The rarest sight in Wellington
I’ve wanted this shot for years. This time the visibility on the Kāpiti Coast, and across New Zealand, was near-perfect. Mt Ruapehu nearly 200 km away was clear as day. Core memory unlocked.
Paraparaumu Beach and Mt Ruapehu.
I’ve wanted to capture this landscape for ages. Weather, haze, and being off the Kāpiti Coast too often meant the stars rarely aligned. But recently I got lucky.
One morning I was heading to grab coffee with my Mum in Paraparaumu. As I drove over the Wainui Saddle through Transmission Gully I saw a white mark on the horizon.
As it came into focus I could make out Mt Ruapehu out in the distance.
I had a decision: carry on, or pull over and try for the shot. I’m probably not a perfect son, but this day I made the right call.
Paraparaumu in the foreground and Mt Ruapehu in the background - around 185km apart from each other.
Kāpiti Island in the foreground and Mt Taranaki in the background.
I told Mum to be ready, then we moved fast. About 30 minute later, we were heading along Paekākāriki Hill Road, hoping for the best.
The air stayed clear.
Paraparaumu in the foreground; Mt Ruapehu looming in the background some 187 km away. Behind Kāpiti Island I also photographed Mt Taranaki, which was icing on the cake.
We took selfies for my Nan (my Mum’s Mum) in England and I snapped photos for probably 20 minutes, just in awe. We tried a few other spots - up past Nikau Valley - where you could still see Taranaki, but nothing quite matched the energy of that view.
So to see Paraparaumu, Kāpiti Island and distant mountains, in the same frame, is something special.
I’m glad I got to see it, photograph it, and share it with Mum. That’s what makes moments like this matter.
Love you, Mum x
Follow me on social media for more photos of Wellington. If you’ve seen this view or something similar, send me a message - I’d love to hear about your own snapshots of the rare.
