SEND A WHALE BACK TO SEA!
On Easter Saturday, 15 April 2017, the community driftwood whale project encouraged hundreds of folk to come out into the sunshine on Collingwood Beach and help make one huge and 7 little driftwood whales.
The day started at noon, at high tide, with a blessing given by Anne Harvie. A steady stream of locals came to participate right through the Afternoon until the day finished off at dusk, with another blessing.
There were babies, octogenarians and everybody in between - all scouring the beach for driftwood, dragging it to the build area and then locating it into just the right spot.
The main whale started from one beached log and grew until she was 11 metres long and 3.6metres wide; and then gave birth to a calf with another 6 adolescents alongside..
Briar Saunders and Joy Warren
Three girls carrying a log
View from right hand side
Judy and Nicola at the very start
Anne Harvey and Mr Wilkinson
Steve Wilkson carrying large log
Look what I've found!
Olive carrying a monster log
Nicola Basham placing back arch
All hands needed
Everybody is helping now
Christine Wingels bringing in more driftwood
Maureen and Angus Scotland spotting a gap to be filled
Briar, Maureen and Rosamund bringing the eye into position
Bruce Collings looking at No4 whale being built
Simon putting a rib into place
Getting all the names onto the list
snug
Marion Corby placing in a new piece
Mum and calf
Mum and daughter colouring in whale picture
Committee decision....
Nicola Basham and Judy Dominic figuring out what next!
gooey duck baby?
Setting the spout in place
Ruby Thomas, Liv and Caleb Scott finishing off whale no3
Dad and daughter teamwork
The morning after
Kid power
the whole pod of 8 whales
The Dad's whale - no 6
Judy Dominic lodging the nose into place
The dance of the whale and the sea
Sarah Thomas putting finishing touch onto whale no 4
Pod and beach
Pod at the end of the day
Whole whale pod
Mum and baby aerial shot
weathering the tide
This event has been partially funded by Golden Arts Council and Creative Communities NZ.
EXHIBITION
There was an exhibition of photos by Erhard Wingels and three poems by Maureen and Angus Scotland at the Courthouse Cafe in Collingwood, Golden Bay, in the month of December 2017