Monday.
Today we had arranged to take flying Father Peter, who officiated at our wedding and made the service so enjoyable.
Noel and I arrived at Hastings airfield about 8:30am and were helped by another member to get the plane out of the hangar and move other planes. Then Noel went up with an instructor, Esther, with me in the back and did a couple of circuits after which he went off solo and did another 3 circuits. Esther commented to me that it was nice to go up with someone who remembers how to fly! 😯
I went upstairs to sit on the deck and watch the flying and shut the patio door after me. When I needed to go downstairs I found I was locked outside on the deck and was freed after I attracted the attention of someone wandering past! Security arrangements! 😳
While Noel was flying his final circuit Father Peter arrived so we watched Noel land and taxi to refuel. I went over to help with that and then Noel taxied over to park nearer.
Mads, a Danish club member who we’ve chatted to before, arrived and congratulated me on getting married! Word’s got around then! 😯 😆
So I congratulated him on getting current in the Tiger Moth and taking his parents up in it. I also updated him on our getting the Tiger Moth Rating. 🙂
When Noel joined us we talked to Father Peter about where he might like to fly and decided upon where we would fly. I sat in the back.
Here’s a log of the flight, with geo-located pictures. The flight lasted about an hour.
This is soon after takeoff, heading towards Te Mata Peak.
The view out of the port window towards Napier.
The road leading up Te Mata Peak, with the café halfway up visible. Noel and I had been at the café with Laura and David on Tuesday.
The view out of the port window as we cross beside Te Mata Peak.
The Te Mata Peak car park, out of the starboard window.
From Te Mata Peak we carried on to Waimarama. This is the view out of the port window.
Waimarama and Bare island in the distance.
Looking north towards Ocean Beach.
Waimarama.
Father Peter had a connection with Waimarama and the buildings with the green rooves. He spent a number of summers there and did a lot of walking along the coast.
A shower in the hills behind Waimarama.
Looking south from Waimarama.
Looking north along Waimarama beach.
Bare Island in the background.
From Waimarama we turned north along the coast towards Cape Kidnappers. Father Peter was interesting, telling us about the walks he did along the coast and hills.
Te Mata Peak in the background.
Nearing Cape Kidnappers.
Father Peter said if they walked along the coast they had to time the tides right otherwise they couldn’t get past this section!
Cape Kidnappers.
Father Peter pointed out that there are 2 sections to the Gannets Colony.
Accommodation.
Looking back from where we came. Ocean Beach.
Clifton Beach Motor Camp. Some of the road leading to the camp has been eroded so the road has had to be moved inland.
Te Awanga.
Haumoana.
Clive.
Fertiliser works just north of Clive at Awatoto. The model flying field can be seen just to the right of the river.
Looking back towards Cape Kidnappers.
Approaching the Port and Bluff Hill, along the Marine Parade.
National Aquarium on the beach.
The main part of the Marine Parade. Napier airport in the background.
Bluff Hill.
Bluff Hill and the Port.
We flew over St Patrick’s Catholic Church.
The church is beside Clive Square.
Back to the Port and we flew beside Bluff Hill and headed towards Noel’s Dad’s place at Greenmeadows.
Bluff Hill.
The old hospital on Bluff Hill on the bottom right of the picture.
Looking over Napier towards Cape Kidnappers.
Napier airport, looking north.
Park Island Cemetery, where Noel’s mum and sister are buried.
Noel’s Dad lives in one of the places in the photo, part of Summerset Retirement Village.
Father Peter was trained at The Mission seminary and remembers picking grapes. It is no longer a seminary and is Hawke’s Bay’s oldest winery.
Say cheese! 🙂
From The Mission we headed towards Hastings airfield. This is the view looking towards Napier.
Hastings airfield. Deadside 19.
Downwind 19.
Base 19.
Final 19.
Phew! Made it! Noel and Father Peter.
We had a very pleasant coffee on the deck upstairs at the flying club before Father Peter left to go to Hastings.
Noel and I stayed on for another coffee and then had lunch in Havelock North. We drove out to Eskdale Church to see if any spare Orders of Service were still in the church but they had gone.
We then went to the River Valley Café and had a coffee and an Afghan each.
After some work back at the flat we had dinner at The Thirsty Whale as the sun set. A very nice way to end an enjoyable day.