A Day at the Beach

I've photographed so much despair and ugliness lately, thanks to a focus on recording the Christchurch earthquake ruins, that it was something of a relief yesterday, to come upon this wonderful display of brightness and colour at Brighton Beach.

I was just one of a crowd of people who had gathered to watch.

I put kites in the same basket as fire watching - there's something quite mesmerising about it.

A joyfulness.

A freedom.

April. 2010, Ajr

On Cafe Patrol

I visited a new café in New Brighton (Christchurch) the other day. Jungle Patrol is a couple of blocks back from the beach and several blocks from the main (easily forgettable) New Brighton shopping centre. It inhabits one of those quaint, old, closed-down corner shops, brought back to life with a new generation of temptations on offer - in this case, coffee and collectible Crown Lynn, that ubiquitous New Zealand pottery that colonised just about every New Zealand kitchen cupboard through the sixties and seventies. Jungle Patrol owner, David (I forgot to ask his surname) is a collector himself and in his first month of operating the café, he’s set out a terrific Crown Lynn display on retro shelving and sideboards. There are books on Crown Lynn for the coffee drinkers to browse and he has his computer set up on the counter and if you’re interested, he’ll direct you to Crown Lynn listings on the web. With just one big central table for customers and a few chairs outside, it’s an intimate and interesting experience – especially if you’re a Crown Lynn fan. Many of the pieces are for sale too, so make sure you roll up with your collector’s fund.

Bird's Eye View

Southshore, New Brighton, Christchurch. Oct. 2009. Ajr

Orange and Blue

Always a striking contrast.

I photographed this guy on Wednesday as he zoomed in low over the stranded whale on New Brighton's Southshore Beach (see whale story below). There's something about the freedom of sails, balloons and parachutes that always sets me to thinking of travel.

A Whale of a Tale

I was sitting in Addington Coffee when I first heard (via Twitter) about the whale stranding on Christchurch's Southshore Beach. I thought about making the trip across town and then changed my mind. But the thought of seeing a whale up close was too much to resist and I finally packed up my work and headed east across town. Like many hundreds of others as it turned out.

Sadly, by the time I got there, the whale was all-but dead. But the newshounds had descended and everyone else had their cellphone cameras at the ready. It was sad to see the life draining out of this lovely creature. The Department of Conservation representative said it was a lactating Beaked Whale - named for the resemblance its nose has to dolphins he said.

I don't think I've ever met a person who isn't intrigued by whales - and the hundreds of people walking down Southshore Beach today were evidence of that. Sad as the occasion turned out to be, it was lovely to see small children intrigued by their first-ever glimpse of a whale. I have more photos, which I may run tomorrow.

Salt and Pepper

New Brighton Pier, Christchurch. Sept. 2008. Ajr

It was a case of right place right time a week or so ago, when I caught these shadows in SALT restaurant on New Brighton Pier........slanting nicely across the salt and pepper shakers. A small amusement I know but I'm easily pleased.

Fishy Business

New brighton Pier. Sept. 2008. Ajr

I was rather taken with the quirky placement

Of this sign half way up a lighting pole

On New Brighton Pier

Brewery Billboards

New Brighton, Christchurch. Sept. 2008. Ajr

Another brewery taking its advertising cue from current events.

In this case, a play on the collapse of yet another finance company.

A Reader's View - Library Architecture

When the New Brighton Library opened in 1999 on the land end of Brighton Pier it caused a bit of a stir – for a start it was a startlingly attractive addition to a shabby Christchurch suburb that had long-since said goodbye to its heyday. Designed by Andrew Barclay and Scott Koopman of Warren & Mahoney Architecture, the award-winning building has held up well. The same can’t be said for the still-shabby suburb that surrounds it. However, I was so caught up in blue skies and shimmering architecture when I visited New Brighton yesterday that I was prepared to forgive the place almost anything. http://www.warrenandmahoney.com/

And from the front - the 'sails' that give the library visitors shade from the sun; and the boat-like view of Salt Cafe, which is part of the library complex. I took these photographs when I biked out to New Brighton yesterday.

I hope you'll take particular note of the classic Canterbury blue skies!

Brighton Beach Walkers

New Brighton, Christchurch with Port Hills behind. August 2008. Ajr

I biked out to New Brighton early yesterday and spent the day's first hours photographing. It goes without saying that there will be more of those shots here soon but in the meantime, this is one I took from the pier looking towards Sumner. I like the way the two beach walkers have been 'made miniature' by the large landscape.

Billboard of the Week

New Brighton. August. 2008. Ajr.

An Export Gold Beer Billboard

Spotted at New Brighton Beach

Christchurch

Winter Ocean

New Brighton Beach from the Pier. May 2008 Ajr

Yes, it was as cold as it looks!

Pier Promenades

New Brighton Pier, Christchurch. May 2008. Ajr
When I was out at New Brighton Beach yesterday, I took the opportunity to walk out to the end of the pier. It’s only 300 metres long and it’s invariably freezing when you get out there, especially at this time of year - and you could be forgiven for thinking it a bit of an anti-climax. However, the views are almost always terrific – especially looking north across Pegasus Bay toward the Kaikoura Ranges (see earlier sea views). The original wooden New Brighton Pier was built in 1894 and demolished in 1964. This new concrete version was officially opened in 1997. Gone are the days when a pier stroll was a jaunty social occasion complete with penny arcades and music but it’s a popular fishing spot and a lazy amble from the New Brighton Library that now graces the land end of the pier. And every year it hosts Christchurch’s major Guy Fawke’s fireworks display.

Winter Seascape

New Brighton Beach, Christchurch. May 2008. Ajr
Yes! It was as cold as it looks when I visited New Brighton Beach this morning.
But the skies were fabulous!