BLOG about PAINTING

We went somewhere new today - Goat Island Marine Reserve. And, boy, is it ever nice there! There's a Marine Centre run by the University of Aukland, but unfortunately it's open only at weekends. That was just fine because there were great alternatives.

First of all, we headed for the Lookout. It was supposed to be a 45 minute round trip. We got there in about 10 minutes, though it was uphill all the way. Mind you, the trail was gravel roadbase, so it was dry and firm, and so there was no muddy slogging. The northerly view from the lookout is back down towards the marine station and Goat Island (a heavily wooded island just a few hundred metres offshore.) To the south, one could see a rocky coast and the continuation of the trail. We kept right on going, up and down stairs, in and out of very 'jungly' forest, until we reached the end of the trail - Cape Rodney. What a view. I immediately hauled out my paints, while my Beloved watched the gannets fishing just offshore.

Cape Rodney

As soon as I finished my sketch, we headed back to the car and our packed lunch. I was starving, but it was worth it! We sat on a log on the beach and opened up the container. Immediately, we were surrounded by Red-beaked gulls, posturing and calling. Do you think maybe visitors feed them a lot? They were out of luck. We're not into giving birds people food. That didn't seem to dissuade them. At one point, we had a juvenile gull, a one-legged female Mallard, and a male House sparrow all begging. Interesting mix.

Afterwards, I tried another w/c, this time a more traditional one without any pen & ink. Not very successful, but it's the first time I've painted with an entourage of gulls serenading me from just a few feet behind me. And, of course, they'd screech just as I was starting to do something very delicate. I was tempted to shake my paintbrush in their direction, but this was a reserve, so I'm supposed to be nice to the fauna!

Goat Island Marine Reserve

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Schoolbuses here are white, not yellow. They have a big sign on the front, saying 'SCHOOL', and the ones we've seen are all quite new and modern.