Stella

Looking at under $10,000, and preferring the idea of a van that will blend in and is easy to park in town, rather than looking like a campervan containing all the worldly possessions of a tourist. I need something already kitted out, and sufficiently well-kitted to be able to live in it, rather than just crash in the back. Of course the vast majority are in Auckland. not helpful.

I like that suggestion, Sophia! I was worried he thought I should take some small children with me.

Make that two lemons. Spent all afternoon on trademe finding little. Two weeks to go and stressing out :nilly:

You SAW it MOULTING and you DIDN'T take photos?!?!?! :an!gry :an!gry :an!gry :an!gry (am so envious!) :sick:

well..... I checked out this van, really really liked it, my friend checked it over and approved, took it for a pre-purchase inspection and...... LEMON :facepalm: :digH: :nilly: Then I hopped in it to take it back to the owners and the clutch died, so I had to leave it at the garage! Rather disappointed but also incredibly pleased I got the test done! :smln: :thup: Back to looking. :yaw2: Thanks so much for all the offers of places to stay! I am writing them all down on my big map of NZ. There most certainly will be updates here, and it is all going to be incredibly helpful for writing my book.

native fisho precursor then The introduction to my book finishes with 'Welcome to the obsession.' It is proving pretty accurate.

Great having another native fisho here

LOL that is funny! With most natives the trick is to put the net in front of them and use another net or a stick to nudge them into the net. (or in blueether's case, just wait for the fish to swim in!). Inanga and smelt however zoom around in the midwater, so the trick there is to put the net horizontally UNDER them and lift it up, they don't seem to see it that way. Photos side-on are best for identifying things.

preacher is your natives man in the Hutt! The thin 10cm ones could be inanga or smelt (if native). The tapered ones that sit on the bottom are probably bullies, maybe torrentfish. The pinkish spotted one... if native *might* be shortjaw kokopu, or perhaps non-native trout, but they are skittish. If you want a copy of my book on keeping native fish :happy1: try to get in touch before the end of Feb. Am packing up my house and going on the road for the rest of the year, which will probably slow orders down a bit.

LOL well I am kinda bringing my own accommodation, just need a park (and nice company, a shower, water supply and a toilet), apart from the company I don't think that is too picky :slfg: I am wanting to touch all the 'corners' of our lovely country, so that counts Invercargill.

Fantastic, thanks so much! Blueether, am getting a van as opposed to campervan. Much bigger than my Pulsar hatchback, but smaller and less hideous than a campervan. The one that I am highly likely to buy tomorrow (subject to mechanical check) has a slat bed WELDED into the back, and lots of useful kit :happy2:

I spontaneously (a week ago) decided to pack up and store all my stuff, buy a van kitted out for living and go travelling around the country till at least the end of this year.....! :bounce: I keep having meltdowns and can't find a way to sort myself out here, but maybe the independence and adventure will help. Will still write up my thesis and second book (did I tell you I have been asked by a proper publishing house to write a fieldguide to NZ fishies?). :smln: The plan is thus: Leave the end of Feb. March, April, May - doing some fish surveying for DOC, assisting a friend (paid fish-hunting! :happy2: Then head north for winter up the west coat. Then south, via Rotorua and Wararapa. Then South Island somewhere and how... prob down the east coast Winding up in Dunedin for the Freshwater Sciences conference at the end of November. Then maybe up the west coast Then look for a job once book is done. It is kinda crazy and excessively spontaneous, but I know if I don't do something my current scary mental rollercoaster might go totally subterranean and I might not be able to get out again. :digH: &c:ry My family is totally supportive. Soooooooooo...... who wants me to park in their driveway when I come through? Am particularly keep to meet you native fishos, but am always keen to meet people. And there is a high possibility of going fish hunting Or being talked into giving native fish talks or trips for fish clubs. :sage: I will have no idea where I will be at any point in time, but I will probably pop up here periodically asking if anyone in X region would let me stay. :mbh:

Oh fantastic!! I love your updates on this pond, and I think this is one of the few that I haven't had to bug you to do So lush, can barely see the water now!

wibble... !drool: beautiful fish!

Sounds like a successful night! (warning: spotlighting can become addictive!) Blueether is a great guide for spotlighting trips

:lol: I still have my battered brown plastic tea strainer that I used to spend hours with catching skeeter larvae when I was a kid :sage:

They like tannin-stained water, so look for troughs and things with wood or leaves in it, making the water a bit brown.

hey, blueether, what is your new avatar of? Looks like a galaxiid but not a NZ one. Galaxias truttaceus perhaps?

WOW, that kokopu photos is amazing!! I need an underwater camera.... I didn't take any fish photos, but I was quite pleased with these two: Adult dobsonfly (possibly drunk) weta nibbling a toadstool it was a great night out, thanks blueether! My reboot worked fairly well and am currently getting rid of malware and restoring programs.

Impressed with your detailed description! Waterboatmen and backswimmers are true bugs, meaning they have piercing mouthparts. Boatmen suck plants, backswimmers suck other inverts. I have seen fish spitting them out and the reaction always looks like the bug caused pain - I wonder if they try to pierce the fish as a defense mechanism. They also chirp (stridulate, rubbing their legs against their bodies). Sounds just like a cicada and is quite loud. Neat critters.

Am very much under the weather at the moment and a couple of friends in Hamilton are forcing me to visit them for a few days so they can administer cuddles and chocolate. &c:ry While I am there, would anyone like to take me spotlighting for native fish, or can you recommend some good sites? Needs to be simple or I will freak out and not go. Anything to try and reboot my head. :nilly: :oops:

Woo, that is progress!! I don't think I have ever seen such a neat and tidy tank-dismantle

There are lots of streams running through New Plymouth, the one I know best is Te Henui, which runs past the cemetery (also excellent to explore, some very very old areas) and has lots of nice native bush areas. Take some strong torches and go spotlighting for native fish in the stream, and turn off the torches to see the hordes of glow worms on the banks beside the track At low tide there are some nice rockpool areas, great fun to explore. I love New Plymouth.

:happy1: :happy2: :happy1: :happy2: :happy1: :slfg: :happy2: :happy1: :happy2: :happy1: :happy2: :happy1: *cough* Excuse me, not sure what happened there.... Do a search of the archives for Preacher's native pond, a really lovely example. There are various threads here with photos over the years. He messaged me the other evening that he was going to go spotlighting that night, I expected his usual spot in the Hutt River but he came back with a long and detailed report about the inanga and crays in his freaking BACK YARD. :sick: I haven't done a native pond myself, but due to temperature issues, make sure it is well shaded and as large and deep as possible (remember council bylaws about when a pond must be fenced). That line had been part of the introduction for yeeears. I refused to take it out and I love how it is proving to be so accurate

Ah those were the days! :cofn: