Issue 68

Issue 68

Through Needle Rock Canoeing for beginners Kayak Fishing Safely Tea or Coffee?

Making a brew from bush plants

Proudly supported by:

Join the Waikato team at Coromandel

For all your Sports Transportation Solutions

www.thule.co.nz

Coming soon...

The Evolution revolution

COBRA

Introducing the revolutionary Cobra Evolution Super Light Series, a high performance range of kayaks that’s one of the lightest in their class.

Cobra’s unique ‘Feather Cell Technology’ moulding technique mimics the ultra light yet highly rigid and robust cell structure of a feather to produce a remarkably lightweight yet extremely tough and durable craft. With all the extra manoeuvrability, agility and ease of handling that comes with a low weight hull. More fun, more safety, more performance.

feather cell technology

Contact your local dealer for further information

Contents Sea Kayaking Through Needle Rock - Tim Muhundan joins

21

The Stoney Path - Nathan Fa’ave paddles the

28

Open Canoeing For Beginners

20

A boat that does the trick

32 Tying a figure eight on a bight

30

Trip Card - Bucklands Beach to St. Heliers/ Kohimarama.

6 17

31 38

the Waikato team at Coromandel.

Arawhata River with friends including five children.

Inflatable kayaks can be a solution.

Trip Card - Motuhoa Island.

Paddling the Cook Strait - Arini and Tara take us with them.

White Water Kayaking

46

A Water Park in the Mountains - The best of

the Sierra Nevada’s.

Fishing

12 40

Kayak Fishing Safely

- Keeping warm & safe.

Taranaki Classic Fishing Competition - 2nd & 3rd March 2013.

Canoe Polo

24 4

Technical

Photography tips – Lighting - More tips in

Like Basketball on Water - An introduction to

canoe polo.

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

the series on how to get the most out of your camera.

- Estelle Leyshon looks at paddle techniques.

Regulars

5 Editorial 33 Sudoku 34 Health -

Even Kayakers Get Injured

35 Quick Crossword 36 Bush Craft - Tea & Coffee 37 First Aid - Do you know what to do?

41 Sudoku Solution 42 Products - Warm wear 43 Products - Safety gear 44 Kayaks - Over 90 kayaks listed. www.kayaknz.co.nz

Editorial

Issue 68

Stunning describes this summer’s dazzling, magical phosphorescence on my home estuary. In contrast Lake Taupo’s calm and cool water on a stifling day, shouts of excitement on the Mohaka River from both kids and parents; my daughters Rowan (10) and Shae (12) white water boating in the surf.

Keen kayakers know the rewards of giving the TV and computer a rest, and the family having a great time on the water. Last night my only companion was Pepper, not for the lack of trying. We shared an amazing, splashing light show from each paddle stroke and jumping fish. My destination was Dacre Cottage, Pepper’s was a possum’s home territory. The outcome? Enjoying his eager nose, wagging tail, his triumph and the dazzling stars created by stirring the water, jumping fish and electric waves.

Experienced kayakers know that encouraging others, especially children, to come paddling involves judgement. Are those paddlers sufficiently fit, skilled and equipped? Am I confident that the weather report signals ‘go’, the trip is well planned and that I am ready for any mishap?

I guess you have on occasion thought, “Should I persuade Joe to come paddling, invite him, or say nothing until he asks?” A more difficult question is “What do I do when I see an inexperienced kayaker heading for trouble?” Do I shrug and think ‘Bloody fool’? or do I make contact and call “Hey, have you heard the weather forecast?” or warn, “Paddling here today is only for the experts. The semi-skilled will need a rescuer”.

One thing is reasonably certain. Some people get little or no information

before they venture out kayaking. So, at some time on the water you’ll meet the consequence, an ‘ignorant kayaker’. You cannot save them from themselves, but your conscience will say “You should at least have tried with an urgent shout or calm advice about a course.”

Enjoy this stunning New Year kayaking safely with family and friends and remember to pass on the word about being safe on the water, even if at times it may not be appreciated.

Cheers Peter Townend

Copyright: The opinions expressed by contributors and the information stated in advertisements/articles are not necessarily agreed to by the editors or publisher of New Zealand Kayak Magazine.

Pricing: At the time of printing the prices in this magazine were accurate. However they may change at any time.

EDITOR: Peter Townend Ph: 0274 529 255 / (09) 476 7066 Email: pete@canoeandkayak.co.nz PUBLISHER: New Zealand Kayak Magazine is published five times per year by Canoe & Kayak Ltd. PRINTING: MHP Print DISTRIBUTION: MagMag SUBSCRIPTIONS: (see page 41) New Zealand – 6 Issues = $40 Overseas – 6 Issues = $60

www.kayaknz.co.nz

CONTRIBUTORS: We welcome contributors’ articles and photos.

Refer to www.canoeandkayak.co.nz/guide New Zealand Kayak Magazine ‘Contributors Guidelines’ for more details.

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO: James Fitness Email: james@canoeandkayak.co.nz New Zealand Kayak Magazine Front Cover: Needle rock - Coromandel Contents page: Crystal clear waters off Coromandel Photos by: Tim Muhundan

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

5

Through Needle Rock Tim Muhundan takes a memorable kayak trip through some of the best rock landscape Coromandel has to offer.

6

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

7

One of the best things about Yakity Yak Club is that, if you belong to one of the eight regional clubs, you can join in any of the other club’s paddles. I thought I would put this to the test and registered for a weekend paddle in Coromandel organised by the Waikato Yakity Yak Club.

We had arranged to meet up on Friday evening at the Kuaotunu camp site. By the time I got to the camp site from Auckland, however, it was well past 9:00 pm. I drove around the camp site until I found a myriad of kayak clad cars and knew I was in the right spot.

Soon I managed to find the cabin of the trip leader, Tony, and was greeted by six female paddlers who had just hijacked his cabin. A quick introduction, lots of laughter and a few drinks later, we all returned to our tents to get some sleep. I somehow knew this weekend paddle was going to be just fantastic and fell asleep listening to the distant cry of a peacock.

I woke up and opened my tent to a beautiful view of a stream that ran only a metre away. I watched a flock of new-born ducklings having their feed with the mother duck from my sleeping bag until I could smell the cooked breakfast from the camp kitchen. We sat around the table with a coffee and planned the day: the plan was to drive a little further up to Opito Beach and then to paddle around Opito peninsula via offshore islands and check out the rocks & caves, returning to the same spot via the coast. Everyone was eager for the adventure to begin!

