Rather cold

We came to the beach yesterday. We actually came early and enjoyed a glorious warm and sunny spring afternoon. Spent it pottering and relaxing. Listening to the calls of the tui, and seeing their displays to each other as they vied for favour.

This morning, as is the way of the month of September, there was a significant drop in temperature, increase in wind and dominance of clouds over sun. Although the sun rose as always, clouds hid the process from my camera.

As I ran along Erceg's Way, just back from the Snells Beach shoreline, the incoming tide was right for the launching of boats for a day (or morning at least) out on the bay, or even into the gulf, fishing. I had been too far away when the first of two boats was launched, and was pleased to see that this second boat was about to be launched, and was able to get close enough for this picture.

The tractor is a Massey Ferguson 35. (I had a look after it was parked and the chap braving the cold water had got into the boat with his mates and headed out to sea). This model was a standard 2 litre 4 cylinder petrol engined tractor, probably from the factory in Coventry, England (rather than from Michigan, USA). The MF 35 was produced between 1956 and 1964. They were common tractors on small farms in New Zealand.

I have had to spend a large part of the day reading agenda papers for next week's meetings in Wellington. Halfway there after today, so that's good. I've also managed to get around to putting up on the wall, a favourite clock. And in the breaks I've given myself, I solved Kropotkin (the Saturday NZ Herald cryptic crossword compiler). The brain is still working.