Pictures 12 years ago and today
Thursday, 23 May 2013
My daughter
I loved this quote, that my daughter posted on her Facebook wall after she came back to visit Waiheke Island, where she grew up...
Pictures 12 years ago and today
Pictures 12 years ago and today
It's all about AUTHENTICITY
On New Years Eve , most people like to reflect on the year that's just ended, and what they want to focus on for the next year.
What seemed to me to be the most important focus was "authenticity " .
The vision statement of the Unitary Plan is one of increasing sustainable living, and a focus on retaining character
The houseboats are exemplary of this, I think, yet they will disappear if the plan is passed into law as written.
I find there to be a disconnect at times between stated aims in Council documents ( which are laudable) such as "what we value- environment , heritage, character" , and what the proposed law changes will actually achieve ( the opposite)
The houseboat community are an environmentally aware group.
We seek to live sustainably, thereby creating a low impact in the environment , consuming far fewer resources than the average person.
As for "Heritage and character", we are part of Waiheke's history and character , and yet the planned changes would sweep us away .
But, ...everything that we are doing is perfectly LEGAL if you are consuming a lot more than we are.
For example, If you own a moored boat, but it is an underutilized resource, basically just sitting around moored all year, taking up the same amount of space in a bay as we are, that is fine, as long as you also have more residential land based resources that you are also using, then it seems you are a happy normal , law abiding person!
If you wish to travel or stay on your boat all summer holidays with your family living aboard for fun, with your house sitting empty, your SUV in the car park at west haven, your house with its electricity bills empty, then part-time living on a boat is perfectly OK as long as you are over-consuming in a perfectly normal way!
We are asking the council planners and decision makers to listen with open minds... Is there a commitment to preserving the history and culture ( or what are really the stories of our city?) , is there really a commitment to looking at new ways of looking at sustainability ? Or is this just another glossy mission statement that ends up in another row of cheaply built infill housing?
Will anyone in Auckland really sleep easier knowing that a certain yellow , strangely shaped houseboat is no longer floating in Putiki Bay?
The proposed new rules in the Draft Unitary Plan that seek to make "mooring of houseboat" non complying , are in my belief discriminatory.
A houseboat is defined as basically any boat that is being lived upon. All recreational boats are lived upon when families or individuals use them for holidaying and recreation, yet they are not denied a mooring
Every law change, I believe,must have a justification , especially when it's results will be as devastating to a community as this one will be to ours.
The justification that I have heard that makes the most sense is that the boats ,when moored , are on (above) a spot on the seabed which is publicly owned land that should be available to all of the public. I understand this, but there are 1000's of under used, underutilized boats on moorings taking up public seabed spots all over Auckland , and this is perfectly legal/ acceptable. So therefore it must be the humans on board issue.
No, that is also perfectly legitimate for anyone holidaying with their family, sailing around the world or Auckland's bays.
Where we differ is in the living. I understand some of the fears...
What if houseboats were to proliferate?
What if they were to spread to other areas?
To answer these ( what I feel are understandable concerns):
There has been no proliferation of houseboats ( rather a reduction in numbers) in 20 years, but we propose that to allay fears, as has been done in other developed countries, the number of houseboats on Waiheke could be capped, or apply only to existing houseboats, with a set number of residential moorings only available, and just like in other countries, only a certain area would be put aside as a residential mooring area for houseboats ;( we would propose basically in the same place that they are now) and in those areas , the mooring of a houseboat would be a Permitted Activity, where one could apply for a residential mooring permit.
Another often heard jibe, is that houseboats don't pay rates:
I also agree that this is a valid concern, and we would welcome a system by which we could contribute via rates and propose the solution that;
The granting of the permit would attract the usual boat mooring fees, with an added fee to cover administration and annual rates .
Another concern about houseboats is that of environmental hygiene worries.
This I believe is another concern that should be addressed under our proposed "residential mooring permit"
To receive the permit, a houseboat would need to meet certain hygiene , safety, and self containment, environmental standards.
