Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: admin on March 27, 2009, 08:19:50 PM

Title: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on March 27, 2009, 08:19:50 PM
This was not a botanising trip, the trout fishing there is FAR too good………….. Did get a few plan pics when fishing  though

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Are Raoulias really that hard to grow?

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Close up

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Celmisia and Aciphylla  – there were millions of them

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Below Mount Cook,  a braided river where the Raoulias flourish
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Maggi Young on March 27, 2009, 08:46:05 PM
It is a very beautiful country, is it not? The scenery is the stuff of quality calendars and no mistake!
We're awfully pleased to have you home, though, Fred!  :-*
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Carol Shaw on March 28, 2009, 04:18:48 PM
It is a very beautiful country, is it not? The scenery is the stuff of quality calendars and no mistake!
We're awfully pleased to have you home, though, Fred!  :-*

Indeed we are Fred :)
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Lvandelft on March 28, 2009, 11:04:48 PM
Fred thank you for showing these pics of Raoulia.
I think they were never showed on the Forum, growing like this.
Very interesting!
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Lesley Cox on March 30, 2009, 02:35:25 AM
I hope you caught a fish or two Fred. Your pictures are lovely and it's always good to "see oorsels as ithers see us." You were lucky to see Mt Cook so nicely. I've spent days in the area with never a sight of it.

The flat raoulias are at their best in pure grit/gravel. If one can supply a high altitude river bed, so much the better. ;D
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on March 30, 2009, 07:04:47 AM
Yes Lesely,  I caught some very nice trout!

Some pretty bad weather on the  west coast scuppered our plans to go further south, however the last week was spent in northern Otaga (Omarama) and we saw Mt. Cook every day. NZ is a lovely place (Scotland on steroids), very few people and that is good!  I see you get Coronation Street on TV - ah well, nowhere's perfect...... ;D

I'll be back at the first opportunity.


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Evening light - Mt Cook over lake Pukaki


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Fishing not far from Tolkein's  "Plains of Rohan" (Tekapo river)

Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on March 30, 2009, 08:13:57 AM
I suppose I can think of worse places to go trout fishing Fred !  ;D ;D
Excellent shots - I hope you have some more for us ?  :D
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Lesley Cox on March 30, 2009, 10:05:52 PM
Pleased you enjoyed it Fred. It's an OK place mostly. As to Coro St, that's brilliant, compared with a huge amount of what can only be called crap, from both UK and USA. Local TV content is extremely anal. (Well I guess that means crap too but I really mean that it is so self focused, assuring us all what a wonderful bunch of yobs we are, but not sufficiently wonderful to be able to cope with something requiring intelligence. I spend a lot of TV time reading instead. :-X)
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: maggiepie on March 30, 2009, 10:27:08 PM
Fantastic photos, Fred, one of my biggest regrets is never visiting NZ when it was possible.
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on March 31, 2009, 07:02:25 AM
I really liked the temperate rain forest areas on the west coast. Here is a picture of my pal Alex fishing a pristine spring creek near Harihari, south of Greymouth, and me with a nice trout from the same creek. Look at the clarity of the water!  This is fly fishing paradise for me, very difficult, technical fishing and  the fish are enormous by European standards as well as being completely wild. I have travelled to a lot of countries over the years, but nowhere has left as much of an impression on me since I was in my 20s. It is a  great place and the natives are very friendly

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Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: ranunculus on March 31, 2009, 07:36:57 AM
It's a great pleasure to view your tremendous images of paradise, Fred ... many thanks for posting.
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Maggi Young on March 31, 2009, 12:53:32 PM
I can believe that fish is wild, Fred, actually, he looks absolutely furious  ;D
Ah, yes, those old jokes are the best  :P ;)
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: David Nicholson on March 31, 2009, 07:10:55 PM
Chips any good Fred? ;D
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on March 31, 2009, 08:23:37 PM
Chips any good Fred? ;D

They were good with the t bone steaks!  We didn’t kill any fish, they should  still be swimming around  there somewhere. I think big trout  are worth more to the NZ economy alive than on my plate!  :)


