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| Taiaroa Head Lighthouse. |
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| The Monarch emptying out the tourist before us. |
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| A blurry photo of a Shag colony - the boat was rocking! |
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| Almost out to sea. The very tip of the harbour. |
Covid-19 Alert level 1
New Zealand has moved to Alert level 1 now. There have been 18 days now with no new cases in the country. Alert level 1 is virtually back to normal except the borders are shut, which we can do quite effectively in our Island nation. This has been quite an achievement which has happened because we have had clear, good communication at the top level of government and decisive leadership which has been guided by science and medical knowledge. The economy has taken a hit so we are now in recovery mode. We have been told that we are a "team of 5 million people" and the 5 million cooperating has essentially eliminated the virus in NZ. (Though the Prime Minister warns we still have to be careful) Now she is saying the team of 5 million need to do all we can to rebuild our economy. One of the troubles is that much of our economy has been associated with tourism, overseas tourists coming to see our wonderful country. Such tourism does not work when borders are closed. So we are being encouraged to "see and enjoy New Zealand" while it is not clogged up with overseas tourists. (or "Loopies" as they are sometimes called) I am thankful for our leadership, thankful that the virus was contained (we had 22 deaths) and thankful that life can return to normal.
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| Prime Minister of NZ (Jacinda Ardern) & Dr Ashly Bloomfield - Director General of health. Who have essentially lead the Covid-19 response. Both had good communication skills, both were knowledgeable and both were empathetic. |
Chaplain again.
We got to Covid level 1 at midnight last night. I had been stopped from visiting the fire stations during lockdown and since and had been told that maybe I could go back to being their chaplain at Level 1. So during the evening last night I emailed the Health and Safety man at the fire station asking for permission to visit again. This morning he emailed back saying "Yes start visits to the stations - would not like to have the troops robbed of your support." So my wife cut my hair which had got quite unruly, I trimmed my beard which made me look like the wild man of Borneo, and I headed toward the fire stations this afternoon. I have been visiting the fire stations for 26 years, yet as I drove toward town I was nervous. "What if they liked not having me around? What if they reject me?" All these sorts of questions crossed my mind. I went in and was warmly met by most. Others just said "Hi" as if I had not been away for nearly eleven weeks - I was just part of the furniture. But more than that I found I just fell into conversation with a number of people about things that matter. There was again a depth of connection - I felt useful, I came alive and it felt good. They got a call to an alarm at the local sports stadium (which is going to host the first Post-Covid rugby match in the world on Saturday night) and I got invited to travel in the ladder. It felt good to be back.... but as I drove home about 3 hours later I was so tired! ....listening is hard work!
But the woman who manages us chaplains is wondering if I can take on more? I said that I was nearly 72, at the end of my career. She responded, "Never say never Dave. You don't know what could be ahead." A building firm wants a chaplain? I was a plumber, I worked on big building sites and have done heaps of building for Habitat for Humanity??? Anyway I'm back at being a chaplain and feeling useful.
Tourists seeing the sights.
Dunedin is built around the Otago Harbour. The Otago Peninsula runs up the seaward side of the harbour. At the head of the peninsula there is an Albatross Colony, the only colony in the world on a mainland. Every other albatross colony is on an off shore island. The Royal Albatross, a magnificent bird, nests in this area. There is a tourist venture based at the Dunedin wharf where they have an older wooden boat which takes tourists out to view the colony, to watch the birds, see the NZ seal colony and other sea bird populations. It was advertising half-price tours so my daughter talked us into going with her and her husband and a friend of theirs who lives down the Peninsula. So we drove down the peninsula to a jetty at a place called Wellers Rock, boarded the boat and enjoyed an hour or so cruise down to the Taiaroa Head where the albatross were. We saw these birds in flight. A magnificent wing span of at least 3 metres, gliding up and down and bringing feed back to their juveniles on the hillside. Another smaller albatross breed were chasing fish in the water about us and we could see seals on the rocks with their pups exploring the cliffs. Saturday had been stormy and cold. Sunday, the day of our boat trip was sunny with a breeze blowing. It was cool but a nice winter's day. It was a good trip. We see the "Monarch", the boat, plying the harbour virtually every day. It is a well known Dunedin identity, but this is the first time we have travelled on her. It was a good day. If you are ever in Dunedin NZ, it is worth a visit.
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| Taiaroa Head Light House |
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