Mystery explosions solved - does long dead volcano become alive again??

As you know - we had a rather large earthquake in Christchurch and that February  shake did do some decent damage to the area.  As you probably also know - Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's third-most populous urban area. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast,   just north of Banks Peninsula (ok so that part is the important part here).  wohooo
Banks Peninsula forms the most prominent volcanic feature of the South Island. Geologically speaking, the peninsula comprises the eroded remnants of two large composite shield volcanoes (Lyttelton formed first, then Akaroa), and the smaller Mt Herbert Volcanic Group. These formed due to intraplate volcanism between approximately eleven and eight million years ago (Miocene) on a continental crust. The peninsula formed initially as offshore islands, with the volcanoes reaching to about 1,500 m above sea level. Two dominant craters formed Lyttelton and Akaroa Harbours. The portion of crater rim lying between Lyttelton Harbour and Christchurch city forms the Port Hills.  Actually Banks Peninsula comprises 15 volcanic vents/cones - not 3. These have not been active for 6 million years and the subduction zone and 'hot spot' that made their creation possible has long since moved away - much like the Hawaiian chain islands of extinct volcanoes.  So they say . . . . .

So naturally when we had the 6.2 earthquake one of the most often questions asked was: is the volcano coming alive again?!  Common consensus  until that point in time was - no chance - it is extinct  and has been so for some long time. 

Further our GNS scientists here in NZ have tested the hot springs around Banks Peninsula post-quakes.  The chemical composition of that water is not that which would indicate volcanic activity/source.  The massive amount of liquefaction and earthquakes that Christchurch has experienced has caused changes in our water table and natural spring levels but again nothing indicating volcanic activity or presence of magma. 

See this link and read the story there:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/5183064/Lyttelton-eruption-not-possible

However in the last few months there have been "mystery explosions" and deep rolling boom sounds recorded in the eastern part of town.  The hot springs tested - have also  been noted to be - well - hotter.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/67417742/Mystery-big-explosion-in-Christchurch

Further - I lost count how many aftershocks we have experienced since Feb 2011 but it is fair to say it is in excess of 3000.


So guess what was observed today - urm - yesterday??  One gigantic enormous steam-cloud being spewed forth from the crater rim, rising vertically  several hundred meters before it flattened  out.  Steam - which means water had to be heated by magma and find its way up and out.   It was a impressive sight for sure!
I tried to ring the local Geonet people who intially did take my call - but then laughed this off - and hung up.  Subsequent phone calls were ignored.  I think they may have put me on a barred list.  Sighs
Luckily for me - I had my camera with the long lens with me at the time, so was able to take urm - 'an evidence - photo'.  

Leaving work later in the afternoon and taking another look - by then the steam had dissipated - so I guess the volcano run out of - urm - steam?? Or was it puff??
Either way -  Banks Peninsula may be declared as dead volcanoes, now I am not so sure anymore . . . . .

Have fun


 

Austrian Bed and Breakfast in Kiwiland - post script

hmmm as promised below are some pictures of the original haunts of the (then) young intrepid traveller!! (Thanks Sara for emailing them!!)


Fairhaven - as it is still known.  Myself - I had the task of washing all the windows from the inside . .  and outside at one stage.  Actually that particular building is going soon to be demolished and will make way for a new development in aged care.







Wesley complex near Hagley Park- the old house is under a heritage protection order and the developer could do only a teeny-weeny amount of work in converting the house back into flats! The big structure attached and behind is new and had to be designed so as to "blend in".  Hmmmmmm  Actually this one seems to have survived the earthquakes very well.



Well let's see - there used to be no second story on when we lived there.  Lounge at the far left corner and back of the building and the front corner was his room and the front right corner our bedroom and the lounge is on the other side - along with the essentials of toilet / shower / washroom.  It was also un-insulated - so got cold in winter = nothing that a good coal fire could not cure! Ahhh those where the days in Christchurch when you could still have an open fire with good ol' westcoast coal to heat your house! actually - wonder where they put the staircase in this configuration.  From memory it was a tiny space to start with.


