Wind Wand on the Walkway

It stands tall and proud,  the slender construction made from a red fibre glass tube, 200mm in diameter, designed by Len Lye.  The Wind Wand stands 45 metres high on the foreshore of New Plymouth and was constructed in 1999.  Weighing approximately 900kg, the Wind Wand can bend at least 20 metres and a light at the top of the Wand emits a soft red glow at night.  After watching clouds move across the sky, Ken Lye wondered if he could possibly compose motion.  Driven by his passion to make movement real, Lye created  kinetic sculptures.  Locals and visitors alike were not too sure what to make of the wind wand in the early days, but now people come to marvel at this piece of moving sculpture.

The Wind Wand by Len Lye

We were down town at the coastal walkway enjoying the weather and the fresh sea breezes.  Around the rocky shore we could see Paritutu and Sugarloaf Islands away in the distance.

On the shoreline

Robin drove around the suburbs, pointing out the old family house he grew up in, and his inseparable friend’s house across the road.  His primary school was just around the corner from home, and his Mum insisted he came home for lunch each day.  That cut into his games time, so the sooner he gobbled down his sandwiches, the sooner he could race back to school to play with his mates.  We glided past his Intermediate School, and New Plymouth Boy’s High School, then down to the swimming pool where he spent so many hours doing  lap training.   It was a trip down memory lane as we drove past places which featured so strongly in his school days.  Of course, there were plenty of changes too, buildings and shops no longer there, and new houses built on land the boys used to explore and play on.  The old Post Office building is long gone, and all that remains is the clock tower.

  Post Office clock tower

A drive up to the top of Churchill Heights gave us views over the city.  Hiding underneath the clouds cover is Mt Egmont.with the ranges to the right.  Locals say “if you can’t see the mountain it is raining, if you can see it, it’s going to rain.

Mt Egmont hiding under cloud cover

Looking down on the coast from Churchill Heights, Western Park

We shared a fish and chip meal with Robin’s school chum Gary and his wife Glenyss in the evening.  Robin and Gary spent time happily reminiscing about days gone by, and mutual friends.  The resident cat Puss Puss wove himself round and round Robin’s legs before curling up contentedly close to his shoes.  He must be able to tell that Robin is a cat lover.