Dawn on Anzac Day

This morning I chose to run to the top of Maungawhau to try and catch the sunrise. Left about 10 minutes later than ideal, and there was a thick band of heavy black cloud along the eastern horizon (out of picture to the right).

Despite that, and a consciousness that I do post a lot of sunrises, I'm really quite happy with this shot. Taken looking North-East across the harbour and inner gulf to Rangitoto, also visible are a couple of landmarks relevant to today, being Anzac Day, the day New Zealand acknowledges the service men and women who fought and died in the wars of the 20th century.

In the left foreground can be seen the Auckland War Memorial Museum. On the other side of the Museum, on consecrated ground, is the Cenotaph. Thousands of Aucklanders were gathered there for the Dawn Service, which was no doubt ending at about the time I took this photo.

In the centre, in front of the larger volcanic island (Rangitoto) is a smaller volcanic cone, known as North Head. This is the northern end of the Waitemata Harbour. During World War II tunnels were created in this cone, and a large gun was placed to protect Auckland from a seaborne invasion. I understand that the limitation to the angle through which it could be turned would have made it next to useless. Fortunately it was not needed.

Thirty or forty years ago, attendance at these services was generally confined to members (past and present) of the military and their families. Now, many young people attend, and there has been a burgeoning of awareness about the wars and one hopes an opposition to future wars.