Well - That's all Folks (bugs Bunny)
Have fun


 

Short hop to Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a lovely seaside town - famous for it's crayfish and general fishing industry. Today was "Sarah day" and having decided to visit Kaikoura we got going at around 10am. Traffic a bit chaotic. Still we got there in good time. First stop the local info center where we walked in and straight back out again and went in search for a local cafe for a light lunch for the two bears and breakfast for the two young travelers. Having quenched our hunger we made tracks to the Kaikoura Peninsula walk way. Saw lots of Rata and Pohutukawa in flower along the way. Still learning which is which but getting better in picking them.   There are two possible routes to start with - and we perhaps foolishly went over the top to begin with.  Never-mind the views where really stunning and offered lots of opportunity  for photo-stops.  It was also a hot boiling day - made worse by the lack of wind and the grass reflecting back some heat.  Sweat was pouring of our backs - which I guess helped work of the pounds from some late lunches and previous nights pavlova!! Looking down from the top you could see various seals lounging around and we did have the opportunity to go down to the 'alternative' if non-official walkway later on. There are at various places some signs up that explain about the history and rock formation of the place, including the fauna and flora.  The area has been raised due to earth upheavals at various times - the most recent being about 1-3 millions years ago - the flat bits on the sea floor.  We longingly looked at the clear and invitingly blue coloured water and decided to go down to it and take a paddle.  Normally the sea around Kaikoura is quite cold - but here due to the flat nature and only 2-3 feet deep - it warmed up nicely in the sunshine.  Mamabear can be seen sampling the water and enjoying the view.  No seals or other wildlife came anywhere near so that was a relief. In the meantime I enjoyed snapping this picture of the cliff face we stayed under and managed to get the sun just poking through without ruining the rest of the picture.  The signs on the beginning of the walk way do warn that the tide needs watching as it will come in and almost cut you off.  We ended up having to get our feet wet and climb over some rocks and cliff faces to get back to the starting point - which provided some hilarity and angst at the same time.  Nothing to dangerous on todays efforts - but I would not want to be trapped with a raging easterly swell.  Yes says Sara - I made it out without getting my feet wet!!  Having spent most of the energy from our lunch on walking, it was back into town for a coffee and a drink.  While that was consumed I managed to go and find some cloth badges - including - yes folks  - including a newly minted version for Kaikoura badge -  which will find it's way on to my camp-blanket.  Most satisfying and once again proofing that you had to be a Johnny on the spot person.  By that stage it was getting towards the evening and having enjoyed the sun and warmth we needed to make a decision - should we stay here and have dinner here and be back  home late or go now and have dinner at home - well - thats a no-brainer really - we  decided to stay and enjoy what's left of the day.  So we headed north in search of the St Oswald's Church which was built in 1927 by Mr and Mrs Charles Murray in memory of their son Charles. However we weren't to sure how far north it is from Kaikoura so stopped at a local bay and enjoyed the evening sun with the cousins enjoying a game of knock down the stones  with varying degree of success.  Probably just as well as we did not go and look for the church - google map shows it near Kekerengu which is a lot further north then Mamabear had remembered. 
www.Kekerengu.html  Funny thing is - I also forgot it had what would have to be the worlds smallest Railway station.  Bearly enough for one person to be in it.
 The  beach near the church though is very nice indeed and well worth a visit. Saw a train going past us - and the low rumbling noise it generated reminded us very much of the noise we had heard during the 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch. Back into town for a much needed dinner and as Moritz well knows - Kaikoura is a Maori word which can be translated as follows Kai = Food and Koura = lobster (or seafood).  After dinner it was time to head home - literally drove into the sunset - nice going. 


 





Looking down to the spot where we ended up sampling the water and enjoyed the rest.  Notice the tide still being out? By the time we left it was right up









Looks cold - but it wasn't - really!

