Treasures in Tidal Pools

By Eric and Mary


We have been to a lot of beaches but none of them have been THIS exiting.
Yesterday Mary discovered a whale's rib bone and Hannah discovered a broken Paua shell (vary valuable).

Then we heard that there's a kind of very thin and see-through fish called White Bait (in the white pail). People love to eat them.

Mary and Dad saw people fishing for Snapper (a kind of fish). But by accident, they caught Sand sharks. We rushed down to the beach and found shark heads, fins, tails and guts spread out.
Later in the tide pools we found a giant purple star fish. It was about to die, but we put it in the sea.

Mary found a WHOLE Paua shell. Dad found a Sea Urchin and when you put your finger on, it would suck on your finger with its tentacles! We also found lots of Hermit Crabs.
Later on we went back out to look for more treasures, but we didn't have much luck. Mary and Eric went for a walk on the rocks and then we heard Dad yelling for us. We thought, “What could be so important?”
We came running anyway to discover a one metre long, purple OCTUPUS! It had big, yellow, scary eyes. Hannah was back at the camper. And Mom was just about to go back. She had the camera so we yelled and screamed at her. Luckily Mom got there in time and this is how we got this picture. Dad says he found it slithering between his ankles. Dad tried to touch it but right when he did, it wrapped around him like it expected Dad to touch it.- probably because it has big eyes.
And this happened all in one day!

Right Side Up or Upside Down?

By Eric

I've learned that the whole solar system is upside down! When we were camping a few nights ago I noticed that the moon looked upside down. It felt weird so I took this picture.

Do you notice any thing different?

Last night I went to an Observatory that was built in 1903. We went inside the small building and a sphere shaped wood ceiling opened up with a pulley. I got to see Jupiter through a four meter long telescope. It looked like a circle with brown stripes.

I learned that instead of the Big Dipper that we see in Canada, there's the Southern Cross here in New Zealand. All the stars in Canada are different. The solar system can sometimes be very fascinating.

So who is upside down?

A Thermal Village

By Mary

Today we went to a Maori village. We went with a Tour Guide, he was funny. The Maori village was different because it was a thermal village and the people live there!

The village was right on a volcano so there were Guysers and little hot springs everywhere. They were bubbling hot and steaming. One of the pools was large and the Maroi people use it everyday as an oven. They cook veggies, eggs and fish in it. Plus it did not have a bottom! They put food in a bag and tie it to a rope. They tie the other end to a rock that is put on the edge of the pool. They cook it for 5-10 minutes. A meal cooked in the hot pool is called a Hangi.

In a cafe there were neat meat pies. The pies included veggies that were cooked in the hot pool. It was very hot. We saw outdoor baths that were very neat. They had warm silky water.

We also went to a Maori concert. It was beautiful. The dancers made some strange, interesting faces. I think it was part of the expression of their words. You will get to see a dance or two in this short clip that I filmed.

A yellow rock called sulphur made the village smell like rotten eggs and I don't think I would like to live in a thermal village.

A Tragic Loss

By Hannah

June 10th, 1886 was a terribly tragic day for the Haszard Family, for people in the village of Te Wairoa, and villages around them.

Mr. Haszard, the school teacher, his family and two guests were all sleeping in their beds when there was a tremendous rumble below them. Surely it must have been just an earthquake. Mr. Haszard, his daughter Clara, and a guest had all gone outside to see the inky black cloud over Mount Tarawera where lightning and fireballs were shooting out.

“It's the most wonderful thing I've ever seen,” said Mr. Haszard. (The New Zealand Chronicle, 1886). And they all went back inside.

The Haszard family went into the living room hoping that it would be the safest place in the house because its roof was made of iron. Mrs. Haszard sat in the middle of the room with her children gathered around her. Soon everyone became very scared as mud and fireballs hit the house. Clara left the house with the two guests while everyone else stayed in the house. Not long after, the house went up in flames. There was nothing anyone could do. By this time mud was flying from the mountain so were ashes. Mount Tarawera had erupted.
After the eruption, survivors went to look for missing people. Over 120 were found dead in over 3 metres of mud. Under the beams of her house Mrs. Haszard was found alive. Beneath her, her four year old daughter was found crushed and smothered in mud. Sadly, Mrs. Haszard had crushed her. Beside her they found her son, who Mrs.Haszard had her arm around.
She said she remembered her son saying, “Mama I will die with you.” (New Zealand Chronicles, 1886) Her six year old daughter cried out, “Oh, my head!” (New Zealand Chronicles, 1886) and was believed to die shortly after. Her husband also died but was never found. Her other daughter had been found and saved by a Moari girl. They had been hiding under the washer when the house had collapsed. Later they were found and saved.

Only the mother and two daughters had survived the eruption. It must have been the most tragic day of their lives. And today, one hundred and thirty years later, we walked through this buried village to see a dozen homes half-buried in hardened mud. I can not imagine the grief that mother and her two daughters felt.

Kiwi-New Zealand's National Bird

By Eric

Well... I didn't actually see a Kiwi bird yet
but I've seen a sanctuary for them and think I heard them.

I learned that it's nocturnal and flightless. It eats grubs and insects with its long, pointy beak.

THEY'RE ALMOST EXSTINCT!
One of their predators is a rat and I see rat traps set up in many places. Willem, when we get back, remind us to bring back a kiwi for Rose (my Rat) okay?

Kiwis are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kiwi!

By Eric
It feels like our hundredth camp site!

On our way here (this camp site) there was a store and it was ALL about kiwis (the fruit). It sold kiwi jam, kiwi wine and more. So you know how Brighton has the GIANT apple? Well here in Te Puke there's the giant kiwi.

I learned that in 1904 a teacher planted
Chinese Gooseberry seeds here and they grew reeeeeeeeeeally well. So the name has been changed to kiwi. I also learned that there are two kinds of kiwi: the green kiwi and the golden kiwi, which is yellow! I like kiwis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Strange Tree

By Hannah

New Zealand forests look like Canadian forests with blotches of jungle-like plants in them. One strange, tall tree (20 metres) looks like something from a playmobile set. They have soft, green long leaves that sort of look like pine needles, but they all face upward. There are probably about 100 branches on each tree, and they are all spread apart. I learned that these trees are called Norfolk Pines.

When the famous explorer Captain Cook came to New Zealand, the first thing that he noticed about it was this strange tree. He found these trees very interesting. Also these trees were first discovered on Norfolk Island between New Zealand and Australia.

Making a Hot Tub

By Mary

Today we went to the beach, not just any beach - a hot water beach. Most of you are wondering what a hot water beach is and I am about to tell you. As we walked down the frozen beach we stepped in a puddle, but again, not any puddle. This was a burning hot puddle!
We rented a shovel and started digging. We had to find a place that was not too cold or not too hot. If it was too hot you would burn yourself and if it was too cold you would freeze. Water heated by the centre of the earth comes up through cracks in the earth's crust and makes hot springs. Hot springs slowly rise up in different areas of the sand on Hot Water Beach.
After we were finished digging holes and our bodies were warm, we ran into the freezing ocean and jumped back into our cozy hot tub holes.

First Days

By Eric
Guess what?!!! We're going to almost ten campsites! Our first one had a playground and it had this merry-go-round. I fell off it five times! Mary and I called it THE HANNAH because she LOVED! it.

We went hiking (up The Lion and to a waterfall) but actually in
New Zealand hiking is called “tramping”

I took this pictures. I need help finding the name of these birds. Can you help me?