Tutti Fruitti

Jean writes:

No big plan for today - just driving west but mostly north out of Tahananui (a few kilometres outside Nelson) along the coast.  

Elevenses were on the agenda, though, and Dave made the most of his apple and berry strudel.  

We saw banners proclaiming Motueka street market (the furthest North) and decided to go there first, so we didn't miss it.  

My face lit up at the first stall - Aqua Sinka - which dealt in weights used in fishing.  No, I haven't taken up a new hobby.  I've needed one for my jewellery making for months but haven't been able to acquire one.  Amazing I should see just what I wanted here, though! 

Other purchases were from a fruit stall - peaches and strawberries for our "home catering" desserts.

We had lunch just outside Motueka near a rather strange memorial, which commemorated:

the Port of Motueka , along with jam factories and stores;

a local trooper who had died of enteric fever in the Boer War;

The accession of Edward VII.

Once again a plethora of birds were on view on the beach and mud flats, including what I think is a Giant Petrel.

Returning to the topic of fruit, it is really important in the Nelson region and has been for many years - apples, pears, peaches, plums and a variety of soft fruit.  

Fruit has been a major export from Nelson but also from the wider area.  Much used to handled at Mapua, our first and last stop-offs of the day.  In 1918 2,500 cases of apples were shipped out for the local market, and this grew to a peak of 486,000 cases in 1952.  The wharf is no longer used for shipping, but has been saved by a local group so that plenty of shops trade there now, along with a small museum - and today there was live music from a rather blues/rock band,

Grapes are also grown in the Nelson area and it has become well-known for its wines, along with the Canterbury and Marlborough regions of South Island.  

In the swim

Dave writes:

I can't remember how long it is since I swam in the sea, possibly 20 years or more, but today I did. 

The water in the bay has looked more and more inviting and this afternoon about 5.30 it proved  warm enough for me to chance it. 

Great to go with the waves surging and it brought back memories of the glory days of my childhood in the North Sea, off Redcar.

The other sea tale of the day comes from another bay, 20 miles away.  

Beached  high, dry and rusting as it has been for over 50 years lies the ex-anti-submarine mining vessel, latterly fishing trawler the Janie Seddon. 

She was built in Scotland in 1901 and had a varied career before being abandoned on the beach for scrapping, which for various reasons was never carried out. 

Controversy grows locally about her future but in today's sunshine she looked a tad romantic, albeit sad in her rustiness.