Austrian Bed and Breakfast in Kiwiland

A long time ago in the dark-ages, a intrepid traveller landed on our shores and was in need of some TLC and well - other things.  He stayed with us in Christchurch for a year - 6 month of which we had the pleasure of housing him eg. he flatted with us.  Just prior to him coming here his Nephew Moritz was born - so we saw everything through his eyes.  Said nephew is a fine young man now and is also touring the world - along with is cousin - who both managed to be in the same time and space in New Zealand, and thanks to the "encouragement" of their Uncle they dropped by, for a couple of days.  First day was a "Moritz" day - activities of his choosing.
I had to be at work in the morning - but Mamabear had the day of and so first up they went to the Antarctic Center where they enjoyed the penguins and chill room and all other stuff relating to the Ice.  Christchurch is the staging post for many nations to fly down to the Antartic and do whatever study or research they do there.  The Center acts as  tourist attraction along with an educational aspect.  Seems Sara got boosebumps once she experienced the windchill factor room (minus 20 degrees). From there they picked me up from work and we headed into town for a light lunch.  The first place of choice was closed due to earthquake risk - so trundeled along or through Hagley Park to the Antigua boatsheds - where a really good and late lunch had been enjoyed in the sunshine.  From there it was back to the car via the rosegarden section of our Botanical Gardens and we did a 'let's see Wilfrieds old haunts tour' !! So we stopped at old Wesley - which has since been sold to a developer and changed shape a little bit (the original houses are still there though) to take a photo and sold a story or two.  From there to the place we used to live in Suva street.  Must have looked weird standing outside on the road and taking a picture.  Place had at one time burned on the inside but the mainstructure was still there - since then the owner added more room's on top of the house!! After this we headed to Brighton Beach - which was very windy with a chilly easterly - almost southerly coming of the sea.  Lots of white caps. The really weird thing was that the tide was up - and we have NEVER seen so little space between the dunes and the sea. Also there was a lot of debris lying round from the stuff that got washed out to sea from the swollen rivers - which came about the norwestcoast rains falling in the Alps. There was a news story of a "Wall of Water' coming down the Waimakiriri river - but nothing was ever shown on any news later in the day.  Suffice to say - when it rains in the Alps the river-water levels can raise by 1-3 meters in the space of half an hour. Anyhow I was talking to the life guard on return walk and mentioned the tide and his take was that it now regularly comes up right up to the dunes, and his view was, that it had something to do with the recent earthquakes.  Seemed silly - until we remembered that the land around Brighton and eastern suburbs have reportedly dropped 50cm - 1 meter, which would explain the higher then normal tide leves.  Hmmmmmm
From there we went around the ring route and up the Port Hills to the House of Takehe. Also closed due to earthquake risk. Seems during driving round town we mentioned the Shakes quite a bit.  Still we got a good view of the town and the outlaying 'Burbs. Back down the hill and a stopover at Fairhaven (another obligatory photo and story told) and it was time for home and a chinwag.  After some thoughts and discussion it was decided to go to Kaikoura tomorrow. Inbetween that we had a Pavlova for Dessert - and we hear that a certain more maturer Austrian is a expert Pav-maker.  We are looking forward to tasting one of his creations next time he visits us!! (no pressure)









The Tide was still coming in and had another 3-4 meters to go.











So if we row a boat in THAT direction - we would - urm eventually hit Chile?? Yup!!

Short hop to Akaroa and back

 

 

Seeing we are on holiday and needed to get out of the house in order to avoid 'cabin-fever' we always had it in our mind to hop over the Port Hills to Akaroa.  The town is a nice quaint little place and has a rather unique position in NZ history, as it was originally settled by the French.  Their claim to sovereignty (to the French)

did not last long and the town soon became part of the NZ / England colony setup. However it is something they still make a big thing about - especially now with the tourists coming.  So the original street names are all in French and lots of French flags are flying etc.
With Lyttelton being out of action as a suitable harbour (due to the recent earthquakes and the repairs needed for pier etc) the cruise ships now come to Akaroa harbour and gorge anything from 2-3500 people onshore - most who will go on to other places in the South Island. This in a town that at best has 500 residents living there. Some tourists though stay in the town and go for walks / shopping sprees etc.  I must have been looking the part as we were asked 3 times if I came from the boat.  I mean DO I LOOK like a tourist??? ^^   Honestly!!  Anyway our lunch was very nice and we didn't mind the crowds and throngs and had a great day. You may not see it in the pictures but we had spill over showers from the storm that hit the Westcoast and made walking and taking pictures a bit of fun.  In between these showers there was some really nice blue sky and really warm temperatures.  Turns out the weather did do some significant damage to the Coast. They had 500ml (or more in some parts) for the last 24 hours. Roads where cut by slips or bridges washed out and a vital fibre optic cable was also cut - so some folks had no internet / telephone. Anyway - the other reason we came over was to spot the Pohutukawa trees in Akaroa.  Some where in flower and we were sure a tad later flowering then last year.
They make for a interesting back drop to "The Diamond Princess" cruise ship!!
This however sparked a conversation if the trees are Southern Rata instead.  Indeed they do look very similar and are hard to distinguish.  Must go and research that in a mo - already asked the question on the Crimson Project Facebook page.  --->    www.facebook.com/Project-Crimson-Trust

There is also this blog ---->  thecraigcliff.blogspot.co.nz/difference-between rata.html

which gives a reasonable description!  It's a starting point for a learning curve for me!!  The Local DOC site needs a bit more work - but is also a good starting point --->   www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-plants/rata/

Anyhow - we had a local tradition for tea that day - they do catch and prepare a very nice Akaroa Blue Cod - fish and the one and only Fish and Chip shop recently re-opened after being to heavily damaged in the earthquakes and needed bulldozing!  The Fish is VERY nice to eat - nice white flesh and really light in texture.  Yumnmy. Sadly - the price was a bit inflated - not sure that NZ $9 is warranted - but then the tourists can't get enough of them - so yeah they are making hay while the sun is shining- so to speak.  After this it was time to head back home to Christchurch - in the rain which had well and truly set in now.  The boys tell us they had some thunder and lightning - not that they could see the lightning - but they could hear it - another rarity for Christchurch.

