Sunday, February 4, 2018

Auckland Harbor

Waitematā Harbour


Waitematā Harbour (locally and commonly referred to as Auckland Harbor) is the entrance to the northern and eastern side of Auckland from the Pacific Ocean.  Auckland is described as an isthmus and has the shallower Manukau Harbor on the west and southern side of the city.  It is Auckland Harbor where the large cruise ships and yachts dock.   There are several wharves one of which, Princes Wharf, has been redeveloped into a public space with restaurants, a Hilton Hotel, and shops. The buildings here are designed to look like ocean liners.  Complaints from the city with some of the venues, i.e. Hilton, charge that public access is too frequently denied.  Hilton claims they are protecting the area from drug dealers. (I guess big pharma is trying to set up business there.)  Whereas the access restrictions seem to apply when private functions are in progress. Another contentious project is a proposal to build a wharf to accommodate the Americas Cup.  Opponents fear the harbor will be compromised.  UIKeyInputDownArrow

The harbor is straight down the hill from our apartment.  We took the 20 minute walk down for lunch, and found an area bustling with cruisers.  My first discovery was a burger is lamb, not beef.  The restaurants we saw on Princes Wharf had the “hurry up and serve me tourist” in mind.  We walked further along the water front where a former Americas Cup boat with its most impressive keel is mounted and then across a draw bridge where we saw some other pretty impressive boats. A big crowd had gathered to watch three rather muscular guys having fun diving, cannon balling and belly flopping into the Viaduct.  Over the draw bridge the area became more resident apparent with kids in a play area and food trucks.  At the very end we found the 1% again.  Docked were some yachts the size of an apartment complex.  Chief among them was Senses owned by Larry Page.


View from the Viaduct


Tonight we went to the local cinema to see The Shape of Water.  I gave it 5 stars for excellent story telling, beautiful cinematography with a consistent tone and atmosphere, and top notch acting.  If you have a chance before the Oscars, go.  
Photos of the day are at flickr.


Edit