As written in the current draft unitary plan, the proposed law change seeks to discriminate, but with no real clear reasons to discriminate from what I can see, except for that our way of life is outside the mainstream .
We would like to show that we are willing to work with the council to look at ways in which everyone benefits.
What are your thoughts..do you agree?
Pictures: 1. Postcard of houseboats are for sale on the island
2. Tsunami started her life as a barge transporting goods to the island
3. Putiki Bay in the past
What seemed to me to be the most important focus was "authenticity " .
The vision statement of the Unitary Plan is one of increasing sustainable living, and a focus on retaining character
The houseboats are exemplary of this, I think, yet they will disappear if the plan is passed into law as written.
I find there to be a disconnect at times between stated aims in Council documents ( which are laudable) such as "what we value- environment , heritage, character" , and what the proposed law changes will actually achieve ( the opposite)
The houseboat community are an environmentally aware group.
We seek to live sustainably, thereby creating a low impact in the environment , consuming far fewer resources than the average person.
As for "Heritage and character", we are part of Waiheke's history and character , and yet the planned changes would sweep us away .
But, ...everything that we are doing is perfectly LEGAL if you are consuming a lot more than we are.
For example, If you own a moored boat, but it is an underutilized resource, basically just sitting around moored all year, taking up the same amount of space in a bay as we are, that is fine, as long as you also have more residential land based resources that you are also using, then it seems you are a happy normal , law abiding person!
If you wish to travel or stay on your boat all summer holidays with your family living aboard for fun, with your house sitting empty, your SUV in the car park at west haven, your house with its electricity bills empty, then part-time living on a boat is perfectly OK as long as you are over-consuming in a perfectly normal way!
We are asking the council planners and decision makers to listen with open minds... Is there a commitment to preserving the history and culture ( or what are really the stories of our city?) , is there really a commitment to looking at new ways of looking at sustainability ? Or is this just another glossy mission statement that ends up in another row of cheaply built infill housing?
Will anyone in Auckland really sleep easier knowing that a certain yellow , strangely shaped houseboat is no longer floating in Putiki Bay?
The proposed new rules in the Draft Unitary Plan that seek to make "mooring of houseboat" non complying , are in my belief discriminatory.
A houseboat is defined as basically any boat that is being lived upon. All recreational boats are lived upon when families or individuals use them for holidaying and recreation, yet they are not denied a mooring
Every law change, I believe,must have a justification , especially when it's results will be as devastating to a community as this one will be to ours.
The justification that I have heard that makes the most sense is that the boats ,when moored , are on (above) a spot on the seabed which is publicly owned land that should be available to all of the public. I understand this, but there are 1000's of under used, underutilized boats on moorings taking up public seabed spots all over Auckland , and this is perfectly legal/ acceptable. So therefore it must be the humans on board issue.
No, that is also perfectly legitimate for anyone holidaying with their family, sailing around the world or Auckland's bays.
Where we differ is in the living. I understand some of the fears...
What if houseboats were to proliferate?
What if they were to spread to other areas?
To answer these ( what I feel are understandable concerns):
There has been no proliferation of houseboats ( rather a reduction in numbers) in 20 years, but we propose that to allay fears, as has been done in other developed countries, the number of houseboats on Waiheke could be capped, or apply only to existing houseboats, with a set number of residential moorings only available, and just like in other countries, only a certain area would be put aside as a residential mooring area for houseboats ;( we would propose basically in the same place that they are now) and in those areas , the mooring of a houseboat would be a Permitted Activity, where one could apply for a residential mooring permit.
Another often heard jibe, is that houseboats don't pay rates:
I also agree that this is a valid concern, and we would welcome a system by which we could contribute via rates and propose the solution that;
The granting of the permit would attract the usual boat mooring fees, with an added fee to cover administration and annual rates .
Another concern about houseboats is that of environmental hygiene worries.