The drive to Opito is an interesting one – the view from the winding road was breath-taking with Great Mercury Island lying in the distance and lots of small rocks scattered around the coastline.

The paddle out did not take long and within minutes we were exploring Rabbit Island (how many Rabbit Islands do we have around NZ?), the appropriately named Old Man Rock and then to Motukoruenga Island.

We couldn’t find a sandy beach on Motukoruenga Island to have Morning tea. So we settled for a sheltered area on the rock. After lunch we finished circumnavigating Motukoruenga – the highlight of which was paddling through the big hole in the rock.

8

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

Needle rock was our next stop – though it is not possible to paddle through the hole. The sheer size of the opening was pretty impressive – in the picture below, you can see the size of the tiny kayaker compared to the size of the hole.

From Needle Rock we headed back towards a head of rock between Red Bay and Humbug Bay, stopping on the island of Motukoranga (not to be confused with Motukoruenga above). First thing we spotted was a cave on one side of the island and we were pleasantly surprised by what we saw once we got through the opening. With the crystal clear water, we could see an abundance of fish underwater. We spent ages exploring the ‘hidden world’ only accessible by one of the two openings.

In one corner of the pool there was a concentration of jelly fish eggs and baby jelly fish. With every paddle stroke, one could feel the slimy creatures against my fingers.

Across a narrow gap from Motukoruenga is a little sister island with lots of bird life. The rocky landscape around the smaller island was breathtakingly beautiful – made even more alien by the swell pushing large masses of water through the gaps in the rocks with lots of noise and froth.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

It was starting to get a bit cloudy and by the time we paddled around Motukoruenga, the wind had really picked up and it was making circumnavigating the outer edge of the second island pretty tricky – so we headed back to the sheltered coastline – instead of heading further into the wind towards Matapaua Bay. After lunch at Red Beach, we hugged the coast to return a different way – passing many beaches around Red Bay and returned to the camp site for a warm shower. We’d worked up a pretty big appetite by then.

On Saturday night we had a fantastic ‘pot luck’ meal, with everyone (including the two vegetarians, and two on gluten-free-carb-free diets!) stuffing themselves with freshly cooked dinner complemented by a serving of chips from the camp café, washed down with wine. After a hot shower at the camp ($1 for 6 mins), I had a great night’s sleep.

We started the second day with another briefing. By now we knew each other pretty well and we all became pretty vocal about what we should do for the day.

The general consensus was that the previous day was perfect and we should do something similar, rather than doing a long, arduous paddle to New Chums Beach. So the new plan was to have a more relaxed paddle somewhere closer and chill out at some of the gorgeous beaches we spotted when island hopping the day before.

We drove to a start point just past Black Jack scenic reserve. It had become slightly windier with larger swells than the previous day, so we all had fun getting out from the beach through the surf.

We stayed pretty close to the coastline - this time past the

Otama River outlet – and rock gardening through the edge of Whaorei Bay. We then ventured out further into the wind towards Tokaiti Rock which was basically two giant rocks next to each other with big swells going through the gap.

It was exhilarating to paddle through the gap and to photograph each other, hoping someone would fall in! It was a gorgeous warm day with crystal clear water – perfect to practice those rescues!

We hugged the coast to the northern most end of Opito Bay beach.

Some of us had lunch – but I made the most of the stop by exploring the rock on the edge of the beach. I dived into a giant rock pool and found it full of marine life and plants. I snorkelled in there for 30 mins checking out the fish and crabs and enjoyed swimming after a school of fish that had got trapped in the giant rock pool during high tide. There are some videos I took underwater in the link below.

After an hour or so I was tired and hungry and rejoined the rest of the group 50 m away, as they were getting ready to set off. On our return journey, we checked out Mahinapua rocks and headed back to our start point, where some of the paddlers practised surf landing a few times.

We landed and as we wheeled the kayaks through the sand dunes, we were entertained by more birdlife: there was a dotterel with two new born chicks (endangered) and a couple of oyster catchers guarding their nest.

Everyone was really content after the two day paddle. I drove back to Auckland with very happy memories of the kayak trip and the wonderful people I met. I will rate this as my top trip of 2012 by far!

You can find additional pictures from the above trip as well as a few videos on the link below: http://paddler.co.nz/coromandel/ Tim Muhundan / tim@paddler.co.nz Blog link: http://paddler.co.nz

Tui Excel A versatile, go anywhere kayak

Penguin A tried and true winner that delivers affordable excellence

Shearwater A proven design that just got better

Skua An exceptional performance sea kayak

Southern Endeavour

For all the kayak specs. and stockists, visit www.q-kayaks.co.nz or phone 06 326 8667

QK w Sit .ink1208.indd ww a y a k1 n z . c o . n z

p.m.

I S S U E S I X T Y E i g h t • S u m m e r6/08/2012 2 0 1 12:22:01 3 11

Kayak Fishing Safely

Jason Walker looks at the safety side of kayak fishing and at what clothing you need to wrap yourself up in before you head out on the water.

Visibility Be visible. You need to make sure you stand out to other boaties and you want to make sure you never blend into your surrounding environment. This starts with the kayak itself. All kayak manufacturers have already recognized this and most kayaks (apart from a few camouflage coloured ones designed specifically for hunting) are made in bright colours with red, orange, and yellow being very popular options. Also make sure your kayak has a bright flag on a tall pole. The

12

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

movement and bright colour of a flag flapping in the wind will help your low profile be seen. Then there’s you. When selecting your paddling gear, make sure you select bright colours; this also includes your PFD. Finally use your head! Your head is the highest point so make it as bright as possible, day glow hats and caps are highly visible and some even come with reflector strips.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

PFD’s Wearing a personal flotation devise is an absolute must when out kayaking and most recent kayak fishing deaths can be attributed to people going out fishing without wearing a PFD. If you become separated from your kayak it is the only thing that is going to keep you afloat. There are many PFD’s on the market now that have been specifically designed for kayak fishing. These have several pockets for your equipment and some even have bladders in the back so you can keep your fluids topped up all day. Make sure the PFD you choose is the right size for you, a PFD that is too big will just slip off if you go overboard.

Groups Safety in numbers definitely applies to kayaking. A number of kayaks together are easier to spot than a single kayak and once boaties see one of the group they are alerted and will soon see the other kayaks.

