[Photos]
[photos] New Zealand: Ngawi, with Bulldozers
After passing through the Wairarapa Valley, Cape Palliser Road eventually deposited us along the southernmost coast of New Zealand’s North Island. There it became windy and coastal, reminscent of parts of the Pacific Northwest, leading to, and through, the fishing village of Ngawi with its herd of bulldozers.
As I said before, Ngawi is a fishing village without a harbor, just a beach. When the boats come it, they’re set on handbuilt trailers and hauled up the beach by bulldozers. This is lieu of a launch ramp, or a jetty and moorage. Several dozen bulldozers line the road, each hooked to a largish fishing boat. Some of them are seriously antique, others quite modern. It’s a very curious sight, and an interesting solution to the obvious problem of protecting the boats from the chronically rough seas there.
The weather grew increasing wet and windy as we reached the coast, so some of the photos came out blurry.
The speed limit sign at the town’s edge includes a set of stocks. Not sure if that’s a promise or a threat.
This improbable contraption is visible as one approaches.
As is this one. They are handbuilt boat trailers, mobile slips really.
Then you see the boats, trailers and bulldozers. Note the rather amusing sign in the foreground.
A view of how the boats fit onto the trailers.
The line of bulldozers.
The bulldozer line seen from the other end of town.
One recidivist uses a tractor, just to be different.
Some of the dozers are nigh apocalyptic.
Others are just cute.
“Babe”, another cute one.
Boatless and trailerless, this one waits lonely at the edge of the dance floor.
One of the big boys.
Want one for your very own? Note the distinction between “beach trailer” and “road trailer”.
Bonus antique truck action just up the hill from the dozer line.
As usual, more at the Flickr set.
© 2010, Joseph E. Lake, Jr.
This work by Joseph E. Lake, Jr. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Posted: 5:39 am Mon September 13 2010 |
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