New Zealand: Doubtless you’ve heard of Doubtless Bay
Doubtless you’ve heard of Doubtless Bay if you’re from or have visited New Zealand’s Northland region. Otherwise you well may not have heard of that body of water, which reputedly got its name when Captain Cook sailed past it and wrote in his diary that it was “doubtless a bay.” We drove along the shore of Doubtless Bay on February 13th and stopped in several places. The one shown above is Coopers Beach, where I was intrigued by the way a stream etched itself into the sand as it flowed into the bay. The flowing water occasionally caused bits of the stream’s sandy banks to crumble, creating the jagged margins you see here.
Looking in the opposite direction, I saw one of my old friends from the first visit to New Zealand, a pōhutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa).
© 2017 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Funny story how it got its name 🙂
Anna Iltnere
March 26, 2017 at 4:49 AM
Captain Cook also named Doubtful Sound in a different part of New Zealand:
http://www.newzealand.com/us/doubtful-sound/
Steve Schwartzman
March 26, 2017 at 7:26 AM
Finally, an image that recalls the Texas coast. When rain causes the Colorado, Brazos, or San Bernard to flow with more than the usual force, and the waters of the Gulf have settled enough to have turned a lovely blue-green, you can see the river water extending far out into the Gulf as a muddy swath. Of course the land and sea aren’t interacting in the same way here, but the colors are the same.
I like that sand edge, too. It reminds me of fine, deckle-edged stationery, or books from another age.
shoreacres
March 26, 2017 at 7:50 AM
I associate deckle edges primarily with the (mostly) black and white photographic prints that dominated the middle part of the 20th century and that were so much a part of people’s photo albums.
I remember one time we discussed the colors of the Gulf of Mexico. That must have been a couple of years ago, and I’ve yet to see that body of water look appealing. It doesn’t help that I rarely drive the four hours from Austin to the coast. Someday….
Steve Schwartzman
March 26, 2017 at 8:44 AM
I love the names Cook gave to places, makes me chuckle to think of him choosing a name – some of which are decidedly gloomy.
Heyjude
March 26, 2017 at 12:40 PM
Right. Other places in New Zealand that he named are Poverty Bay and Kidnapper’s Bay
Steve Schwartzman
March 26, 2017 at 1:07 PM
I rest my case.
Heyjude
March 26, 2017 at 5:28 PM
Unusual photo of the pōhutukawa – what are the growth on the branches? – excuse my ignorance since I am a Kiwi
Raewyn's Photos
March 27, 2017 at 1:38 PM
Good of you to notice that growth. I believe it’s a kind of lichen in the genus Usnea. I may have a NZ post dedicated to it one of these days.
Steve Schwartzman
March 27, 2017 at 3:17 PM
It sure is a weathered pohutakawa ..with a good dusting of lichen
Julie@frogpondfarm
March 29, 2017 at 2:36 PM
Tomorrow marks three weeks back home in Texas. I miss my pōhutukawas. We saw zillions of them on the coastal road north from Thames.
Steve Schwartzman
March 29, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Gosh three weeks already ..
Julie@frogpondfarm
March 29, 2017 at 3:21 PM
I know, it’s hard to believe. We’ve needed that long to get (mostly) over the fatigue brought about by our very busy month in NZ.
Steve Schwartzman
March 29, 2017 at 4:31 PM
I bet it was busy .. great to meet you both 😃
Julie@frogpondfarm
March 29, 2017 at 6:11 PM
Likewise. And yes, it sure was busy. We crammed a lot into that one month.
Steve Schwartzman
March 29, 2017 at 6:42 PM
Wow – looks like a beautiful place
norasphotos4u
March 29, 2017 at 7:47 PM
It is. I’m glad we spent an afternoon roaming the area.
Steve Schwartzman
March 29, 2017 at 8:43 PM
Doubting Steve here doubtfully hasn’t heard of Doubtless Bay, but would sure like to spend some time there, thanks to your nice picture.
Steve Gingold
April 1, 2017 at 9:16 AM
Indubitably!
Steve Schwartzman
April 1, 2017 at 9:26 AM