iIn 1884, this elegantly curving timber wharf, graced by white-painted handrails, welcomed the biggest oceangoing freighters running between New Zealand and Britain. From here the sailing ship Dunedin, carrier of New Zealand’s first shipment of frozen meat, sailed into oblivion in 1890. Big British tramps loaded grain during the South African (Boer) War. Sumpter Wharf fell into disuse between the wars.
Nowadays it’s the home of 100s of Cormorants. They all fly out to sea at times and this forbidden (to the public) wharf is empty - except for this poor little baby (albeit big baby) to cry for its parent! I hear it bleating but it remained alone and eventually went to sleep, I suppose!
Three good things:
1. Most of the cormorants come home.
2. So do the blue penguins in nearby penguin land! (its all go!)
3. At a very small coffee bar in this area, called “Penguins Nest’, we had an excellent black coffee! And the sea was really this brilliant turquoise colour!
beautiful shades of blue. for some reasons, that side of the earth's oceans has, to me, a more beautiful colour than the other. you captured this so well. and cormorants are the easiest birds to photograph.
Terrific shot and an interesting bit of history. Got to feel a little sorry for the baby cormorant. A fabulous composition with the birds flying around the wharf.
Sounds like a sight to see and hear. I've seen a large flock of them- when visiting Florida one year, but not in the 100's. I'm sure the little guy was happy when Mamma came home.
fav