[mementosis]'s photostream  

early morning in Aberdeen.

a first for me, i think..

there's a sign as you drive into Papamoa, NZ welcoming you to "Sunshine Paradise". i was lucky enough to experience it first-hand back in 2003, although at the time i only had a 2.1MP Mustek (DV3000) to document the trip.

nestled in the heart of the Bay of Plenty, the beach here is one of my favorite places on earth. it was where i'd planned to introduce my son to the ocean.

but now that the cargo ship Rena has smashed onto the Astrolabe Reef, with hundreds of tons of oil (HFO 380) and toxic waste (and an unaccounted-for container full of ferrosilicate, which explodes on contact with water) spilling into the water and slomphing its way onto the shore, this area will be stained and scarred for years, if not decades.

i don't know if i'm more disgusted with the crew of the ship or the absolutely pathetic slow-motion response of Maritime NZ to the ongoing environmental crisis / tragedy / catastrophe.

all i know is i'm pretty much heartbroken.