Loo Art along Marine Parade

The idea of murals being painted on these toilets is that they may prevent being targeted for graffiti.  The two children's ones are near a childrens playground along Marine Parade.

Clive Flood Memorial

Clive is a small town situated 10 kms (6 miles) from the city centre of Napier.  On Good Friday April 1897, although the day started off fine, during the day a big storm came upon the Hawkes Bay.  Rivers near Clive rose alarmingly.  Settlers took shelter where they could.  There were 236 refugees alone at the hotel there.  

Three boats containing ten men set out to rescue the stranded people however disaster stuck which saw two of the boats capsized and the crew lost their lives.  This memorial remembers those men.  

Ranui Apartments

The Ranui Apartments of which there are 5, were built in 1938.   They are the only Miami Streamline Modern Style apartment building in New Zealand.  One can drive along the driveway in the middle of the building which leads through to the parking area behind.

for more photos see this site 

Tui Anchor

This anchor sits alongside the rotary walkway along Marine Parade.  It reflects the connection between the city and the sea.  It is from the former Oceanographic Research vessel HMNZS Tui.  It was presented to the city of Napier from the Royal New Zealand Navy ten years after the Tui was scuttled in February 1999.   

Between 1970 and 1997 when the Tui was in service for the navy she adopted Napier as her home port.  

Originally the Tui was known as the USNS 'Charles H. Davis.'   She was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy. She saw service with that navy between 1963 and 1970.  She had been designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

In July 1970 she was offered and started her work in New Zealand.  At first she was only on loan for 5 years.  The loan was extended for another 5 years after which time she was leased for a further 15 years.   She was recommissioned into our navy on the 11th of September 1970.  Where she served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997.  Tui was named after the New Zealand native bird the Tui.  After being partly refitted and being installed with scientific equipment (which was then tested) she began working for the Defence Scientific Establishment in Auckland.  For years Tui went about her work that she had been designed for, primarily underwater acoustics.

Tui worked in Australian, Indian Ocean and South Pacific waters. She had a busy work life working with Auckland University research, with DSIR scientists and other oceanographic ships.  She also took part in several American research programs.  Her acoustic research was mainly to do with the detection and tracking of submarines.  She also made an extensive search for a reef which is now thought to be a phantom one.  

In 1997, Tui was decommissioned.  She was replaced by a hydrographic ship.   Tui rests way up north and people are able to dive down to see her. 

Lick This - one of the best ice cream parlours along Marine Parade

AFFORDABLE & YUMMY 

Plenty of choice with 35 flavours of Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet and Frozen yoghurt  to choose from.  They make most of it on site using recipes they have developed over the past 10 years.   They use local ingredients as much as they can and make unique New Zealand flavours. 

with over 300 ice-cream scoops in their collection this maybe the biggest collection in New Zealand 

 

to get your lips smacking together take a look at their gallery

War Memorial Centre

Tom Parker Fountain - Theme Day - movement

 City Daily Photo have theme days on the first of the month.  Today's theme is movement.  This fountain's water puts on a special display each night.  There is a lot of movement in height from low to spectacularly high.  

The Tom Parker Fountain was built in 1936 and was officially opened on Christmas Eve.  Tom Parker, a Napier menswear retailer donated money for this purpose to the city.  Hed been on one of his regular overseas visits and was impressed by a modern illuminated fountain and felt Napier should have a similar one.  Between 8 pm and midnight the fountain's varying water jet heights and coloured lights play in a synchronised way.