is that we had to drive a VERY winding road for 20 km to get back on the highway to Nelson. Rowan made it as far as Governors Bay before he threw up. Good times. Still, the drive was interesting, and worthwhile (despite the fact that we had to drive about 50kph for an hour or so).
We finally arrived at our bach in Kaiteriteri, aptly named Manuka Heights (it was in a grove of manuka trees, and was high enough above the ocean to provide awesome views of the bay). Warren, the owner of the bach, was generous enough to also provide us with a big bowl of apples (many varieties of apple, pear, cherry, etc. are grown in the Nelson area). We woke the next day, and went down to Kaiteriteri Beach. Aya and Rowan had a lot of fun there over the next three days, playing in the sand and water. Even though it was a bit cool (daytime highs were probably only about 18C), the water was still relatively warm (it was probably about 18 or 19C). We swam a fair bit in the clear blue-green water (well, Aya and I did, Shelley thought it too cold, and Rowan is a bit cautious of the water), and I went snorkeling three times as well. I had bought a cheap mask and snorkel at The Warehouse (like Walmart) for $13, and while it leaked like mad it still provided me with a great diving experience. At Kaiteriteri you can snorkel and dive among GIANT submerged boulders, which means lots of drama and lots of fish. I saw a lot of other sea life as well, including a giant 10-armed lavender starfish. Very nice!
Aya and I spent a great deal of time looking in rock pools as well. At low tide, we found a lot of starfish, sea urchins, and crabs, all of which were very exciting. The beaches there are very photogenic; I’ll post some pictures, although pictures never look as nice as the real thing.
We went for a short walk in Abel Tasman National Park, as well. You can’t really drive into the Park, which is fine with me, and we walked along the first kilometer of the trail which crosses a big estuary. From the bridges, we watched thousands of tiny crabs emerge from their holes dotting the mudflat – very cool just to watch them crawling around / foraging / doing whatever crabs do. Just outside the park, we did a short hike down to the iconic Split Apple Rock, a large round boulder - split perfectly in half - lying in the shallows just offshore. Very pretty.
Every morning we went for coffee at Kaiteriteri. There is a nice café there, with a patio overlooking the ocean. That’s pretty much all I need for a good vacation, actually; (1) coffee at a nice café, (2) snorkeling and diving with the fishes. I could add (3) bouldering, but the rock there was too crumbly to climb on. Otherwise, I could have had it all. I did manage to go for a nice 8km run one morning, which was very nice – running amidst the bellbirds and tuis.
We wanted to drive to Takaka and see all the sights there (Pupu springs, Harwood’s Hole, etc.). On the second day there, we tried - but only made it only about six kilometers up the INCREDIBLY winding road before Rowan threw up (despite having eaten Gravol). Aya was looking pretty green as well, so we turned around and went back to Kaiteriteri. Maybe another time…
On the day we were scheduled to leave, we woke up to wet and stormy weather. We had been lucky enough to have warm sunny weather for our entire stay; we felt fortunate, as we are well into late autumn here in New Zealand. We drove into Nelson and had breakfast at The Yello Café. Breakfast in New Zealand is frustrating for breakfast-loving Canadians. You can buy a nice breakfast here, but it is (1) VERY expensive (e.g. toast will run you $6, pancakes will run you $14), and (2) not any better than Canada. At any rate, Nelson is a very beautiful little city. After a bit of a walkaround in the rain, we got back in the car and headed back to Christchurch. We drove southward via a different route that our northward trip, and went through Lewis Pass. New Zealand is a beautiful country, and is amazingly empty. My kind of country, really!
In the end, Shelley and I agreed that the south island of New Zealand looks a LOT like British Columbia, especially where pine trees have replaced native forest. While driving, we’d often say “this looks like McBride”, or “this looks a lot like Kelowna”. There are two important differences, though. First, New Zealand (at least the south island) is a LOT tidier than BC. Less trash, less garbage piled about, and almost a complete lack of abandoned rusting vehicles in the yards we drove past. People in New Zealand seem to take a great deal of pride in maintaining the land they inhabit. Second, you are never far from the ocean in New Zealand. Generally speaking, you are less than two hours drive from the beach if you are ANYWHERE on the south island. The longer I am in New Zealand, the more I think that living near the ocean is a necessary thing.
So, we’re back in Christchurch. We had another big aftershock last night (magnitude = 5.3), which had us a little spooked (only Aya did the correct thing – she was under the table, holding onto a table leg, like a shot). Ahead of us, another week of work! I’m finishing up an OLD manuscript and starting some insect identification this week, while Shelley is working on a paper on her post-doctoral work here. We’re planning on heading back to Canada sometime in the next two months or so.