Fishing with others is also a great way of adding to the social experience of kayaking and you can find other kayak fishers through your Yakity Yak Club, Canoe & Kayak Centre, local fishing clubs, internet forums such as www.kayakfishingnz.com, or even just talking to other kayak fishers on the water or on the beach. The best thing about fishing in numbers is having someone on hand to take a photo of you and that monster fish you just caught!

Stay Alert Even though you may be padding a bright yellow kayak and be dressed from head to toe in day glow orange clothes you cannot simply assume that everyone will see you. There is still the chance that the skipper is distracted or has even collapsed at the helm. If you can see or hear a boat heading towards you then you need to be able to react and take evasive action. This may mean quickly paddling out of the way or worst case actually bailing out of the kayak into the water. Be vigilant.

e m ty ti n fe ra Li ar W

everyone

Kayaks for all activities

Family & Kids

Diving

Coromandel Kayak Adventures

Coromandel Kayak Adventures

PROUDLY MADE IN NZ - SOLD AROUND THE WORLD

Fishing

Surfing

Touring & Fitness

Double

AWESOME FUN - PRICELESS MEMORIES For more information and to find your local dealer visit: Facebook: Ocean Kayak NZ

www.kayaknz.co.nz

www.oceankayak.co.nz Head Office (09) 427 5234

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

13

Getting Back On This brings us to “what happens if I fall out of my kayak”? Well you want to get back on top of your kayak as quickly as you can as hypothermia can take effect quite quickly, even in the height of summer.

There are several ways of getting back on to your kayak on your own.

The most common is to bring yourself to the side of the kayak, then with a kick of your legs pull yourself on to your stomach over the centre of the kayak, then roll yourself on to your bum and sit back on your seat.

Other methods include using a stirrup which is slung over the kayak, or you can get on at the bow or stern and shuffle yourself along the kayak back to your seat, this method can be useful if the first attempt has failed and you are tiring but can be awkward with fishing rods, fish finders, rod holders etc all attached on your kayak. If you are fishing with a group then don’t be afraid to shout to others who can assist you in getting back on your kayak.

Self rescue is something you should practice on your kayak when you first get it and also worth doing a refresher from time to time. Strip your kayak down, leave the rods, electronics etc at home and take the kayak out so you are just in neck deep water. Fall out and practice getting back in, that way if all goes wrong you can easily get back to shore.

Clothing I think we all know by now that kayaking is a wet sport and kayak fishing is no different. We don’t tend to enjoy being cold and wet for long periods of time, so good clothing to keep the water out is a great idea. Even in the height of summer sitting in a puddle of water for several hours soon loses it appeal and any breeze will induce a wind chill which will make you feel cold.

If you start out with good waterproofs you can keep your body dry and warmth can come from what you wear as a base layer under your waterproofs. In summer you may find yourself just wearing a shirt and board shorts under your waterproofs and in the cooler months you can swap these out for some thermal wear. If it’s really cold you can always add layers. Examples of good base layers are polypropylene and merino wool. Never wear cotton, as it cools quickly, causing you to lose heat.

Technical Wear There is also the newer technical clothing that is being used by many kayakers; some of the items have been developed for use in athletics or industrial applications. They have been designed to assist your performance or help you perform in less than ideal conditions; one is the line of compression clothing. These work by drawing blood to your skin and muscles, making you feel warm and also increasing your performance. Then there are other products that have been designed to keep workers warm in cold conditions, they are multi layered with a warm inner layer, a moisture barrier layer and finally an external compression layer; SharkSkin is a great example of this type of product.

Pictured: Contents of my Grab Bag. These include Glow sticks, Hot & Cold Compress’, Compass, Reflector, Emergency Rain Poncho, Emergency Blanket, Bright Orange Groundsheet, Flint, Utility Tool and extra First Aid bits.

Getting it down pat with a naked kayak will help you when you are out there with rods, electronics etc sticking out all over the place. Courses are available too.

Water While out on the water it is very important to stay hydrated so be sure to take plenty of water with you to drink. You can take water bottles, a hydration pack or as mentioned before some PFD’s are capable of taking a water bladder.

Grab Bag Another safety item worth thinking about if you are heading further off shore or fishing in the more remote spots is a grab bag. This is a small waterproof bag into which you can place a variety of items that may help you in an emergency situation i.e. a first aid kit, flares, emergency blanket, fire starter etc.

NEW

Hi vis Orange

RAPID DRY

Providing ultimate protection from the sun and drying in literally minutes, the loose stylish cut means your Rapid Dry garment is the perfect choice both on and off the water.

• Rapid Drying • Water Repelling • Rated 50+ UPF • Breathable • Stylish Loose Fit • Chlorine Resistant

RRP

$99

At Night If you are planning on doing some evening or night fishing it is important that you make yourself extremely visible as all the bright clothing will be no use in the dark. There are several lights on the market that are designed for kayaks; these will show an all-round-white-light to make you more visible. You should also attach reflective tape to your kayak and paddle so any ambient light is reflected to make you more visible.

14

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

AVAILABLE NOW FROM SHARKSKIN DEALERS

WWW.SHARKSKIN.CO.NZ Get all the latest news and specials www.facebook.com/Sharkskin.Official

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Sun Protection We all know we should slip, slop, slap and wrap to protect ourselves from the sun and out in the kayak it is even more important as we sit so close to the water and the UV rays are reflected back up. So don’t forget to apply sun screen under your chin too! So we’ve slipped on a paddle top, we’ve slopped on the sun screen, now its time to slap on a hat. You can opt for a standard cap or beanie in the winter but there are several products on the market that have been developed to help protect the kayakers face from the harsh rays of the sun. These range from wide brimmed hats to legionnaire style caps that include an attached piece of material to cover the back of the neck and can be wrapped around the face. Buff has a great range of products that can be worn around the neck and pulled up around the face to provide UV protection. Another important factor is your eyes. Make sure you protect your eyes from UV damage by wearing a UV400 pair of sunnies which are preferably polarized to help you see the fish swimming under you.

Feet Your feet are another part of your body that you will need to keep covered, especially in the cooler months. Most kayakers make use of dive booties. These are normally made from the same neoprene that wetsuits are made from and, like a wetsuit; they will help keep you warm even in wet weather. In the winter you can wear a pair of woolen socks under your booties or there are even some technical wear socks available from manufacturers like SharkSkin that will keep your toes toasty warm even in the coldest months.

