In the first episode of Coasters, Al explores the connections Wellingtonian's have with their coast. Although Al has lived in Wellington most of his adult life, he's yet to make the journey around the capital coast, from the city's southern beaches to windswept Pencarrow Head.
Setting off from Island Bay Al explores the newly created Tapu Te Ranga Marine Reserve. Once Al's regular go to spot for paua, fishing is now off-limits, and the sanctuary's many little rock pools are full of cockabullies and starfish.
Further along at Lyall Bay Al meets Ray Ahipene-Mercer, who spearheaded the Clean Water Campaign at Moa Point back in 1986. Then it's on to Tarakena Bay, Ray's ancestral home, where he shares something of the special significance of the coast for his people.
At Karaka Bay Al hooks up with a couple of friends who are fishing for mullet and after just fifteen minutes he has enough to make lunch for his next coaster, architect Ian Athfield. Ian's been involved with much of Wellington's waterfront development and has a huge interest in how communities interact with the coast.
Al then heads into the heart of the city to meet writer and editor of New Zealand's online encyclopaedia, Te Ara, Jock Phillips. Al and Jock walk what was the old shoreline and Jock sheds light on how important land reclamation on the inner Wellington harbour was for settlement, right from the early days.
With the end in sight Al has two more stops, the first Eastbourne's Lowry Bay, where he meets local fishermen Martin Hansen and Dan Dellarbarca who run a fish market off the back of their boat. Al checks in on the catch and mingles with the customers.
Tempted to stay and chat, Al knows he has one last stop to complete his journey of the capital coast. He makes his way up the steep hills of Pencarrow Head and meets Anne Bennett, the great great grand daughter of the very first lighthouse keepers in Wellington - George and Mary Bennett
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