Overview
Fri. Dec. 17.
Drove out to the Breakwater on the motor 'bus. Along the route nice residences are prettily situated on the slopes + tops of the low hills on which New Plymouth is built. Extensive gardens + plantations surround the houses. We saw about 10 of the high derricks which mark the sites of the petroleum bores - also the refining works. Walked from the 'bus terminus at Hongihongi Stream on to the Breakwater to study scenery. A clay cliff, capped by drifting sand, lies to the SE of the breakwater+ the sandy beach, broken by patches of volcanic boulders, sweeps round towards Kawaroa Park. Westward lie the Sugarloaf islands, steep + more or less conical, while due south, situated on the edge of the mainland is the famour Paritutu Hill, 505 ft. in height - cone-shaped + very steep. Two other hills of similar character, but smaller lie
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between Paritutu + the Breakwater, but these are being quarried for stone + will soon disappear. A belt of drifting sand, now thickly covered with lupin, extends accross country from the coast beyond Paritutu to the clay cliff near the Breakwater. Within the shelter of the breakwater lies a wharf at which fair-sized steamers may be berthed. I took a photo (5) of Maud standing on a huge buoy - "Maud + her New Plymouth buoy". The Breakwater is constructed similarly to that at Napier but here there are innumerable crabs - red + green - scuttling in all directions. We sat on the end of the breakwater + enjoyed ourselves - the big dredge, "Paritutu" was busily engaged sucking up the sandbank which is continually forming. Two men who waited in a small boat while the dredge went out to sea to empty, amused us very much. Photo (6) Parututu from Breakwater; (7) Sugarloaf Is[lands] from do. Mist was curling round the top of Paritutu, + Dew said "That wretched mist will settle down on top of our sugarloaf + it'll melt". She always claims things like that. Had tea at midday at the Malva Tearooms on an open verandah overlooking the sea + then set off for
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Paritutu. It was very hot so we rested for a while under a grove of pines alongside the track. The climb up Paritutu is accomplished by a zig-zag track on the steep lower slopes + by steep rock-cut steps, guarded by a wire handrail supported by posts, in the precipitous upper cliffs. We reached the top without much difficulty + in spite of rather misty atmosphere were rewarded by a lovely panoramic view of the sea + land, with their varied objects of interest. Photo (8) of the Breakwater from the top of Paritutu. Misty rain threatened so we descended. I taking a photo (9) of Maud descending the steep rock steps. Refreshed ourselves with iced drinks at the tearooms + caught the 'bus for town. Discovery of Whiskers - in other words of the most comical little chemist surely ever was, named Fraser, about 4ft 6 ins in height + adorned with the biggest Buffalo-horn moustache - he proved a friend in need.
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