Gloves Your hands will get wet when you are paddling, there is no avoiding it so many kayakers will wear gloves when paddling, and many will

Whizz

Fun in the sun and surf for the whole family

Escapee Versatile - go anywhere, do anything

Escapade Multipurpose - suitable for fishing, touring and fun in the waves

Escapade II

User friendly double for the whole family

w Sit w on wtop . k11-11.indd a y a k 1n z . c o . n z

p.m.

I S S U E S I X T Y E i g h t • S u m m e r28/11/2012 2 0 1 12:06:33 3 15

also wear them while fishing. You can find many kayak gloves that are available with one or two fingers removed or completely fingerless.

These gloves enable you to tie knots etc without the need to remove them all the time. Another advantage to wearing gloves is they enable you to handle the fish without touching them with your bare hands. You can dip your hand in the water just before you grab the fish helping to increase the survival rate of any fish released.

Communications Whenever you go out in a kayak or any boat for that matter; you need to take at least two means of communication with you. You never know when you might need to contact someone for a rescue. There are several forms of communications available to you, most common being the mobile phone, a VHF radio and a PLB. Mobile Phones Probably the most common means of communication that people have but they were never really meant for use in a marine environment.

Phones must be kept in a dry bag. Signal strength is often poor when fishing off shore.

VHF Radio A very effective means of communication for use at sea as it enables you to contact not only the Coastguard but also other vessels in case of an emergency. Small handheld devices lend themselves to kayak fishing very well as they are small enough to be stored in or attached to your PFD. You will also need a radio so you can call your mate to take that photo of your monster fish!

Personal Locator Beacons (PLB’s) These are becoming more popular with kayakers who are heading off

shore or fishing alone in more remote areas. A PLB works in the same way as an EPIRB does by sending your location to a satellite which is then relayed to the local rescue services.

A PLB is registered to the owner and all of the users’ details and a vessel description are stored on file to assist rescuers when needed.

Whatever your means of communication it is important that it is carried on you and not attached to your kayak. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to call for help it is highly likely that you will not be in your kayak and your kayak can’t make that call for you!

I hope this has given you an insight into the safety items you need to think about when heading out there to do some fishing in a kayak. In the next article I will cover the set up of your kayak and how to rig it for fishing.

www.rhinorack.co.nz Ph: 0800 866322

Load Carrying Solutions For Every Occasion

Recreational and commercial roof rack systems to fit all vehicles and a huge range of accessories including: 4 Kayak Carriers 4 Boat Loaders 4 Fishing Rod Holders 4 Luggage Boxes 4 Awnings

Contact sales@rhinorack.co.nz for more information or visit your local Canoe & Kayak store.

16

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

The Stoney Path Nathan Fa’avae and company paddle the Arawhata River in inflatables.

TAKING THE SEARCH OUT OF SEARCH AND RESCUE GPS! Tough!

Reliable!

Waterproof!

Who are you going to call when you are out of Cell Phone range?

Only $699 RRP from your Canoe and Kayak shop Your position is transmitted to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre within a few minutes and the search area is narrowed down to a few square metres.

Peace of mind for loved ones and so small it fits in a pocket!

Distributed by Bright Ideas ELB Ltd Ph: 0800 713 656 www.brightideas.co.nz

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Traveling with three children from Queenstown to Nelson at the end of the Easter Break in 2012 demanded a number of stops to interrupt the seated position and limited stimulus. One of the stops was the Department of Conservation heritage centre in Haast, a large facility with displays, films with a large focus on wildlife, excellent for the kids.

My attention was drawn to the wall covered in maps, a genies lantern of discovery and adventure. Immediately leaping out was a huge river valley scraping its way from mountainous glacier country to the West Coast. I figured it must be the Waiatoto River which is on my [never dimishing] list of trips to do. I was therefore surprised to read it was in fact the Arawhata River, “never heard of it”. From what I could fathom at a glance, there was about 50 km of Grade one - two braided river starting from the formidable Ten Hour Gorge. The river valley was wide and flat with native forest on both sides and looked to be a major drainage on the western side of the Southern Alps. I was surprised such a prominent river had escaped my knowledge until this point.

Aware that the sandflies would probably own large properties in the valley and have unrestricted flying access, I thought I’d put the trip on hold until the kids were a bit older and more conditioned to sandfly warfare.

However, late in Spring I was talking with close friends who we often do family adventures with, Mark and Wendy, who mentioned they’d be keen to do a three day kayak trip down the Arawhata, and thus a mission was born.

With a total of five children aged between 6 and 10, we decided inflatable kayaks with an adult / child ratio would be sufficient, except me, who would have bonus child on board.

Mark organised the transport in and I organised the boats. The cheapest and easiest way to get to the start of the trip was by jet boat.

Local farmer and legend JJ Nolan owns much of the Arawhata Valley and leases the rest on a grazing license, he knows the place better than anyone plus his boat is named after the legend Arawhata Bill, who

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

17

became rich from prospecting back to 1930s, and he also developed many routes and hunting grounds.

Our first booking was over New Year and had to be postponed when 600-millilitres of rain produced a major flood in the Arawhata River. Our second weather window was tight with barely three-days of fine weather before another front bringing heavy rain was forecast. We decided to go for it, we had two days of good weather, a high river and a tail wind.

By starting the trip when we did we were putting a lot of faith in metservice, it was meant to be fine but instead we had high wind and rain, but the forecast in general showed good weather, so we rugged

up and braved the weather to jet boat up the valley. After an hour or so we reached the top: a beautiful day, calm, sunny and stunning river. The glacial silt imparting an opaque green to greyish coloration to the water.

By now it was midday on January 7th, the 8th was predicted to be fine but a depression to hit sometime that night, unleashing its fury throughout the 9th. We decided to paddle about twenty kilometres each day so that we’d have a short last day which was bound to be hampered by undesirable weather.

Thirty minutes after JJ had dropped us under the head wall at the end of the lower valley, we had the boats pumped and packed and were

drifting away down river, gazing up at a huge waterfall that would turn out to be visible for nearly the entire trip.

The expansiveness and remote wilderness atmosphere is what we all felt, thankfully New Zealand still offers these experiences with relatively little effort. The tail wind and high flow meant that very little paddling was done, opting instead to drift, chat, play games and take in the scenery.

Next activity, a beach to have lunch, gather some sticks, quickly brew a coffee over a fire.