On a final note… HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our fathers (who share a birthday), and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the Gagnons who have just turned another year older (Joshua, Chiharu, and Jes). Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dan Gable, and Ryan Dorward. (If I have forgotten anyone’s birthday, feel free to email and berate me.) GOOD LUCK to Merle and Jared, who are still somewhere in Australasia, as far as I know… Finally, I need to email Tracy N., who is considering writing a paper with me… ;)
That’s all for now! Take Care!
Trent
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Birthdays!!
Lots of cake, lots of fun...Rowan's party was last Saturday, Aya's is this Saturday coming up...here are photos of the birthdays kids!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Motunau Beach!
We had a great deal of fun during our trip to Motunau Beach (about 100 km north of Christchurch) yesterday, so I thought it best to share some pictures. Enjoy!
March 27, 2011
Kia Ora!
It has been an eventful month here in Christchurch. As you are undoubtedly aware, Christchurch was struck by another substantial earthquake on February 22, most likely an aftershock of the September 4 earthquake. This tremor (magnitude = 6.3), however, was directly under the suburb of Lyttleton (only several kilometers from Christchurch’s downtown), and was relatively shallow (only 6 kilometers below the surface). As such, the devastation in the city was very widespread, especially in the south and east areas of the city. Much of the downtown was destroyed, and two large buildings collapsed outright. The death toll now stands at 182 people for the city, mostly people who died in collapsed buildings, by masonry falling off buildings, or when they were in buses or cars crushed by debris. It has been a serious blow to the city of Christchurch, in terms of the psychological state of its inhabitants, its economy, and its infrastructure. Kiwis are resilient, though, and I have no doubt that Christchurch will rise again as one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the southern hemisphere.
Some interesting details of the February 22 earthquake. It was generated by an upthrust slip of the fault that (they now know) runs from the Avon-Heathcote estuary (in the eastern suburbs) southward to the Port Hills. The two sides of the fault slipped by 1.5 m, and the Port Hills are now 40 cm higher. There was substantial liquefaction associated with the earthquake, since much of the eastern part of the city was built on silt. In places, the sand and silt that oozed to the surface was as deep as 3 m. Shag Rock, a small sea stack near Sumner and a highly visible Christchurch landmark, collapsed in the earthquake. It is now jokingly referred to as “Shag Pile”.
Sadly, my favorite café in the city (Le Café at the Arts Center) was badly damaged. Hopefully it will recover. And I hope their service gets better when it does.
A very (!) interesting and well-done website that shows the sequence, magnitude, and location of the earthquakes and their aftershocks can be seen at http://www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz/
My brother Wayne and his family (wife Darcia, and two girls Terra and Trinity) had visited us in Christchurch for 10 days, and had left the city the day before the earthquake. When they were here, we jokingly wished that they would be able to experience an aftershock (being from the earthquake-free zone of Alberta, Canada), but they left without really experiencing a noticeable tremor. We were glad that they left when they did, though, because they had been downtown only two days before the big quake, and had visited many of the places where people died days later. They had dodged a big, earthquake-shaped bullet.
We had a really nice visit with them, and visited many of Christchurch’s attractions and landmarks: the Christchurch Cathedral (whose spire later collapsed), the Museum, The Arts Center (later partially collapsed), Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, and the Botanical Gardens.
Shelley’s work is progressing nicely. She is almost completed the latest trials of her experiment examining the potential effects of global climate change on plant-pollinator interactions. She has been working with bumblebees this year, which is nice. They’ve proven to be an excellent study animal, I think, and they always seem so friendly to me…
We went to Castle Hill to go bouldering a couple of weeks ago. Such an amazing place – beautiful scenery, sculptured boulders sprouting like mutant stone mushrooms from the green turf, and blue skies seemingly perpetual overhead. We had a great time, and I managed to climb a couple of V4 mantle problems quickly (it’s good to know that my mantling skills are coming along). Some of the mantles there are pretty amazing-looking, though, and I confess that many of them look completely impossible to me. Aya and I went ‘adventure bouldering’, crawling and climbing through gaps and tunnels in the rocks, and we all climbed up to the top of Spittle Hill, above the boulders and bluffs of Castle Hill.
Our Vancouver friends Merle and Jared visited us for a few days this month as well. They are bicycle touring through New Zealand for several weeks, although Merle’s knees have been giving her problems, so the ‘pedal-powered’ aspect of their vacation is in doubt. Regardless, we had a great time with them, including a series of memorable meals! We wish them luck on their travels throughout New Zealand and Australia!
This past Saturday we drove up north for an hour to spend the day at Motunau Beach. It is now one of our favorite places in New Zealand. An idyllic little village on a grassy knoll overlooking the Pacific Ocean with the small rocky isle (and wildlife refuge) of Motunau Island just offshore. We walked around the headland from the parking lot to the small sandy beach below the village, where we had a great day looking for paua shells (I found three!), swimming, and looking in tide pools. I was showing Aya the basics of body surfing (OK, I was really holding her under the armpits, but she thought it was great fun), and I went for swim even though the day was a little cool. There were building lots for sale here ($240,000 NZ for 5 hectares right on the ocean!), which pretty much had us mentally moving to Motunau Beach. Lots of sea food, a surf break and swimming beach 100 m from the house, vineyards just down the road, and gorgeous scenery – who could ask for more?
