Moeraki Bay Fishing Boats

Commissioned acrylic painting — 120cm x 100cm

Moeraki is one of those places you have to be told about. It doesn't announce itself from the highway — you have to turn off and drive for about five minutes before the bay opens up in front of you. I only knew about the Moeraki Boulders further north. I had no idea what was waiting around the corner.

The commission was straightforward — a client wanted a painting that incorporated fishing boats. Moeraki was the perfect answer.

I planned to stay one night. That one night was enough to fall for the place completely. The bay is small but stunning — a red sandy beach that contrasts sharply with the deep blue water where the fishing boats sit quietly at their moorings. The old jetty to the right, now rusted and long out of use, was once the major shipping port for the North Otago region. I loved having it in the painting. It just belonged there.

What struck me most was the calm. Everything about Moeraki is peaceful. The fishing community, the light on the water, the unhurried pace of it all. And the fish and chips — honestly some of the best I've ever had.

If you're heading down to see the Moeraki Boulders, do yourself a favour — take that turn-off. Stay a while. It's worth it.