Technically the Arawhata is not a difficult river, it would struggle to be Grade Two and does not possess any significant rapids (below Ten Hour Gorge). The hazards where trees in the river and attention was needed when approaching: on the jet boat ride up we were able to site most of the dangerous bits. The characteristic of the Arawhata is that it falls incredibly consistantly to sea level, it’s a steady current all the way, further making it ideal for family trips.

Lucky for us the strong wind and beating sun also made it difficult and even impossible for the sand flies to launch any attacks of serious threat.

Camping above the Waipara confluence, a wonderful fire side evening

slowly merged into a stormy night, the temperature dropped and the rain pelted down, clearing by morning and leaving a thick dusting of snow on the high tops, enhancing the majesty of the valley further. Another day of float boating and fun in the sun got us to Boulder Point. Given the outlook we wanted to be close to the end, this was the right call as by morning our campsite was flooded, the river had risen, a north west wind was whipping and lashing up the valley and the rain was true to the West Coast. It was a high energy exciting way to end the trip and a wild contrast to the previous two days.

The hot chips and drinks in Haast made all the more worthy.

The kids had a wonderful time on and off the river, with plenty of exploration and nature. There were some moments of hardship sprinkled in but they’re no strangers to that now and cope well. In conclusion, it’s not a trip I’d see myself doing again in a hurry but it was definitely a worthwhile trip and it was throughly enjoyed. There’s something very special about the West Coast, espcially south westland, it’s a rugged and mystical place and contains many hidden gems of journeying with paddle in hand.

Join Us For A Kayaking Adventure - Specialty Tours

Taupo Maori Carvings Half day guided trip to the rock carvings, Lake Taupo... only accessible by boat.

A leisurely paddle of about 3 km to the rock carvings. The largest is over 10 m high and from below in a kayak it is imposing.

$85 per person (bookings essential).

Phone 0800 KAYAKN for details.

Waikato River Discovery Glow Worm Kayak Tour

2 hour guided kayak trip. Experience the magnificent upper reaches of the mighty Waikato River - Soak in the geothermal hot springs - Take in the stunning environment... a perfect trip for all the family...

Adult $45, Children $25 Special group and family rates.

Call 0800 KAYAKN for details.

Join us for a picturesque paddle on Lake McLaren to view glow worms by night or beautiful waterfalls by day. This trip takes about 1.5-2hours and is suitable for paddlers with no experience. All gear, hot drinks and nibbles are supplied.

Price $75 per person.

Phone Canoe & Kayak BOP for bookings 07 574 7415

Sugar Loaf Island From Ngamutu Beach harbour we head out on the open sea to Sugar Loaf Island Marine Reserve. View the scenic & rugged Taranaki coastline as we draw closer to the Islands.

Enjoy the seal colony and experience the thrill of close up views of these fascinating marine mammals.

Allow 3 hours subject to weather. $70.00 per person. Phone 06 769 5506

A Boat That Does The Trick

By Martin Straka

The need for inflatable boats arose soon after the Titanic disaster.

That’s when the first SOLAS treaty required that all vessels had enough lifeboats to provide every person on board with a place. Putting this rule into effect was very difficult on large passenger ships. The large wooden lifeboats had to be stacked on top of each other, taking too much space on board, and suddenly the need for inflatable boats became quite obvious… (source: Wikipedia) I think that today’s travelers find some similarities with the above paragraph in their lives. Many people struggle when they want to store and transport their kayaks and all the gear, especially in the limited space of their motor homes, boats and cars.

Today’s inflatable boats reflect 100 years plus of development and offer a very fair alternative to hard-shell boats. INCEPT Marine Ltd has been building inflatable boats in New Zealand for more than 20 years and makes some of the world’s finest designs of kayaks and rafts. All INCEPT boats are built from very durable materials and with safety and performance in mind.

INCEPT whitewater rafts are top rated crafts preferred by a large number of rafting operators in Europe, USA, and Australasia. The same technology and same detailed approach was applied to the design of smaller crafts – inflatable kayaks and canoes that make the perfect companion on journeys around the country. INCEPT inflatable kayaks pack down small and offer great versatility. From river kayaks to sophisticated sea-kayaks INCEPT has a boat for singles, couples and families.

Incept also imports small recreational GUMOTEX inflatable kayaks.

This European manufacturer with 50 years experience in building inflatable kayaks offers great value at reasonably low prices. Check out the INCEPT website for Helios and Twist kayaks which are NZ best sellers and are offered both in single and double versions. www.incept.co.nz.

Left: Gumotex two person Helios kayak packed into a Suzuki Swift.

A BOAT THAT DOES THE TRICK!

Sit-ons, sit-ins, inflatable kayaks.

Lightweight and easy to handle.

No storage issue.

Twist 6 kg

Helios 1 13 kg

Sunny

Below: INCEPT K40 Tasman in the rough sea near Waihi - Coromandel.

16 kg

Tasman 17 kg All above kayaks available in single and double versions.

Available in Canoe & Kayak Centres and other specialised stores NZ wide.

INCEPT Marine Ltd, 126 Hautapu St, Taihape.

Phone: 06 388 0729, email: sales@incept.co.nz

www.incept.co.nz

20

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

Half page Motorhome January 2013 v1.indd 1

www.kayaknz.co.nz

23/01/2013 12:28:24 p.m.

Photography tips –

By Ruth E. Henderson Lighting Transmitted light, reflected light, hard and soft light – what’s it all mean?

To most of us whipping out our point and shoot camera from our dry bag or buoyancy aid pocket – not much. We’re taking pictures as a record of our trip, in the here and now, using whatever light is around us, with the camera set on Auto mode. But with a little thought, a little awareness of what your light source is, and where it is coming from, you are more likely to be proud of your shot and less likely to be disappointed.

or angles.

For posed portrait shots, avoid having everybody ‘front lit’ and squinting into the sun. Instead choose to take portraits or family group shots in soft light, when the sun is obscured by a cloud or on an overcast day, or use available shade.

7

Shadows These can be good, bad or downright ugly. As natural patterns they are good, can add an artistic effect and enhance your photo.

Shooting into the light Silhouettes are the result of ‘good’ back lighting - taken in the early dawn or late evening dusk light, or midday into the sun. Great for that bowsprit or atmosphere shot.

Turn off the flash; make use of the natural light. If need be put your camera on a stable surface such as a fence post or tripod, as on Auto the camera will use a slow speed and you may get camera shake.