I’ll try to update this blog a little more faithfully in the future…
Take care!
Trent.
It has been an eventful month here in Christchurch. As you are undoubtedly aware, Christchurch was struck by another substantial earthquake on February 22, most likely an aftershock of the September 4 earthquake. This tremor (magnitude = 6.3), however, was directly under the suburb of Lyttleton (only several kilometers from Christchurch’s downtown), and was relatively shallow (only 6 kilometers below the surface). As such, the devastation in the city was very widespread, especially in the south and east areas of the city. Much of the downtown was destroyed, and two large buildings collapsed outright. The death toll now stands at 182 people for the city, mostly people who died in collapsed buildings, by masonry falling off buildings, or when they were in buses or cars crushed by debris. It has been a serious blow to the city of Christchurch, in terms of the psychological state of its inhabitants, its economy, and its infrastructure. Kiwis are resilient, though, and I have no doubt that Christchurch will rise again as one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the southern hemisphere.
Some interesting details of the February 22 earthquake. It was generated by an upthrust slip of the fault that (they now know) runs from the Avon-Heathcote estuary (in the eastern suburbs) southward to the Port Hills. The two sides of the fault slipped by 1.5 m, and the Port Hills are now 40 cm higher. There was substantial liquefaction associated with the earthquake, since much of the eastern part of the city was built on silt. In places, the sand and silt that oozed to the surface was as deep as 3 m. Shag Rock, a small sea stack near Sumner and a highly visible Christchurch landmark, collapsed in the earthquake. It is now jokingly referred to as “Shag Pile”.
Sadly, my favorite café in the city (Le Café at the Arts Center) was badly damaged. Hopefully it will recover. And I hope their service gets better when it does.
A very (!) interesting and well-done website that shows the sequence, magnitude, and location of the earthquakes and their aftershocks can be seen at http://www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz/
My brother Wayne and his family (wife Darcia, and two girls Terra and Trinity) had visited us in Christchurch for 10 days, and had left the city the day before the earthquake. When they were here, we jokingly wished that they would be able to experience an aftershock (being from the earthquake-free zone of Alberta, Canada), but they left without really experiencing a noticeable tremor. We were glad that they left when they did, though, because they had been downtown only two days before the big quake, and had visited many of the places where people died days later. They had dodged a big, earthquake-shaped bullet.
We had a really nice visit with them, and visited many of Christchurch’s attractions and landmarks: the Christchurch Cathedral (whose spire later collapsed), the Museum, The Arts Center (later partially collapsed), Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, and the Botanical Gardens.
Shelley’s work is progressing nicely. She is almost completed the latest trials of her experiment examining the potential effects of global climate change on plant-pollinator interactions. She has been working with bumblebees this year, which is nice. They’ve proven to be an excellent study animal, I think, and they always seem so friendly to me…
We went to Castle Hill to go bouldering a couple of weeks ago. Such an amazing place – beautiful scenery, sculptured boulders sprouting like mutant stone mushrooms from the green turf, and blue skies seemingly perpetual overhead. We had a great time, and I managed to climb a couple of V4 mantle problems quickly (it’s good to know that my mantling skills are coming along). Some of the mantles there are pretty amazing-looking, though, and I confess that many of them look completely impossible to me. Aya and I went ‘adventure bouldering’, crawling and climbing through gaps and tunnels in the rocks, and we all climbed up to the top of Spittle Hill, above the boulders and bluffs of Castle Hill.
Our Vancouver friends Merle and Jared visited us for a few days this month as well. They are bicycle touring through New Zealand for several weeks, although Merle’s knees have been giving her problems, so the ‘pedal-powered’ aspect of their vacation is in doubt. Regardless, we had a great time with them, including a series of memorable meals! We wish them luck on their travels throughout New Zealand and Australia!
This past Saturday we drove up north for an hour to spend the day at Motunau Beach. It is now one of our favorite places in New Zealand. An idyllic little village on a grassy knoll overlooking the Pacific Ocean with the small rocky isle (and wildlife refuge) of Motunau Island just offshore. We walked around the headland from the parking lot to the small sandy beach below the village, where we had a great day looking for paua shells (I found three!), swimming, and looking in tide pools. I was showing Aya the basics of body surfing (OK, I was really holding her under the armpits, but she thought it was great fun), and I went for swim even though the day was a little cool. There were building lots for sale here ($240,000 NZ for 5 hectares right on the ocean!), which pretty much had us mentally moving to Motunau Beach. Lots of sea food, a surf break and swimming beach 100 m from the house, vineyards just down the road, and gorgeous scenery – who could ask for more?
I’ll try to update this blog a little more faithfully in the future…
Take care!
Trent.
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