Today was one of those autumn days when the weather is perfect - warm but not too hot, with no wind. I decided to go out to Taylor's Mistake, a local beach. I'd made an attempt to get there before, but was foiled by a road closure and too much traffic because of school holidays. I haven't been there since the earthquakes of 2011, as much of the area was closed for a while and I was nervous about seeing how much damage had been done, but it was fine, very much as I've always loved it.
The beach settlement is home to what NZer's in this part of NZ call "baches". (Further south in Otago they are called "cribs", one of those regional oddities with language). It's believed that the word "bach" comes from the word bachelor, and people living here were described as "baching it", living a basic and easy lifestyle, with little housekeeping. Now these are mostly holiday places. Some are lived in full-time or used often for weekend getaways. Others seem all but deserted. Most of the structures are on leasehold land, and have been the subject of some controversy, as ecological purists and land developers (very odd bedfellows) have tried to get them demolished. I love them. To me they are so nostalgic, and are virtually heritage structures. They remind us of a time when people could just build a rumpty place for family holidays, before a load of laws and by-laws dictated that only up-market holiday homes could be built. Most of the baches were built by ordinary people, not the wealthy, back in the days when we had a lot less social inequality.
All sorts of odds and ends found their way to the bach
Home design and maintenance was often quite imaginative and improvised.
This bach has a state-of-the-art barbeque which seems a bit out of place
Escaped garden plants make little wild gardens in the marram grass
Don't know what this it; we just called it bunny-tails when we were kids.
I love the way things are made with found items washed up. This is the gate for...
..a very solid art deco bach
There are caves all along this headland. Local Maori used them as shelters when fishing or gathering shellfish. Later, during the 19th and early 20th century, some caves were converted to houses. Apparently one even had an upright piano in it. (Good luck with keeping it in tune!)
Selfie in surf-club window.
Sometimes the sea washes up a convenient log for seating.
Remember the days before the Internet, when people had to make their own fun? This outdoor dartboard recalls them well.
"Kia Ora" is lived in permanently. The occupant grows herbs in pots and vegetables in fish crates.
He also makes these seashell mobiles
Imagine sitting in this room during a storm. It would be exhilarating or terrifying, depending on how much faith you had in the structure of the house!
And why was it called Taylor's Mistake? Christchurch City Libraries website has the answer:
I remember when coast houses were simple places. And miss those days. I could very happily live in a bach I think.
ReplyDeleteTaylors Mistake looks truly delightful and I also loved the link. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed this. It's one of my favourite places.
ReplyDelete