The New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group Inc. is a non-profit group with a primary interest in shipwrecks and the maritime heritage lost beneath NZ seas or under the sands of our coasts.

Our interests centre not only on shipwrecks but also many other items of underwater heritage that are not necessary in the sea.
Members are based throughout the country and their activities are directed towards: research, investigation, recovery and conservation of submerged cultural resources.

Our goals are, through using appropriate archaeological methods and modern technology, to reveal the history of our lost maritime heritage and to preserve this for our future generations to study and enjoy. Results of many of our members’ efforts are on display in a number of NZ museums or recorded in numerous publications, books and visual media.

A monthly Newsletter keeps members informed of projects, activities and what is happening in the world of maritime archaeology. Members are encouraged to join together and to participate in many exciting projects – the romance of finding a shipwreck permits one to experience first hand, tangible history into how we once travelled, lived and how the lives of those on board were changed for ever – there is even the possibility of a discovery that will change New Zealand recorded history.

The New Zealand Underwater Heritage is having the 2012 AGM on Saturday 13th October…….

Presentations include:

13:00 THE PERPLEXING PRE TASMAN DISCOVERY PUZZLE – Winston Cowie

Historical investigator Winston Cowie summarizes the investigation on possible “other” early European explorers to New Zealand shores, with a focus on New Zealand’s North-West coast and the possibility of an early Portuguese shipwreck buried beneath the sands…….

For more details on the NZUHG,click here.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores and online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

13 October 2012

Blog topics: New Zealand Wars, New Zealand History, New Zealand Land Wars, Maori Wars,  Marine Science and Policy, Fishing (rod and spear), Surfing, Maori Wars, Diving, Rugby, Underwater Heritage, Tramping, Winston Cowie, Tuatara, Oxford University Rugby Football Club.

To say Winston Cowie has used his law degree in a lateral way is an understatement.

The in-house lawyer has relocated coral, transplanted sea grass and negotiated employment contracts (all while working in Qatar).

Winston Cowie – Marine Scientist – Diving in Qatar

Now back at home, Mr Cowie works for engineering, architecture and environmental consulting company GHD.

An avid fisherman and surfer, the Otago university law graduate began his legal career working for Russell McVeagh.

“Life in a big law firm, however, wasn’t for me. ….”

So, heading this advice Mr Cowie decided to go in a different direction and applied to Oxford University to do an MSc in environmental policy, under the department of geography……

For the rest of the article by Rachael Breckon,11 October 2012, click here.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores and online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

11 October 2012

Blog topics: New Zealand Wars, New Zealand History, New Zealand Land Wars, Maori Wars,  Marine Science and Policy, Fishing (rod and spear), Surfing, Maori Wars, Diving, Rugby, Underwater Heritage, Tramping, Winston Cowie, Tuatara, Oxford University Rugby Football Club.

Spring is here and we’ve just got back from a week’s trip to the South Island. Having not been there for eight years you forget how magnificent it is. Crossing Arthurs Pass, staying in Hokitika (bringing back some great memories of the Wild Foods Festivals), checking out Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers, staying at Haast and having a whitebait fritter, driving through what must be one of the most stunning drives in New Zealand (from Haast through to Wanaka), catching up with family and friends in Central Otago, Lucy delivering a lamb whose mother was poorly, and then onto Queenstown and then Wanaka for the great Brendon Vercoe and Kirsty Martin wedding! A stunning Wanaka day and what an event guys, which even involved you arriving in a helicopter at the reception venue! A great mix of people from Otago to Oxford to Valencia to all the places you have travelled –  we look forward to some adventures over summer with you!

A Flame Flickers in the Darkness

Now a few words about the book, A Flame Flickers in the Darkness by Winston Cowie, New Zealand’s historical fiction epic novel, based during the 1860s New Zealand Land Wars or New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars. Of the initial 500 First Edition copies that were printed, there are circa 150 left between Whitcoulls stores, the Independent bookstores listed at the end of this blog and between the Fishpond and Publishme websites. So grab one of the remaining First Editions of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness. Planning is already underway for the second edition which will be different from the first.

First Editions become collectors items.

