Heading east from Mapua wharf

Today the walking group went on the Mapua Ferry. It had been cancelled twice because of rough weather but today was a stunner.
The tide was only just coming in so we steamed out to a light buoy way out in the middle of Tasman Bay while we dined on scones with jam and cream, then came back in with the tide and went way up the Waimea Estuary which is by the way the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
When I say steamed it is a metaphorical term only as the flat bottomed ferry is driven by two out board motors.
We had hoped to see a lot of birds but there wasn't a lot around. Shags, oycs, and seagulls and not in big numbers.
My camera battery ran out after this photo and it wasn't until much later that I suddenly twigged that I could use my new iphone. One in extra just to record it is my first. I had to email it to myself to get it on blip. I need to study how to get a better result.
The Mapua Ferry takes groups up until about now then it is flat out ferrying cyclists across the channel to and from Rabbit Island. They also hire out bikes and business is booming.
We did walk eventually to have lunch at Grossi Point and then down to the other end of the town to Aranui Park.