Overview
Sun. Feb. 8.
Up at 6. am – very clear morning. Walked up "sledge track" + took photos (50)(51) 1/4pl[ate] pan. from just below junction with Motuhara R[oa]d., entrance to Porirua Harbour, Komanga P[oin]t., South H[ea]d., The Narrows,
[page break]
sandy area, rly. [railway] bridge at Paremata, Plimmerton (low tide); (52) 1/4pl. Railway cuttings on west side of Tapu Creek Valley showing hill range on east in background. Loafed round after breakfast till 9.5 + then left on a mapping expedition – followed rly. north from Plimmerton + marked in swampy flats of Tapu Creek + other features. The rly. goes thro[ugh] the ends of the spurs of the ridge to the west of Tapu Creek in deep cuttings in order to get an up-grade to Pukerua saddle. That the north-west wind is, as already suspected, the prevailing one is clearly shown by the fact that the shrubs on the hillside lean to the south-east. Reached the woolshed + Pukerua Road – crossed rly on overhead bridge + followed the road right to "The Extension" mapping in the topography more correctly than I was able on my night tramp, along this route. Photos (53) 1/4pl. looking down Motuhara Valley from road; (54) 1/4pl. looking up Motuhara Valley (a rather young valley). Motuhara Valley is, like that of Tapu Creek, Spring Valley +c [etc] closed at its lower end by an old raised barrier beach or spit of shingle, + its flat bottom undoubtedly originated, as in the other cases, by the silting up of the swamps of the impounded st[rea]m. After dinner took Maud + then Maud + Nancy
[page break]
for a short row in the bay in a flat-bottomed boat[.] Bathed in pm – got water in ear + Maud had to siringe [sic] it out for me which she successfully accomplished. Stormy sky to west in evening + a few drops of rain. Very hot evening + last thing, at 10. pm I decided to go in for a bathe + found the water calm and remarkably warm – a great treat.