Mystery at Midge Bay Documentary

Please also keep an eye out in the upcoming month for details on the premiere of the feature documentary on New Zealand’s earliest shipwreck, entitled:

Mystery at Midge Bay –

The Discovery of New Zealand’s earliest Shipwreck

Directed by David Sims and written and Co-produced by Winston Cowie and David Sims, it takes you on a voyage of discovery into the unchartered waters of early New Zealand exploration and discovery. Move over Abel Tasman (1642) and James Cook (1769)? We shall see. ;)

Keep an eye out for details of the premiere.

Moana Nui Fishing Club

Now, a spot of fishing. Those Kiwi blokes and lasses out there currently travelling the world will know what I mean when I mention a good Kiwi fishing day.  It hurts when you are overseas and you hear about them because you know what good fun they are.

The sun is shining, the weather is clear, the fish are biting, you catch a few Snapper, if you’re lucky a Kingfish; somebody has been for a dive and gathered a few scallops and hunted out a few crays. It makes for a great day and the afternoon of filleting while having a few beers and then the feast that follows is just top notch. The kids take it all in and want to get involved. A good cycle.

Enter the genesis of the Moana Nui Fishing Club. A couple of really keen fishos who have recently returned  from overseas got together at about the time of the Rugby World Cup and over a couple of brews, worked out some loose rules around a fishing club.

They were pretty simple – it involved mates going fishing together over summer (with our families), with a prize going to the person at the end of the Summer who was judged to have caught the biggest Snapper or Kingfish. Now, there is a big sustainability aspect here – with the larger fish the goal is catch and release, recognising that with Snapper, the larger the fish the more important it is to the breeding population. Similarly with Kingfish.

The inaugural season saw some great fish caught – the winner by a scale was big brother Richard Cowie with a magnificent 22lb Snapper. Runner Up was yours truly with a 53lb Kingfish with some good fish being caught by David Brodie, Tim Scott, Elliot Donaldson and Old Iron Mike Cowie.

A lot of fun was had with some great days out on the water. And the pics are slowly convincing a lot of those still overseas to come back to Aotearoa, enjoy the playground and be responsible kaitiaki of te taonga o Tangaroa, the treasures of Tangaroa.

Availability of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness

‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’, an epic  New Zealand book or New Zealand historical novel, based during the New Zealand  Land Wars or New Zealand Wars or  Maori Wars of the 1860s, is available at:

Whitcoulls Auckland

• Albany Westfield
• Botany Downs
• Downtown
• Henderson
• Manukau
• New Lynn
• Newmarket
• Pakuranga
• Papakura
• Queens Street – The Corner
• Royal Oak
• St Lukes
• Sylvia Park

Whitcoulls North Shore

• Browns Bay
• Glenfield
• Milford
• Takapuna Galleria
• Whangaparaoa

Whitcoulls Palmerston North

• Palmerston North Plaza
• Bennetts on Broadway

Whitcoulls Hamilton

• Centreplace
• Te Rapa

Whitcoulls Taranaki

• New Plymouth

Phone your local Whitcoulls store for availability – if it is not available in your location (South Island), they will order it in from another store.

Independent Bookstores

• The Village Bookshop, Matakana;
• Benny’s Books, New Plymouth; and
• Prices Bookstore, Taupo.

Online
• Fishpond New Zealand (Online);
• PublishMe Online Bookstore (Online).

Ka Kite and bring on the Kiwi Summer!

Best

Winnie

Winston Cowie

Author; ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’

Genre: “New Zealand Land Wars or New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars; New Zealand Historical Fiction Novel or New Zealand Historical Book; 1860s; Author Winston Cowie & Winnie Cowie; and A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.”

Blog Topics: New Zealand, Marine Science and Policy, Fishing, Spearfishing, Surfing, Seafood Recipes, Diving, Rugby, Underwater Heritage, Tramping, Skiing and Snowboarding, Tuatara the mullet boat, Winston Cowie.

Before you click “upload” on that self-published e-book, certain you’re about to become the next EL James, consider this: half of all indy authors earn less than $US500 ($NZ630) a year for their efforts.

But there are simple ways to boost your chances of making a fortune, according to a survey of 1007 self-published writers for an American website………

……Of course, rule number three – getting a track record with a conventional publisher first – is a bit of a chicken and egg argument, as Whangaparaoa historical writer Winston Cowie has discovered with his debut New Zealand historical novel, A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.