Have fun!

 

Upstairs downstairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

I distinctly remember a British TV program called "Upstairs, downstairs" - it was a tv series that run for several seasons.  Guess the modern version is
<----------

Downton Abbey

The Original TV series "upstairs, downstairs' is set in a large townhouse in Edwardian, First World War and Inter-War, Belgravia in London, and the series depicts the lives of the servants "downstairs" and their masters - the family "upstairs".  The series stands as a document of the social and technological changes that occurred between 1903 and 1930. In short all about how the rich and famous live and how their lives interact with the other rich and famous and also with their servants.  Cut a long story short - we sort of had our own up and down.

After a very long time and several earthquakes we decided that we would finish the upstairs bedroom / living-room / walking wardrobe and bathroom with a preferred choice of flooring.  That necessitated that everything had to be cleared - and I do mean everything.  The marital bed got shifted to the lounge downstairs and - and, oh yeah, I have this 180 liter fish-tank that needed shifting - no small feat.

Kinda weird having the bed back down here - and hehehe would not be the first time.  All in all I think we slept here 4 x since we had shifted in to our House.  It makes for an interesting evening of watching TV.  Actually - I ALMOST wanted to keep this bed there- watching TV in Bed and just being a couple of steps away from the kitchen - what more could a bloke want??!!

The bed frame - yes it is a slate-bed.  It is supposed to be the best way of sleeping.  Eagle eyed folks will notice the running repairs on one of the slats.  This was the only thing I could not shift out - it being to big to store anywhere and way to big to go down the narrow and  a hair raising 90 degrees left turn down the staircase.  Ah well - no harm done.

Urm - well - yes  - one does collect quite a bit of stuff.  Luckily for us when the additions where done, we ended up with this bonus store room - very convenient for storing stuff - either temporary and/or permanently!!  Only problem was - erm - see - it was so full you needed a mountaineering expertise to get to any stuff - either that or wait until it see's the daylight again.
There is a whole lot of other stuff that made it into Micky's room - with him being away on a 4 month Army training course.  Very convenient - only to be told he's coming home n sick-leave - having busted his knee.  This means that  HE will have to sleep in the garage for a week or two - again not a first for our family.

Meanwhile the flooring guy worked away and here you can see the beginning of something beautiful.  We so love the look of timber and these 7mm Vinyl planks are almost the next best thing, easy to wear and care and almost as warm on the feat. They certainly look the part and you could be forgiven for mistaking this as timber.  

Progress in the bedroom.  All in all it took him 3 days to lay the planks.  Come to think of it - they still not finished - with the bull nose on the staircase yet to be nailed in - but yeah - I soon can shift the bed back upstairs - and claim my lounge back.  Oh and yeah - we do not need to worry about making any erm - hehehe  inappropriate noises that could carry to the other people living here ^^

The en suite - all finished!!  It does look great and Mamabear is impressed!! - I am glad I paid someone to do this - firstly I could not have done a better job (in fact probably a more lousy job) and secondly It would have taken me more then 2 weeks to complete the job!!  This morning we started shifting stuff back upstairs - the bed and other bits and pieces.  Had fun shifting the aquarium - all 180 liters (ok I emptied it as much as I could but even so), and busted my lower back (I am having a 'loose disk' that sometimes goes out of alignment and causes referred pain).  But yeah - no servants to help. Although son numero uno was of great help - he's got youth and more muscles to his credit!

So now we can live upstairs again in our hideaway. Let the upstairs, downstairs lives re-start and begin.
Hmmm I see they are making a revival with Jean Marsh reprising her role as Rose alongside a new cast in the same Eaton Place household, with the first series aired on 26 December 2010.  Wonder if Mamabear knows . . . . . 

Christchurch mag 6.3 earthquake February 22

yes well - dunno if you can read the small print?! Had to scan this with the printer gadget thingie - as I could not find it on the web.  This photo was published in this mornings edition of "The Press" and apparently by last night there have been  120 000 Tonnes of silt been shifted - sits in a landfill atm. (60 000 tones yet to be shifted) And yes -I can confirm that the forecast nor-west winds are here can make life pretty unpleasant. The stuff is so fine - it is like talcum powder when dry. Love the way the tonka trucks SCALE the amount of silt . . .

hmmm lets see if I find a youtube clip of the stuff bubbling up . . . .



and




what next I ask . . . . .