Comments on: Into New Zealand’s Strange Waters and Prehistoric Forests http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/01/into-new-zealands-strange-waters-and-prehistoric-forests/ Just another blogs.smithsonianmag.com site Sun, 12 May 2013 14:12:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Daniel Del Grande http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/01/into-new-zealands-strange-waters-and-prehistoric-forests/#comment-246 Daniel Del Grande Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:47:23 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=954#comment-246 Having just this AM returned from New Zealand, I can attest to the cool ocean temperatures that make paua diving a quick activity. Unfortunately for me, I found zero legal size paua up in Coromandel, but I expect the population of the elusive paua is more abundant in south island. I was surprised that one needs no fishing license in NZ, but then I gather it is a smaller, self-regulating community. New Zealand is just a bit "shorter" than California and Oregon combined, much narrower, and has only 4.4 million population, or about half the population of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. I can't wait to return! Having just this AM returned from New Zealand, I can attest to the cool ocean temperatures that make paua diving a quick activity. Unfortunately for me, I found zero legal size paua up in Coromandel, but I expect the population of the elusive paua is more abundant in south island.

I was surprised that one needs no fishing license in NZ, but then I gather it is a smaller, self-regulating community. New Zealand is just a bit “shorter” than California and Oregon combined, much narrower, and has only 4.4 million population, or about half the population of the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

I can’t wait to return!

]]> By: Emma Smith http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/01/into-new-zealands-strange-waters-and-prehistoric-forests/#comment-245 Emma Smith Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:36:36 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=954#comment-245 I like the sheep! But why is Christchurch one of 11 places not to visit? I like the sheep! But why is Christchurch one of 11 places not to visit?

]]> By: BB Walker http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/01/into-new-zealands-strange-waters-and-prehistoric-forests/#comment-244 BB Walker Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:32:24 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=954#comment-244 Keep these coming! Better you than me, diving for abalone. Keep these coming! Better you than me, diving for abalone.

]]> By: Cally http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/2012/01/into-new-zealands-strange-waters-and-prehistoric-forests/#comment-242 Cally Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:52:18 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/adventure/?p=954#comment-242 Hi Alastair and Andrew, welcome to New Zealand, it is great to read that you are experiencing the country in all its richness and uniqueness. It's also great to hear you braved Christchurch despite dodgy online reports (what DID happen on December 16th? Nothing I know of, and I was here!) ... for the intrepid traveller or hardy person, then aftershocks and quakes around the 3-4 or even 5 magnitude at shallow depth and close location really aren't that bad. Or at least, they are an experience that perhaps is worth having ... how DO you feel if the very earth you rely on for stability is moving? How do you cope with that? What are your thoughts? How does it change your perception of life and living? These are questions we in Christchurch have all had to face (those of us deciding to stay), and working through the answers to those questions, you realise just because life was always easy doesn't mean it always will be; and just because life is hard, doesn't mean it's not worth living, it is! So welcome to Christchurch to you and all intrepid and curious travellers, it's an interesting time and now a place to learn about how you really cope outside of your comfort zone. It's character building and an eye-opener, and I can honestly say, I now wouldn't have it any other way now that I see how the challenges make my life and aspirations so much clearer and meaningful. Cally Christchurch Hi Alastair and Andrew, welcome to New Zealand, it is great to read that you are experiencing the country in all its richness and uniqueness. It’s also great to hear you braved Christchurch despite dodgy online reports (what DID happen on December 16th? Nothing I know of, and I was here!) … for the intrepid traveller or hardy person, then aftershocks and quakes around the 3-4 or even 5 magnitude at shallow depth and close location really aren’t that bad. Or at least, they are an experience that perhaps is worth having … how DO you feel if the very earth you rely on for stability is moving? How do you cope with that? What are your thoughts? How does it change your perception of life and living? These are questions we in Christchurch have all had to face (those of us deciding to stay), and working through the answers to those questions, you realise just because life was always easy doesn’t mean it always will be; and just because life is hard, doesn’t mean it’s not worth living, it is!

So welcome to Christchurch to you and all intrepid and curious travellers, it’s an interesting time and now a place to learn about how you really cope outside of your comfort zone. It’s character building and an eye-opener, and I can honestly say, I now wouldn’t have it any other way now that I see how the challenges make my life and aspirations so much clearer and meaningful.

Cally
Christchurch

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