Ōpāwaho - Heathcote River

This is my local river in Christchurch, the Ōpāwaho (Maori) or The Heathcote River as it's commonly known.

Ōpāwaho refers to its function as a waho (outpost). It was a resting place for the Ngāi Tahu tribe travelling between Kaiapoi and Horomaka (Banks Peninsula).

The land near the river (and the Avon River) was once marshy and covered in grasses, raupō and tussock. Much of it didn't fair well in larger earthquakes.

Sadly it's not a clean river these days. I haven't seen a trout in it for a long time and I guess eels aren't as plentiful as they once were. In season I see whitebait fishers with their nets in it but it's risky eating.

This stretch is further upstream than I've blipped at times. After work I dropped my car off for a check up tomorrow and ran home. The beastly easterly as it's known was fair honking, evidenced by the bending poplar tree.

And that was Monday.