One of the tricks my photographer Mum taught me to minimise camera shake, was to keep your elbows in and breathe out – then to press the shutter.

Bad shade is when a person’s face is obliterated or your shadow is in the picture. Unless you are after a moody or silhouette effect – avoid back lighting. If the sun is behind your subject they will be in their own shade.

If it is behind you, your shadow could get in the frame. Look at altering your viewpoint, shifting your feet (or kayak), switching sides

7

www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

21

For that sparkling, crisp back lit shot it can be a case of waiting patiently for the sun to stop hiding in the clouds, then shooting into the light.

Front, back, side light What is best? It is all about what you want to see or show. Thinking of this article, I sought a likely subject to illustrate. Detail, texture, and raw unenhanced nature when the sun was shining on the subject vs. form, contrast, and design – dare I say art – when the subject was lit from behind.

7

Weird light Reflections I’d put these in the good ‘shadow’ category. I’m forever looking for them on the water, and to me they are a bit like sunsets, I can never have enough photos of them, even if it’s out of the same window or of the same boat.

The sensor or light metre on my Olympus Tough 810, chosen for its compactness and water-proofness can alternately drive me crazy or surprise me by over or under exposing a shot. No doubt this happens to you too. If I cannot get it to read what I see, I ‘pretend’ to take a shot, by altering my angle and slightly depressing the shutter, then move the camera back to my original view so that I now I get a better light contrast, then I take the photo. The result is a less insipid shot, and can be a surprise.

7

22

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Flash light

The magic hour

The only time I use flash is when I can hardly see the subject, ‘cos it is dark!

Otherwise I always use natural light. This may mean moving the subject nearer a window .It may mean using a tripod and allowing for a longer exposure e.g. 1 minute.

The thing to avoid is flash bounce on the subject, and that garishly washed out, cold effect.

7

www.kayaknz.co.nz

The best time to take your camera for a walk is in that half hour before and after sunset. Like a good fisherman, wait for and capture the change of light. Often you can get the perfect combo of soft light from the cloud cover in the sky and the hard light of the setting sun. In the winter the low angle of the sun also gives some lovely soft hues.

Perhaps not in winter, but it really is worth getting up before everybody else, for the dawn light. Every year I take a group to Lake Arapuni and on Sunday we get on the water before dawn, before the birds start chirping.

Every year it is the highlight of the weekend.

Experiment, have a play, try low light, try ‘no’ light. Have fun.

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

23

Like Basketball on Water…

Andrew Candy explians the basics of Canoe Polo and how to get involved.

Canoe Polo, a spectacular and rapidly growing sport, is a game of two halves of 10 minutes where two teams of five players battle it out with a water polo ball. The aim is to score into a goal, which is suspended above the water at each end of a rectangular ‘playing pitch’. These pitches can be on open water or they can be on a swimming pool.

Matches are controlled by referees and the fast, explosive action from players encompasses a wide range of canoeing skills including the Eskimo roll. This is incredibly useful when a player is in possession of the ball and their opponent pushes them over. An overtime (golden goal) is used to decide tied games that require a result.

Canoe Polo is a game for everyone and is played throughout the country in most centres in competitions graded at Social, School, Club and Elite level.

Local clubs will provide equipment and training for Social Competitions in order to get new players to a point that they can really enjoy the sport and start developing their skills to move on the next level.

At club level thousands of players – boys, girls, men and women play across the country – It is ideal for paddlers who wish to improve their all-round canoeing skills and enhance their abilities to participate in other disciplines involving kayaking.

Schools leagues cater for a growing interests in Canoe Polo at school level, with the Nationals Secondary Schools Championships being held in the summer tournament week.

Highly skilled players at national and international level display exceptional kayak control, fitness and ball skills which provide some superb sporting action for spectators. New Zealand teams represent well on the international circuit, with four teams (U21 Men, U21 Women, Senior Women and open grades) playing in the 2012 World Championships, Placing 4th, 3rd, 4th and 13th respectively.

Canoe Polo is now played by 50 countries in all continents of the world with increasing press and television interest.

24

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

To find out more about Canoe Polo in your area at Social, Club or Schools level, talk to your local Canoe & Kayak Centre or check out the NZCPA web site at: www.nzcanoepolo.org.nz.

Some content of this article has been reproduced from the above website with permission.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

25

North Shore Auckland Manukau Waikato

What will you remember about this summer?

Discover another world.

We’ll show you how!

Call into your local Canoe & Kayak Centre or have a look on-line.

Find out more at canoeandkayak.co.nz, phone 0508 529256, or see the back page for a Canoe & Kayak Centre near you.

Bay of Plenty Taupo Taranaki Wellington

Join Join the the Yakity Yakity Yak Yak Kayak Kayak Club Club now, now, and and let let the the adventures adventures begin. begin.

Photo supplied by: Tim Muhundan

Proudly supported by:

Open Canoeing For Beginners - First of a series with Estelle Leyshon.

Many open canoes can take two or three adults or two adults and two young children with ease. Many canoeists also use them for extended camping trips on rivers. Canoes have a completely open deck so there

Trapper

All models of Novacraft Canoes Now available by special order

Choose the model and length, with the hull shape to suit your needs. Choose the construction material - SP3 plastic, Arimid, Spectra, Blue Steel, Royalex Royalex Lite or Fiberglass.

View all possible combinations and specifications on www.novacraft.com.

Below a selection of the models available though Novacraft’s Canadian factory.

Trapper, 12ft, 18kgs, Royalex Lite

Teddy, 12ft, 13kgs, Aramid Lite

Supernova, 14ft,10”, 22kgs, Spectra

Rob Special, 15ft, 26Kg, Royalex Lite

Pal, 16ft, 26Kg, Royalex Lite

Muskoka 15ft10”, 21Kg, Blue Steel

Tripper, 16ft, 27Kg, Royalex Lite

Cronje, 17ft, 27Kg, Royalex Lite

Prospector, 15, 16, 17, and 18ft

Outfitter, 15, 16 & 17, SP3 Plastic only

Talk to your nearsest kayak retailer about your options For more specifications: www.novacraft.com Allow 3 months for delivery Distributed by Great Stuff Ltd. www.greatstuffltd.co.nz or email greatstuffltd@xtra.co.nz

28

is less fear of entrapment should you accidentally capsize. They are very comfortable to paddle all day because you can change your sitting position, or even stand up and have a stretch if you wish! Like kayaks, they can also be transported on a normal car roof rack.

