Governor's Bay

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Governor's Bay

Banks Peninsula

Christchurch

New Zealand

One day

during the week

of my stay in Christchurch

we packed a picnic

collected my father

from the rest home

and drove to the sea

We made our way 

around the side of Lyttelton Harbour

on Bank's Peninsula

Governor's Bay

is nestled in the Port Hills

at the far end of Lyttelton Harbour

twelve miles from the open sea

The small township

of mostly commuters

was named after an early 

Governor of New Zealand

George Grey who welcomed

the arriving Canterbury Association Settlers

to this beautiful Southern land 

from this spot in 1850

Out in the harbour

from Governor's Bay

you find Quail Island

which was the quarantine station 

for dogs and ponies

for the early Antarctic expeditions

Between 1918 and 1925 

Quail Island was a leper colony

The hills are often dry

in late summer,

brushed repeatedly 

by the hot Nor' west winds

Governor's Bay is a picturesque 

and peaceful town

And my father 

enjoyed the day's outing

and loved his picnic

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