In his great grandfather's footsteps

Yesterday, rather than the boys going home, they were joined by their mother (our older daughter) for a few more days at the beach. They still didn't sleep any later, but I could leave for my run rather earlier than the last few days, so I did the longest course I do. There were plenty of people out walking both with and without dogs. Also a few others running or jogging. The tide was well out, and I took a couple of shots over the mudflats, one very similar to the blip I posted on 24 December 2010.

Just before midday (high tide being 1206), we went down to Snells Beach, where the mudflats were completely underwater. Even at high tide it doesn't get deep for a very long way out from the beach. The boys and their mother had a lovely time in the water, with grandfather using the telephoto lens to get some good family snaps.

In the afternoon, into Warkworth for a few provisions, taking the daughter and her boys to a really great playground. Mr H and I walked off beside the Mahurangi River, leaving Young L and his mother to continue to play. I tried to get a photograph of a New Zealand Shag (aka cormorant). Mr H had his camera, brought up by mother, and was busily trying to get interesting pictures. Still not yet 7 years old, he has an eye for the unusual, and for framing and balance. Just before I took the above picture of him at work, he caught a gull just after take off by tracking it and snapping as it wheeled away, with the reflection of its wing in the water showing how low it was.

I was using the Pentax with the long lens and shot this to emphasise the photographer, as he was capturing the scene.