Open canoeing, (often called Canadian canoeing), is becoming much more popular in NZ. It is an ideal activity for anyone who wants to get on the water in a really manageable boat with friends or family.

Open canoes offer some distinct advantages over kayaks. They are generally more stable than kayaks and have a much greater carrying capacity. This article is based predominately on the canoe being paddled in tandem. In another issue we will go into detail of how to solo paddle a canoe.

Tandem forward paddling: When two people paddle an open canoe there is often a tendency for the boat to veer off towards the bow paddler’s side. To understand good forward paddling technique it is important to understand both good individual stroke work and the relationship between what each paddler does.

Principles of good individual forward paddling technique.

• •

Swivel on the seat towards the side of the boat you paddle on.

Twist your body from the waist and push your “on side” shoulder (the one on your paddle side), forward.

• Hold your top hand on top of the paddle vertically above your lower hand.

• Pull the paddle back through the water by untwisting your body.

• Recover the paddle by slicing it 900 away from you as it passes the seat.

Things to note: • The paddle should be vertical throughout the power phase of the stroke • The paddle should follow the centre line of the boat

- NOVACRAFTAD-Jan13

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Trapper

12ft Trapper by Novacraft Canoes

Principles of good tandem forward paddling: Both paddlers should paddle in perfect time with each other so the bow paddler needs to set the paddling rate.

The bow paddler must develop a feel for what is happening at the stern of the boat because the stern paddler often has to apply a combined power and steering stroke to keep the boat straight.

Good communication is important; if the stern paddler needs the bow paddler to slow down they need to say so!

The stern paddler cannot see right in front of the boat (bow paddlers unfortunately don’t come with windows) so the bow paddler needs to let the stern paddler know if anything is right in front of the boat.

The stern paddler needs to let the bow paddler know if they need help steering the boat.

There is only one Captain in the boat and that is the stern paddler!

Swapping positions helps each paddler to understand better what effect their paddling has on one another.

Total weight only 18kgs

This canoe was originally built in Canada in the early 1900s. Called the Chestnut, it's design was to enable outdoorsmen to paddle everything from creeks to large lakes while being small and light enough for easy portage.

For the modern canoeist, both the primary and secondary stability of the Trapper are reassuring, though its stability does not sacrifice speed.

It has lots of space, for everything from a day of fishing to a week away and can also be used with a single or double blade paddle.

The Trapper combines the enjoyment of a stable fishing platform with light weight for easy portaging into your favourite back country waterways .

Specifications: Royalex construction, Wooden seats and fittings, Length 12’, Beam 34”, Depth Center 13”, Weight 18Kg.

Steering the canoe on the move: - two paddlers Because the stern paddler has more leverage than the bow paddler when paddling forwards, there is a natural tendency for the boat to veer off towards the bow paddler’s side.

To correct this, the stern paddler must learn to combine a steering stroke with each power stroke. There are two ways of doing this, by using a stern rudder or a J stroke. The stern paddler should do a normal power stroke followed by a steering stroke: The stern rudder.

Place the paddle blade in the water just behind the hips. The blade edge should be pointing vertically upwards and the paddle shaft should be parallel with the centre line of the canoe. Either pull or push the paddle towards or away from the canoe to adjust the steering.

Things to note: Usually you will be pushing away from the boat to correct the steering when forward paddling. If it helps you can support the paddle shaft against the edge of the canoe. The paddle blade should be completely under water.

Talk to your kayak retailer about other canoe options For more specifications: www.novacraft.com One Trapper 12 foot available for immediate delivery.

Distributed by Great Stuff Ltd. www.greatstuffltd.co.nz or email greatstuffltd@xtra.co.nz

- TRAPPER12AD-Jan13

Do a normal power stroke and, leaving the paddle blade in the water, roll your top hand over so your thumb points downwards. Bring your top hand just inside the gunwale as required.

The steering effect comes from the water pushing on the drive face of the blade whilst it is being held away from the canoe. The drive face will be pointing away from the boat. The blade angle at this stage should be not quite vertical, with the upper wrist twisted down at a comfortable angle.

The pressure on the lower arm, which is holding the blade away from the boat, can be eased by gently levering off the gunwale as required.

J Stroke – stern paddler or solo paddler Another method of keeping the boat running in a straight line is the “J” Stroke.

Join Us For A Kayaking Adventure - River Tours

River Tours

Mokau River

White Water Paddling

Waitara River Tours

Exploring beautiful estuaries.

Enjoy a scenic trip with wildlife and wonderful views.

Enjoy this beautiful scenic river which winds through some of New Zealand’s lushest vegetation. Camping overnight and exploring some of New Zealand’s pioneering history. A true Kiwi experience.

Need some excitement? Take a kayak down a wicked Grade Two river run... this is a whole day of thrills and fantastic scenery down some of New Zealand’s best rivers.

For those who are slightly more adventurous at heart, this is a scenic trip with the excitement of Grade Two rapids. Midway down, we paddle under the historic Betran Road Bridge where we will stop for a snack.

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 529 2569 for details

Phone Canoe & Kayak 06 769 5506

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 529 2569 for details

Allow 2 hours paddle only.

Priced at $70.

Phone: 06 769 5506

www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

29

Trip Card # 001 Bucklands Beach to St Heliers /Kohimarama - Return

Bucklands Beach to St Heliers / Kohimarama - Return Route card No. 001 Skill level: Beginners Distance: 10-12 Km Start point: Finish Point: Tidal times/ notes: Coastguard contact: Comms coverage:

Chart no: NZ5322 Tidal Port: Auckland

Bucklands Beach Bucklands Beach - Return St Heliers muddy and shallow at low tide Auckland (09) 303 4303 Mobile:*555 VHF Channel 80 VHF coverage is excellent Cell phones work well.

Introduction: This is a nice relaxed paddle with good beach and cliff views.

Description: Set off from Bucklands Beach and cross over to the other side of the Tamaki River.

We then follow the coast around to St Heliers where we have a break/lunch and a coffee for the addicts. Then head up the coast further as time allows before heading back to Bucklands Beach.

Alternatively we can also change plans slightly and lunch at Kohimarama Beach before continuing.

Hazards: • Strong currents run up and down the Tamaki River • Crossing busy Boat/Ferry channel going both in and out.