Incidentally, how hardy is that NZ flax? The stuff growing on the far side of the spring creek.
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: ian mcenery on March 31, 2009, 11:24:31 PM
I really liked the temperate rain forest areas on the west coast. Here is a picture of my pal Alex fishing a pristine spring creek near Harihari, south of Greymouth, and me with a nice trout from the same creek. Look at the clarity of the water!  This is fly fishing paradise for me, very difficult, technical fishing and  the fish are enormous by European standards as well as being completely wild. I have travelled to a lot of countries over the years, but nowhere has left as much of an impression on me since I was in my 20s. It is a  great place and the natives are very friendly


Fred as I also river fish for trout almost as much as I garden BOY oh BOY am I envious> . This has been on my to do list for too long . Looks like paradise for a fisherman  8) :o
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 01, 2009, 02:20:21 AM
Incidentally, how hardy is that NZ flax? The stuff growing on the far side of the spring creek.


Well Fred, it's as tough as old boots, here anyway. I believe at least some UK gardens grow it, on the west coast of Scotland for instance. Do you really want to try it? Can send some seeds later at some stage.
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on April 01, 2009, 05:24:18 PM
Well Fred, it's as tough as old boots, here anyway. I believe at least some UK gardens grow it, on the west coast of Scotland for instance. Do you really want to try it? Can send some seeds later at some stage.

I really liked that plant, it was everywhere (as  of course  you know). Not exactly a trough specimen of course but to me it just says NZ west coast. I might take you up on that Lesley!
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on April 01, 2009, 05:40:39 PM
Fred as I also river fish for trout almost as much as I garden BOY oh BOY am I envious> . This has been on my to do list for too long . Looks like paradise for a fisherman 

It  is Ian. The season has just started at home as you know,  but after NZ I find myself thinking what's the point? It's not just the fishing, it's the country, the attitude  and the   whole deal. You buy your season licence for abut 30 quid and go pretty much where you want. Try that here and  you would have Lord Poncenby-Stoat-Strangler  after you with a shotgun. The Kiwis are the friendliest people I have ever encountered.

That fish above was 4 ¾ lb, caught on a size 16 wire nymph.

Get over there. Here’s  another  few  photos to help you make up your mind.

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5 ¼ lb on a dry fly

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6 ½  lb on a dry fly

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7 lb on a dry fly
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Maggi Young on April 01, 2009, 06:06:47 PM
Just had a phone call from Lord Poncenby-Stoat-Strangler who tells me that since fox-hunting has been banned he has decided to do away  with blasting ramblers with a shotgun and  now plans to set the hounds on them instead .... he says that's  more fun than the foxes anyhow. ::) :-X
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Armin on April 01, 2009, 08:00:22 PM
Fred,
congratulations for this fantastic trouts ;)

Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 01, 2009, 10:29:37 PM
The season has just started at home as you know,  but after NZ I find myself thinking what's the point? It's not just the fishing, it's the country, the attitude  and the   whole deal. You buy your season licence for abut 30 quid and go pretty much where you want. Try that here and  you would have Lord Poncenby-Stoat-Strangler  after you with a shotgun. The Kiwis are the friendliest people I have ever encountered.


We do try Fred.
Perhaps if you revisit some time you might care to throw in a little time with the local alpine gardeners/Forumists.
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: David Lyttle on April 02, 2009, 11:07:47 AM
[


Perhaps if you revisit some time you might care to throw in a little time with the local alpine gardeners/Forumists.

Why would he when he is having so much fun catching fish ;D
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: Anthony Darby on April 02, 2009, 11:16:43 AM


Why would he when he is having so much fun catching fish ;D

Could be hobbit forming? ;D
Title: Re: A few pics from New Zealand
Post by: admin on April 02, 2009, 02:26:34 PM
Could be hobbit forming? ;D

Neither myself or my pal Alex are especially tall certainly  not compared to Alex's Kiwi fishing guide mate John. We were round one evening at his house for dinner when the phone rang. It was a pal of his, another fishing guide. John told him he had a couple of Hobbits fresh in from middle earth.  :)







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