Wandering the Wellington Waterfront

There is always something happening on the Wellington Waterfront. Now I am not heading down there twice a week for dragon boat practice I decided to go for a leisurely walk instead.

There are pieces of art everywhere, hidden and obvious.I took photos of the ones that attracted my attention.
The bronze man 'Solace in the Wind,' standing on the edge of the waterfront, leaning into the prevailing wind is a favourite of many people. He receives many a friendly pat from admirers giving his bottom a rosy hue. Next to him workers were in the process of  removing and replacing rotten piles from under the wharf.

Writings by Wellington authors are scattered haphazardly about - verses pertaining to Wellington mostly.

Pieces of machinery showing the wharf's past are left as reminders and are attractive in their own way.






The newest sculpture is a set of kina or sea-eggs placed half in and out of the water and are yet to settle in and look part of the place.


A seagull perched on the top of Len Lye's 'Water Whirler.' It was going to get a surprise when it started up on the hour and began gyrating.

                        The Water Whirler looks at its best by night.

Looking up and back to the city I could see "Fruits of the Garden'  cradling the logo of the Datacom Building.


The large bronze statue of Kupe the great explorer, his wife and his tohunga  is important to me as I remember seeing it as a child before it was bronzed, standing in the foyer of the Wellington Railway Station and being intrigued by it during a school trip to the Capital.


By the museum Te Papa are tempory art displays on plinths. At the moment there are rotting plasticky things in glass cases.





The bubble man was out by The Lagoon using the damp warm atmosphere to create huge iridescent bubbles for his own pleasure and that of passers-by. People cannot help themselves and even busy suited types are encaptured and forced to slow down and watch for a while. Behind him I could see 'The Albatross,' a water sculpture that has at time proved a handy place for me to rinse off after dragon boating in lieu of a shower.

The Albatross - a  handy place for a shower after dragon boating!

The only thing I can't relate to is the lobster toilets. They are in a funny out of the way place and despite their usefulness they just don't fit somehow. They are just weird!