This I believe is another concern that should be addressed under our proposed "residential mooring permit"
To receive the permit, a houseboat would need to meet certain hygiene , safety, and self containment, environmental standards.
As written in the current draft unitary plan, the proposed law change seeks to discriminate, but with no real clear reasons to discriminate from what I can see, except for that our way of life is outside the mainstream .
We would like to show that we are willing to work with the council to look at ways in which everyone benefits.
What are your thoughts..do you agree?
Pictures: 1. Postcard of houseboats are for sale on the island
2. Tsunami started her life as a barge transporting goods to the island
3. Putiki Bay in the past
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Double Vision
What is your vision for Waiheke?
Those that oppose the houseboats and wish to "clean up" Putiki Bay by getting rid of the boats and houseboats often cite " the future" and cleaning up Waiheke to increase tourist activity.
As I love to travel, and love to see local colour and love the fishing villages of Naples rather than the boutiques of Milan, I started to research current trends in tourism.
One of the key trends that trend forecasters are describing is the rise of the "experience economy" explaining that,
"What captivates us now is special stuff, stuff that only a few of us can get, stuff that stands for something or symbolizes something. And, more compelling than stuff, are experiences — events, trips, places, sights, sounds, tastes that are out of the ordinary, memorable in their own right, precious in their uniqueness and fulfilling in a way that seems to make us more than we were. . . .Some describe this phenomenon as 'the experience economy.' "
Tourist industry researches have found that the tourists are stressing the importance of uniqueness of "travelling to experience the places, artefacts and activities that authentically represent the stories of the people past and present"
Which picture tells the authentic story of Waiheke ?
Those that oppose the houseboats and wish to "clean up" Putiki Bay by getting rid of the boats and houseboats often cite " the future" and cleaning up Waiheke to increase tourist activity.
As I love to travel, and love to see local colour and love the fishing villages of Naples rather than the boutiques of Milan, I started to research current trends in tourism.
One of the key trends that trend forecasters are describing is the rise of the "experience economy" explaining that,
"What captivates us now is special stuff, stuff that only a few of us can get, stuff that stands for something or symbolizes something. And, more compelling than stuff, are experiences — events, trips, places, sights, sounds, tastes that are out of the ordinary, memorable in their own right, precious in their uniqueness and fulfilling in a way that seems to make us more than we were. . . .Some describe this phenomenon as 'the experience economy.' "
Tourist industry researches have found that the tourists are stressing the importance of uniqueness of "travelling to experience the places, artefacts and activities that authentically represent the stories of the people past and present"
Which picture tells the authentic story of Waiheke ?
Houseboaters around the world #2
Retts Wood is a photographer who lives on a houseboat right in the middle of London.
Love these pics of her converted barge houseboat from the book " The Selby"
Love these pics of her converted barge houseboat from the book " The Selby"
Houseboat people around the world:
In writing my submission to save the houseboats, I started researching houseboats around the world and noticed that there are a lot of cool people living on houseboats! Lots of stylists , designers, musicians , writers
I found the blog of Pia Jane Bijerk , who lives on a houseboat in Amsterdam
http://blog.piajanebijkerk.com/ , she is a stylist and writer and I love these pictures of her houseboat
I found the blog of Pia Jane Bijerk , who lives on a houseboat in Amsterdam
http://blog.piajanebijkerk.com/ , she is a stylist and writer and I love these pictures of her houseboat
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Kukurei Crew: Who are we #1 : Steve introduces the Houseboat Kukurei
It was the Christmas of 2008 whilst employed at Whakanewha as Dotterel Guardian that I would serendipitously meet the Christmas camp host of nine years.
The previous year I had arrived from the mainland after a twenty-five year absence from Waiheke.
Mary and I had much in common; we loved the wilderness of forest and sea, classical music, art, poetry, the theatre, a good wine, good company, peace and simplicity and a life based on need rather than want.
We quickly determined that if we were to continue to sought a land based property our outgoings would exceed our income.
