Boats at Matiatia Bay

As the ferry to Auckland city backs out of the harbour on Waiheke Island, this is the view. You can see on this headland to the north of us is the Tangaora Estate accommodation. The boats here in the bay are privately owned. Probably by residents of the island or Auckland which is less than an hour away by boat. 

Oneroa Beach, Waiheke

Oneroa Beach, Waiheke

My favourite beach on the small island of Waiheke Island. From this view point it looks like I was stood on a deserted tropical island in the middle of nowhere with nobody for miles around. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Whilst the beach wasn’t crowded like it would be in popular tourist beaches in Europe. There were dozens of people on the beach. I was also only a minute or two walk from Oneroa, the main settlement on the island. And Waiheke Island is only a 45 minute boat trip from Auckland’s city centre.

Cable Bay Vineyard

Cable Bay Vineyard

Vineyards are harder than I imagined to photograph. The contrast between the neat rows of green vines and the bright blue sky above made me have to select this photo for the website. I’m not that happy with it to be honest. Cable Bay is a lovely spot, especially on a sunny spring day like this. Still I wonder how to take a nice vineyard landscape photograph that I am happy with. Maybe a drone or helicopter flight would help.

Auckland harbour from Skytower

Auckland harbour from Skytower

Although I lived in Auckland for around a year in 2012/13 its been quite a few years since I’ve been up the Auckland Skytower. This is from the lookout or observation deck looking north west over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. In the foreground you can see the Wynyard Quarter and Westhaven Marina. On the far left is the edge of the Victoria Park. On the other side of the harbour bridge is the Northshore area’s of Chatsworth and Birkenhead. This has to be one of the best views in Auckland’s central city.