Cape Reinga

Took this 10 shot pano nearly 2 years ago, just got around to stitching it together.

Click to view larger.

New Zealand travel stock photo: Panoramic Photograph of Cape Reinga, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Heading home

The sun is getting low on the horizon on my final full day here in NZ. Tomorrow I fly from Christchurch to Auckland, then it’s back to foggy California. Today was my first free day this week, the previous 6 were spent sitting at the car market trying to sell my van; which I managed to do yesterday, at last. At least the sky parted today and the sky was blue (well, mostly) unlike the cold and wet weekend.
Goodbye New Zealand…

Dramatic light over mountains, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Sunset over Tasman sea, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

morning light over river in Haast pass, New Zealand.  © Cody Duncan Photography

Morning light over mountains of Haast pass, New Zealand.  © Cody Duncan Photography

Sheep in pasture near Wanaka, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Return to Golden Bay

Despite the name, Golden bay has been everything but ‘golden’ in the last week. Rain, rain, and a bit more rain. Despite this, a few days on the rock have still be managed. Here’s a few photos of myself at work and play. And no, I dont wear the same black pants every day…

Rock climbing in Golden Bay, New Zealand

Rock climbing in Golden Bay, New Zealand

Rock climbing in Golden Bay, New Zealand

Golden Bay, New Zealand

Golden Bay, New Zealand

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A few pics I’ve managed between the rain.

Sand dunes of Farewell spit, Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

A Week Among Giants

10 days in Mt. Cook national park:

Alright, I guess I should add some words for the first time in a long while. Yes, I’m still alive. Tomorrow I get on a plane for a week in Tahiti. At that time, I’m going to book my flight home, sometime around May 15 give or take. But I wont be home for long, only a few weeks. Then it is north, to follow the summer again, up into the arctic and the midnight sun; which I haven’t seen in 5 long years…

I’ve been up before sunrise every day for the last 2 weeks; bitterly cold in the morning, especially when it had been raining for 3 days straight and all your clothes are wet, with no hope of drying. At which point you give up and goto sleep at 6:30 in the evening, too lazy or tired or cold even to bother cooking dinner; since it will be either rice and or beans in tomato sauce, which you have eaten for the last 4 days straight since all the fresh food you had ran out and your bread went moldy. But even here, the sun returns, and you find yourself 100 meters up the side of a cliff with a bit more to go, watching the next storm approach from the west, hoping the rain will at least wait until you have finished climbing. Its cold and windy, but you cant decide if its worth the effort to pull you jacket out of your pack, since its not that cold. Back to the shelter and within 5 mins the rain starts falling.

How did a picture of me get on here? Careful your monitor doesn’t break!

Me (cody duncan) rock climbing in Mount Cook national park, New Zealand

Old Campervan parked along road with Mount Cook in background, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Bright mist on road at sunrise. © Cody Duncan Photography

Storm over Tasman glacier and mountains of Mount Cook national park, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Mist forming among iceberg on Tasman lake in Mount Cook national park, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Six Weeks of Life…

If a photo is worth a thousand words, then here are 22 thousand words for the last six weeks of my life. In reality though, no words can can do justice to these days now gone…

Stock travel Photo: Morning light over Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: morning light on Mountains of Canterbury region, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Dawn in Mackenzie country, Canterbury, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Sunrise at Lake Takepo, Canterbury, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Morning mist among trees in Arthur’s Pass national park, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: high winds and blowing sand at Farewell Spit, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: walking among the sand dunes of Farewell Spit, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: sand dunes of Farewell Spit, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Woman walking horse along beach in Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Old ruins of Onekaka pier, Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Reflections in Marlborough sounds, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Mountain shelter in Nelson Lakes national park, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes national park, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Watching the sea under full moon on west coast beach, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Shark head washed ashore on beach at Farewell Spit, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Farewell Spit and Golden Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Sheep, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Nelson Bay, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: footprints in the sand, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: footprints in the sand, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Tree and clouds, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

Stock travel Photo: Tree and clouds, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan photography

The Long and Lonely Road

Not long after dawn this morning. The van and I alone again, on the road to nowhere…

Empty road in Mackenzie country, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Empty road in Mackenzie country, New Zealand. © Cody Duncan Photography

Hittin’ the Road Again

This may be my last post for a bit, as I’m off traveling again. I think I will head north, though nothing is written in stone. I just came to the realization that I haven’t seen the ocean in over 2 months; the longest period in my entire life. I can hear the sea calling my name and to her I must go, I think. Here’s a few random photos in the meantime.

shadow self portrait on empty road in New Zealand.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand, two people walking along Okarito beach at sunset.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel: reflection in window.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photography: Glass building of art museum in Christchurch. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photography: person lying in empty road near Haast Pass. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: Fern along Queen Charlotte track.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: man standing in boat shed along Queen Charlotte track.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand Travel Photo: detail of leaf with rain drop.  © Cody Duncan Photography

Bit of a Scare

So I’m using my day off today to drive into Queenstown to have a WOF (warrant of fitness) check done on my van. About 10 minutes from town while driving along the winding road between QT and Glenorchy at about 100km/hr, I suddenly hear a large “boom!” and my windshield is completely shattered, couldn’t see a thing. The semi-truck in front of me threw a rock off the back wheel right at me, never saw it coming. Luckily it was on a straight section of road, else I probably would have gone off the edge. I pulled into a turnout, and then proceeded to remove the shattered remains of my windshield. So then there I was, driving into QT without a window on my van, must of been a pretty funny sight. Luckily I found a repair shop and will get it fixed tomorrow, which means the hour drive back to QT again. I just hope there isn’t a southerly or it might not be a fun ride. No rain allowed either! On the way back north I got stung in the ear by a bee, it’s still hurting several hours later.

Lake Wakatipu

Lake Wakatipu, where upon the northern shores my days pass. Every morning as the light awakens me I walk by and gaze while on my way to breakfast. At Lunch, I sit on the lawn or sometimes down by the shore. After dinner I may take a short walk, just to look at the light. The mountains above Glenorchy see the last light of the day as the sun falls in the west. Not a bad view day in and day out…

New Zealand travel photography: Lake Wakatipu from top of Double cone in Remarkables mountain range. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: Lake wakatipu from near Kinloch.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: Kayak on lake Wakatipu.  © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: Misty mountains over Glenorchy and Lake Wakatipu. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: dramatic stormy light over lake Wakatipu. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand travel photo: Summer snow storm in mountains above lake Wakatipu. © Cody Duncan Photography

Bird Attack

By accident while wandering along a riverbank in Mt. Aspiring nat park, I found myself under attack. At first I was scared, until I realized the bird wouldn’t hit me. Then I thought it might make a good photo oprotunity, thus I subjected myself to 20 minutes of attacks by various birds. Here are the results:

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography

New Zealand nature photo: Tern in flight. © Cody Duncan Photography