Winston, a former lawyer and Oxford graduate, initially followed the conventional route. He sent the manuscript to about seven New Zealand-based publishers. “Some replied, others didn’t. The feedback I got was that the New Zealand book market was very depressed and no publisher was willing to take a risk on a new author. The advice I got was self-publish it and if it goes well they may take it on.”……………

For the full article (written by Bronwyn Sell from the New Zealand Herald on 27 July 2012), please follow this link.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness by Winston Cowie, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores an online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

And…for those in London watching the Olympics – how good has it been! We have been glued to the box over here in NZ – super super congrats to all the NZ medallists and competitors – you have all been incredibly inspiring and made us Kiwis super proud!

And….I managed to get out boating recently – not too far off the mainland and some friends came to play. ;) Come on NZ!

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

The students and staff of Westlake Boys High School in Auckland welcomed back one of their alumni – Winston Cowie – last week who was there to make a presentation to the school on behalf of him and fellow alumni Euan Sadden.

Winston and Euan were together in Oxford in 2007 attending Keble College and both appeared in the Varsity Match that December under the captaincy of Joe Roff. Winston who is now living and working back in Auckland attended a school assembly to present a framed Varsity Match shirt with photos to the headmaster and speak to the students.

Winston Cowie Euan Sadden Oxford University Rugby Foot ball Club Rugby Jersey

For the rest of the article on the Oxford University Rugby Foot ball Club website, please click here.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores an online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

From Otago To Oxford, from a top Auckland law firm to working among schooling sharks in the Arabian Gulf, from running on to the rugby field at Twickenham to surfing in Indonesia, Winston Cowie is the 21st century’s answer to the Good Keen Man. Now, he’s taking on the heavyweights of publishing. Susan Edmunds, New Zealand Herald on Sunday goes fishing with him.

Towing a speared kingfish back to his mate’s boat, Winston Cowie yells for help to drag it on board. He has been struggling with it in the water for 20 minutes, towed around by the thrashing fish as he tries to hold on to his float. Then the spear slips out and he is forced to take matters into his own hands. He grabs it by the tail and manoeuvres the 24kg fish on board.

Partner Lucy Jones rolls her eyes when Cowie says he’ll never forget that New Year’s Day fishing trip. “No one else will, either,” she groans.

The photo of Cowie with the fish is on the couple’s fridge, and 18-month-old daughter Izzy demands that it’s in her line of sight when she eats breakfast every morning. “She might not know me,” Jones sighs, “but she knows ‘Dad’ and ‘fish’.”…………….

For the full article (a two page spread from the New Zealand Herald on Sunday on 20 July 2012), please follow the link.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores an online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

Lawyer turned environmental law, policy, and science consultant Winston Cowie speaks with Craig Sisterson about the long and winding road he faced as a first-time novelist.

Writing and publishing a novel is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Putting words to paper, turning ideas into imagery, and crafting compelling characters that will resonate in readers’ minds, can take years of thought and effort. Winston Cowie knows that, first hand. When Cowie’s debut novel, A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, was published this April, it marked the culmination of a six-year odyssey that started when he was “living on a mullet boat” in Auckland harbour and working as a young solicitor at Russell McVeagh, then continued through postgraduate study at Oxford University, working in London and Qatar, and his return to New Zealand. “It’s been a real determined effort, and I’ve learned a lot over six years,” says Cowie, who decided to publish the historical novel himself after getting a lot of helpful advice from industry experts…. “I guess I just got to a point where I was happy with it and I got good feedback from people that I respected, and, yeah, I just thought I’d get it out there and have a crack.”

A Flame Flickers in the Darkness has been getting good reviews – “a ripping yarn”, “meticulously researched”, “a rare insight into the times” – and is available in several bookstores, including Whitcoulls. Cowie’s novel is set in the 1860s, during ‘the New Zealand Wars’ where Maori and Pakeha engaged in several violent battles over this country’s land………

For the rest of the article, please visit here.

You can get your own copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness, a New Zealand historical fiction novel or book based on the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars or New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s, from Whitcoulls, independent bookstores an online on PublishMe and Fishpond.

Cheers

Winnie

(Winston Cowie)

Gday gday,

Hope everybody is well. In New Zealand we are enjoying the Kiwi winter – some stormy fronts and a lot of rain but also some crackerjack bluebird days like we have had today. A couple of trips to spectacular Pouto (see previous post), a fishing trip (resulting in a 15lb Snapper – see previous post), paintballing for a mate’s birthday, catching up with old friends  and some family days around the beautiful parks we have here in the Auckland Region have been keeping me busy in the weekend. Tawharanui and Shakespear Regional Parks are stunning and both now have predator proof fences and Tawharanui has released endangered Kiwi. It is awesome to see community catalysed projects from the likes of TOSSI and SOSSI come into fruition. Going for a walk or run in these places or chilling on the beach, especially with the sun shining, makes you realise what an awesome place New Zealand is.

Did I mention watching some great All Black test matches and some classic Super 15 games? Come on the Kiwi teams for the final week! It’s hard to support them all when the Chiefs are playing the Canes but I wouldn’t mind the Canes winning this weekend, just to see them through. I think the Chiefs will be too strong though.

So, I was recently interviewed by broadcasting legend, Jim Mora on Radio New Zealand as part of the ‘Best song ever written’ segment. Jim is a great guy, made it easy and it went really well. Also afterwards, I received a flood of mails from bookstores, to newspapers, to interested members of the public to old friends, all interested in ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness,’ a book or novel based during the New Zealand Wars or Maori Wars of the 1860s.

So thank you Jim and Radio New Zealand. ;)

You can have a listen to the interview here.

My song choice was ‘Welcome to my world’ by Jim Reeves, and for those Kiwis out there – it is the song used in the New Zealand Toyota adverts of the late 1980s and 90s. The images in those ads of the Southern Alps and the antics of Barry Crump and Scotty stuck with me and whenever I hear that song, it evokes images of New Zealand. The song, whilst written by the American Reeves, also has  some pertinent lines that most Kiwis can relate to, particularly:

‘Knock and the door will open,
Seek and you will find,
Ask and you’ll be given,
The key to this world of mine.’

The message here is a kiwi one I reckon, of ‘Get out and have a crack,’ much like I’m doing with my book, ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.’

Also, keep an eye out in New Zealand Lawyer magazine and the Herald on Sunday in the coming weeks…

And you can now get a copy of A Flame Flickers in the Darkness at the following:

• Take Note Wairoa, Hawkes Bay; and
• Timeout Bookstore, Mt Eden, Auckland.

As well as:

Whitcoulls Auckland

• Albany Westfield
• Botany Downs
• Downtown
• Henderson
• Manukau
• New Lynn
• Newmarket
• Pakuranga
• Papakura
• Queens Street – The Corner
• Royal Oak
• St Lukes
• Sylvia Park

Whitcoulls North Shore

• Browns Bay
• Glenfield
• Milford
• Takapuna Galleria
• Whangaparaoa

Whitcoulls Palmerston North

• Palmerston North Plaza
• Bennetts on Broadway

Whitcoulls Hamilton

• Centreplace
• Te Rapa

Whitcoulls Taranaki

• New Plymouth

Other Independent Bookstores

• The Village Bookshop, Matakana; and
• Benny’s Books, New Plymouth.

Online

• Fishpond New Zealand (Online); and
• PublishMe Online Bookstore.

Also, remember The Flying Doctors? My mate, Nick Maister is now part of a group called The Surfing Doctors who do some fantastic medical community service work in surf destinations around the world, both for the local community and any surfers that come a bit close to the reef. Nick and a group of The Surfing Doctors are soon to embark on a trip to Gland, Indonesia. Great work fellas and fellesses, combining work with pleasure, with community – I look forward to hearing all about it!

You can check out Nick, The Surf Doctor’s profile, here:

One of the key quotes in it:

“I took a tally of the number of times I surfed last year, I got to 212 in the year.”

Good on ya mate.

Ka Kite all.

Winston Cowie (Winnie)

G’day everybody!

Whitcoulls, New Zealand’s oldest (1882) and largest book selling chain (62 stores) said YES and is now stocking my historical fiction, ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness!’

Ye he he heooowww! Happy is an understatement! Rapt, stoked, chuffed, on cloud 10 and thow a number of other adjectives to the mix and that’s how I’m feeling!!
And the price has been reduced! All copies of my New Zealand or Maori Wars novel are now $45.00 NZ, down from $48.00 NZ.
A special thank you to South Pacific Books who are distributing my novel to Whitcoulls.

You can now get a copy of ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ from all of the Whitcoulls stores below. And if it is not available at your local Whitcoulls store (for example, it is not currently available in the South Island), you can ask the friendly staff to order it in for you!

Whitcoulls Auckland
• Albany Westfield
• Botany Downs
• Downtown
• Henderson
• Manukau
• New Lynn
• Newmarket
• Pakuranga
• Papakura
• Queens Street – The Corner
• Royal Oak
• St Lukes
• Sylvia Park

Whitcoulls North Shore
• Browns Bay
• Glenfield
• Milford
• Takapuna Galleria
• Whangaparaoa

Whitcoulls Palmerston North
• Palmerston North Plaza
• Bennetts on Broadway

Whitcoulls Hamilton
• Centreplace
• Te Rapa

Whitcoulls Taranaki
• New Plymouth

And don’t forget, it is still available at:
• The Village Bookshop, Matakana;
• Benny’s Books, New Plymouth;
• Fishpond New Zealand (Online);
• PublishMe Online Bookstore (Online).

Cheers for all of your support for the past few months everybody. I am really lucky and proud to be able to call all of you friends.

And remember, you are amongst who the book is dedicated to:
“For Mum, Dad and my whanau.
For Lucy, Isobelle and Evie, my loves.
For our ancestors, all those courageous men and women, both Maori and Pakeha, who helped shape New Zealand in the 1860s.
And for all those wonderful people from all over the world that I have had the pleasure of meeting and calling friends, you have inspired me.”

Is ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ a good read?

“The story is a ripping yarn which is hard to put down.” South Taranaki Star

“Cowie captures the manners, customs and language of the era skillfully, and importantly, establishes the essential nature of the conflict…..A number of real historical figures appear in the narrative, both Maori leaders and European military men, and it is fascinating to have them fleshed out into actual people….” Peter Maxwell, Historian & Author

“First-time author Winston Cowie’s book.…..is meticulously researched and he combines an impressive amount of detail with a wonderful story.” North Taranaki Midweek

“Cowie’s book is a large and impressive work that makes a worthwhile contribution to our understanding of colonial New Zealand’s troubled history.” Peter Maxwell, Historian & Author

So get down to Whitcoulls, The Village Bookshop or Benny’s, or order it online, have a read and I look forward to hearing what you think!!

Best Wishes
Winnie

P.s. I went fishing in the weekend in the Hauraki Gulf – we played with a pod of Common Dolphins, and fed an Albatross and Black Petrel by hand. Timbo also got a 15lb Snapper which we threw back! New Zealand is the best country in the world.

By the way:
Black Petrels are an impressive bird, and an endemic breeder of New Zealand, breeding only on islands off the North Island, mostly in the Hauraki Gulf.
They are classed under the NZ Department of Conservation Threat Classification System as Nationally Vulnerable and by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN Red list: Vulnerable.
If you see one, throw it some spare bait!

Hey guys,

Winter is here and the shortest day is just around the corner. We have had some cracker bluebird days and some good weather over Queen’s Birthday weekend. Well done to Her Majesty.

I have been out and about on a couple of winter fishing trips in the past few weeks, including getting Tuatara out for her mandatory winter’s voyage. Both times, we needed to start early in the morning to catch the tide and I definitely remember thinking, “I don’t want to get up early because its cold and dark,” but I am pleased that we did – the Snapper are in close and we had a feed within an hour. You just need to harden up a bit in winter, bite the bullet and get out there.

I also had a spear – the water was cold and clear and a couple of rat Kingys were spotted, but nothing to warrant a shot. It was great to be in the water and it brought home the importance of a good wetsuit, not an old spring-suit with holes in it.

I spent Queen’s Birthday on the wild West Coast of Northland – what a spot. Its good old school New Zealand, fishing off the beach, a couple of beers in the evening and a fire, plenty of laughter and banter. The coast from Pouto north to Dargaville is definitely worth checking out. The walk out to the Pouto Lighthouse is truly spectacular.

Re the book, ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ is now available on Fishpond, Australasia’s No 1 book website. Fishpond are currently offering a great deal on 15 copies of my book or novel. Check it out here!

Further, if you would like to buy an interesting book or historical novel on the New Zealand Wars of Maori Wars of the 1860s, called ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ by Winston Cowie, you can buy a copy at:
• The Village Bookshop, Matakana;
• Benny’s Books, New Plymouth;
• Fishpond New Zealand; and
• PublishMe.

Please also feel free to Contact Me.
Come on the All Blacks this weekend!

Best
Winnie