Our solution was to purchase a home spelt, B.O.A.T. The decision was based on sound family budgeting principles and practicable sensibility.
Living aboard is not just about lifestyle. This life has its unique community and culture with seafaring traditions, customs and rules.
Life on board our catamaran Kukurei had begun by building an extra cabin on the back, dodging the weather for the first year with tarps as I continued the work. Erstwhile, Mary's four children also living on board and vastly experienced from annual holiday tenting made no complaints but immensely enjoyed it.
Mary's children have all been home schooled from an early age and have become self- autonomous, mindful of and understsanding of others dispositions. They are clever, resourcful, have good attitude and are wise beyond their years. And if I may seemingly be boasting, 'watch this space;' these children are achievers.
I'm not their father but by God, I'm proud of them!
As a family we strive to decrease our environmental footprint.
Our waka, Kukurei, derives all her electric power from four hundred and eighty watts of solar panels. This allows us to run LED's, a refrigerator freezer, watch DVD's (we don't allow a television) charge our phones, do all our banking and emailing on board using an ipad.
Kukurei's deck is also her water catchment.
Having a gas oven has provided hot breads, cakes, roasts and yummy shephards pie with melted cheese on top.
Nature befriends us daily. Black back gulls and ducks peck at our windows every morning in expectation of a tasty morsel feeding from our hands. These events signal a time to rise from bed and welcome the new day even if it's raining. Ducks and sparrows fly into our boat in hospitality of the offerings that may drop from our dining table. Kingfishers dive about us as does a segull with an identity crisis we observe daily emulating them. About us are herons, variable oyster catchers, eels, porori, mullet, kingfish and herrings which unfrightened come so close. Shags and eagle rays swim nonchalantly about our legs as we wade to and from our home.
"Tis thouest spiritous of nature that we be so endeared."
We as spirits should always have room to accept each others differences. There is always room for hope, attitude, encouragement, acceptance, understanding and tolerance; to live in harmony with each other and with Io's creatures.
"O, but for such possibility should we strive to co-exist in peace and enjoyment of life."
Skipper; Steve Matatahi o Tainui.
Friday, 3 May 2013
Sunflower Crew: The dream of living outside the box...
On Queen's drive, there is a house that has always made me dream! It has a wind generator twirling above it.. tufts of grass sprouting from the roof... it's roof is curved and pointed in strange, organic directions .... and it makes me dream , and imagine.... and think of things that might be! I love this house, and if someone were to knock it down, the world would be a sadder place, because it , like the houseboats , represents dreams, imagination, a world where things are not set in stone, but possibilities are boundless.
A girl I know, who grew up all her life on Waiheke, but was living in New York , when I told her that the houseboats might go, cried and told me .."as a child, the houseboats on the causeway were like my fairy tale", she said.. " I always looked out to them when I drove across the causeway and wished I could live in one.. they are a landmark of my childhood, and what Waiheke means to me! A place where people can be themselves , a place for dreams"
I was thinking about this, the transformative power of art , beauty and imagination, when I drove through Kawakawa in the holidays... the artist Hundertwasser transformed the spirit and pride of a whole community when he brought art and imagination , with his beautiful buildings to the depressed community of Kawakawa and turned it into a tourist attraction because of its beautiful toilets! Who would have thought!? That's thinking outside the box!
A girl I know, who grew up all her life on Waiheke, but was living in New York , when I told her that the houseboats might go, cried and told me .."as a child, the houseboats on the causeway were like my fairy tale", she said.. " I always looked out to them when I drove across the causeway and wished I could live in one.. they are a landmark of my childhood, and what Waiheke means to me! A place where people can be themselves , a place for dreams"
I was thinking about this, the transformative power of art , beauty and imagination, when I drove through Kawakawa in the holidays... the artist Hundertwasser transformed the spirit and pride of a whole community when he brought art and imagination , with his beautiful buildings to the depressed community of Kawakawa and turned it into a tourist attraction because of its beautiful toilets! Who would have thought!? That's thinking outside the box!
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