Westhaven Inlet is such a remote region that the vehicle population appears to have evolved its own special characteristics. Here’s an example:
Someone has obviously stolen the “for sale” sign, which is a pity for the car had obviously been carefully prepared. Not only had a sheepskin seat cover been fitted, but it even had a TV set!
This next one was a classic. When I asked its owner whether that was his truck parked back up the road, he replied “that’s not a truck, it’s a work of art”. I think he was right. It was strategically placed, to draw attention to his letterbox (the number 859 means that it is 8.59 km from the start of the road, by the way). The old Bedford retains its sleek lines.
In a work of art such as this, details can sometimes be very important. Note for example how the bonnet has been removed to provide a view of the lovely patination of the rocker cover:
By the way, the conversation with that owner is a great example of what it’s like to visit these parts. I had stopped to watch the tidal flow under this small bridge. Fishing is forbidden on this side of the bridge but permitted in the larger inlet on the other side.
I came back half an hour later when it was slack water and started fishing, not with any real hope of success. Then Graeme Fraser, the truck owner, arrived. He explained that not only was it not particularly good time to go fishing, but this was not a particularly good spot. Half an hour after tide turns to come in the fishing should be more productive. He started to give me directions to a much better fishing spot down the road. As the directions became more complicated he gave up and said “just follow me”. We drove about 1.5 km, climbed through a little patch of bush on a point and emerged here.
I was delighted. This place was so photogenic I didn’t really care whether I caught any fish or not. That was just as well, because I didn’t. But I did catch some rather nice images.
It was a real challenge trying to photograph the brave little manuka tree, which had chosen a very exposed spot. I decided that I needed to come back later, when skies were blue. In the meantime, Photoshop came to the rescue:
