For most of my life, I’ve lived close to the sea. I’m not a particularly strong swimmer, so I feel happiest in that area where the land meets the water.
My home city, Auckland lies on an isthmus between the Waitemata and Manukau Harbours. Rangitoto Island, the city’s newest volcano, is visible from all the beaches of the Waitemata, and forms the backdrop to thousands of photos.

A different day, a different mood. Rangitoto at sunrise, seen from Milford Beach,Auckland, NZ. Photo: Su Leslie, 2014
With 14,000 kilometres (about 8700 miles) of coastline — and no place in the country more than 130km (81 miles) from the sea (1) — most New Zealanders take for granted the ability to visit a beach; to walk, swimming, or go fishing or boating. Even those of us who don’t live close to the beach are generally not far from a lake or river.
Of course sometimes land meets water in places in ways and places that damage eco-systems and livelihoods. Winter storms increasingly appear to cause flooding in many parts of the world, and NZ is no exception. Although this temporary lake looks beautiful, the economic, social and environmental cost of flooding cannot be ignored.
This post was written for Aisla’s Travel Theme , ‘land meets water’ at Where’s my Backpack.
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It’s interesting how diverse the areas can be where land meets water. Great pictures!
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Thank you. We had a whole bunch more flooding last night. Bit late to make it into the post — and I would have had to go out in the rain 😦
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Beautiful, Su.
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Thanks Susan 🙂
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Love that early morning at Lake Rotoiti, Su!
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Thank you. It was a perfect morning, and I was pretty much the only person around.
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Glorious solitude! Well, it is sometimes!
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These are lovely shots. Thank you for showing us your homeland.
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Thanks Tish. 🙂
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Stunning photos!
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Thanks Mish 🙂
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Stunning! Especially early morning at Lake Rotoiti, but I also like the pairs of photos showing the same place at different times.
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Thanks Anabel. I feel very fortunate to have so many great beaches nearby.
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Stunning photos Su. Love the skies over Rangitoto.
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Thanks Raewyn. I never get tired of Rangitoto.
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We have ‘not far from water’ in common, Su. My favourite shot is that early morning lake. Quite blissful! 🙂
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Thanks Jo. The Nelson Lakes area, including Lake Rotoiti, is utterly beautiful. I’d probably trade my city life (even coastal fringe city life) for that. 🙂
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Awesome. Those images just cool me down. I felt the water on my skin. 🙂 The blazing sun and the lake are my favorites.
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Love these photos, especially Shell Bed and Spray on the rocks. I’ve gotten behind on following your blog, so I’m trying to do some catching up!
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Reblogged this on Surprising lives and commented:
Another great reblog from Su Leslie at Zimmerbitch.
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