Oosterdam Cruise Vacation 2015

In this composition you can see the cruise ship Crystal Serenity, three of her lifeboats and the two Ports of Auckland tugs 'Waipapa' (left) and 'Waka Kume'. What you can not see (or even deduce from the little splash behind 'Waipapa') is the delightful scene which had just unfolded before my eyes. The tugs, having completed their duties with Serenity, headed towards each other, both performed an exuberant pirouette before the maritime equivalent of a fist-bump, shown here, then headed rather more sedately back to their berths. 200_2_P1030246C

The Wallenius Wilhelmsen vehicle carrier 'Tønsberg' slips away from the quayside at Auckland. I love the symmetries which my travels bring me as themes and sights recur and intersect. I previously photographed 'Tønsberg' at Southampton on 20 September 2014 from a cruise ship I had joined there. On this occasion, I was in Auckland to join a cruise. How many miles had 'Tønsberg' covered between my sightings? 200_2_P1030259C

The Wallenius Wilhelmsen vehicle carrier 'Tønsberg' leaving Auckland. 200_2_P1030262

In a composition I hope many will find pleasing, the Wallenius Wilhelmsen vehicle carrier 'Tønsberg' leaves Auckland behind Crystal Serenity which was under way to Tauranga after a two night stay. 200_2_P1030263C

AT Metro CityLink Alexander Dennis bodied Enviro 200 4002/FYT416 in Queen Street Auckland at Britomart. 200_2_P1030135

The countryside in New Zealand is absolutely beautiful. This is a view from Pukerangi station seen during our excursion on the Taieri Gorge Railway and shot while the locomotives were waiting to start the return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030955

Taken primarily for a Flickr group, this tranquil scene is at Pukerangi station, Taieri Gorge Railway, Otago. 200_2_P1030956

The Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (left) and 3228 on a cruise ship excursion stand at Pukerangi prior to the return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030958

The Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (left) and 3228 on a cruise ship excursion stand at Pukerangi prior to the return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030971

The countryside in New Zealand is absolutely beautiful and the habitations often remote. This is a view from Pukerangi station seen during our excursion on the Taieri Gorge Railway and shot while the locomotives were waiting to start the return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030975

Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (further from camera) and 3228 wait at Pukerangi on the Taieri Gorge Railway for a northbound train hauled by classmate 1227 to pass before commencing their return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030977

Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (further from camera) and 3228 wait at Pukerangi on the Taieri Gorge Railway for a northbound train hauled by classmate 1227 to pass before commencing their return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1030992

Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (further from camera) and 3228 wait at Pukerangi on the Taieri Gorge Railway for a northbound train hauled by classmate 1227 to pass before commencing their return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1040004

Dunedin Railways DJ Class Mitsubishi Bo-Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives 3107 (further from camera) and 3228 wait at Pukerangi on the Taieri Gorge Railway for a northbound train hauled by classmate 1227 to pass before commencing their return journey to Port Chalmers. 200_2_P1040007

Senator National Aquarium of New Zealand/Te Whare Tangaroa O Aotearoa, Napier. 200_2_P1030637

Hawk-billed Turtle National Aquarium of New Zealand/Te Whare Tangaroa O Aotearoa, Napier. 200_2_P1030639

School Shark (The type of shark requires verification) National Aquarium of New Zealand/Te Whare Tangaroa O Aotearoa, Napier. 200_2_P1030642

goBay Optare Excel 840/CRF812 at the National Aquarium of New Zealand, Napier. 200_2_P1030605