• Reefs at low tides off the points on the way to St Heliers • Swimmers on way over to Kohimarama

Please note; Every care has been taken to ensure the information contained in this Trip Card is correct at the time of publication, but things change and you will need to confirm the information provided. You will also need to get further information to ensure a safe trip, this will include an up to date, relevant weather forecast and the ability to understand its implications for the area and talking to locals in the area to garner new information on any hazards in the area. It is also expected that an appropriate level of knowledge, skills and equipment are required to safely complete the trip. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are unsure of any information or you find the Trip Card needs updating. Cheers Peter Townend,Yakity Yak Kayak Club. Updated: February 2013

Trip Card # 006 Motuhoa Island

unganui. Soundings in metres. Copyright © Crown Copyright Reserved. Sourced from Land Information New Zealand data. NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION (Maritime Rules, Part 25)

www.memory-map.com

Motuhoa Island Route card No. 006 Skill level: Beginners Distance: 10-12 Km Start/ finish point: HW/ LW: Tidal times/ notes: Coastguard contact: Comms coverage:

Chart no: NZ5411 Tidal Port:Tauranga

Waitui Reserve boat ramp off Matahiwi Road, Te Puna.

Best paddled at high tide/slack water.

Tides in Tauranga Harbour can be quite strong. It is advisable to check the tide times and allow an extra 30 minutes this far in to the harbour.

Tauranga (07) 578 5579 VHF Channel 83 (or 62) VHF coverage is good and cell phones work well.

Introduction: One of the prettiest points to enter Tauranga Harbour, with a short paddle to reach Motuhoa Island, marooned in the middle of the harbour. If you’re wanting a short day trip that’s great for all the family then going to Motuhoa is ideal, as it offers a few small cliffs to paddle past, beautiful overhanging pohutukawa trees and a beach with views of Mount Maunganui (Mauao).

Description: The Waitui Reserve is hidden away down Snodgrass Road in Te Puna. This idylic spot is the start point for this paddle and offers a tantilising view of Motuhoa Island just off shore to the North East. Using either the boat ramp or beach to launch, head directly north east towards to reddish cliffs of the island. Take care not to linger between the channel markers as other boats travel up and down the channel.

Depending on the tides you can travel clockwise or anticlockwise around the island, clockwise is preferred. Head up the western side of the island, exploring the nooks and crannies of the shore.

To your left (east) you will see the Omokoroa Peninsula, ahead of you you will see Rangiwaea & Matakana Islands and the main harbour

channel. Stick close to the shore as you head round the northern tip of the island and quickly to the eastern side of the island. From here you can see the Mount, the port, Fergusson Park in the distance and all the Tauranga surrounds.

Heading down the eastern side of the island back towards Te Puna you’ll discover a shell beach. It’s the perfect spot to pull up for a picnic lunch. The locals are happy for you to rest on the beach but please do not go exploring on the island as it is privately owned. Stay on the beach. After a refuel, carry on down the island following the shoreline, and paddle under the pohutakawa trees. This area is home to several Rays so keep you’re eyes peeled for them in the water. If you approach calmly they will just cruise around your kayak. On the southern tip of the island there is a small sand bar just to be mindfull of but it you can easily go over it at high tide or round it if necessary. Head straight back to the boat ramp at the Waitui Reserve, again heading quickly across the boat channel.

If you want a little bit extra explore the inlet surrounding the reserve, it’s very pretty.

Hazards: • Other vessels • Sting Rays • Currents/Tides

Please note; Every care has been taken to ensure the information contained in this Trip Card is correct at the time of publication, but things change and you will need to confirm the information provided. You will also need to get further information to ensure a safe trip, this will include an up to date, relevant weather forecast and the ability to understand its implications for the area and talking to locals in the area to garner new information on any hazards in the area. It is also expected that an appropriate level of knowledge, skills and equipment are required to safely complete the trip. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are unsure of any information or you find the Trip Card needs updating. Cheers Peter Townend,Yakity Yak Kayak Club. Updated: February 2013

Tying a Figure Eight on a Bight

This knot is a great alternative to the Bowline. It is used when there is a risk of a bowline being shaken undone. She may be a bit harder to untie - but you have security.

Bight

1.Fold the rope back on itself to form the bight.

2.Form a loop. (Under)

3. Pass the bight over the side of the standing part of the rope.

4. Pass the bight through the initial loop.

5. Pull the pair of tails and the bight in opposite directions to tighten.

A carabiner can now be attached.

32

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Sudoku

The objective is to fill the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9. Solution on page 41

1 9 7

7 6 4

6 4

2 5

8

6 3 5 2 7 1

8

6 8 1 2

Over 800 competitors will vie for places in the 31st Anniversary Speight’s Coast to Coast race on February 8th and 9th 2013.

Grade Two certification and brush up courses run through out the year.

Contact your nearest Canoe & Kayak Centre for details.

Will you be there? www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

33

Health

Even Kayakers Get Injured OOOUCH !!! No doubt you have spoken that profound word (amongst others) when you have engaged in the journey of a joint injury. Most of us have and this is not surprising considering life in the 2000’s requires most of us to be endurance athletes in and out of your work environment. You wake to an alarm, toes to carpet and you’re off rushing into the new day. Combine that with the fact that most sports, jobs and hobbies both recreational and professional require you to use your body in very imbalanced repetitive movement patterns. For kayakers getting your kayak in and out of the water is where you are most vulnerable.

A year of experience as a Chiropractor/Sports practitioner has given me the delightful challenge of working with professional athletes, coaches and trainers in the full spectrum of sports injuries. This has taught me most joint injuries occur within a very small range within the joint - generally when a joint is taken past its normal end range of motion to the minuscule amount of 0-4 degrees! Indeed this sounds quite ridiculous. However, when you understand the intimate relationship of the body’s “playful threesome (tendons + ligaments + muscle) which make up the basic foundation for joint movement, you too will become intrigued at the small range in which your joint injures.

FACT: There are 206 bones in the human body. In order for these eager bones to move and perform for us, they require the assistance of the “playful threesome”. These threesomes literally become the pulley and lever system for the bones. Quite honestly it’s like a game of puppetry. Without this pulley and lever system we wouldn’t be much more mobile or interesting than a sea slug!

User friendly version of the threesome: * Ligaments are strong fibres (like thick fishing lines) binding bone to bone, allowing and limiting motion and providing attachment sites for muscle tendons. * Tendons are fibrous tissue (again like fishing lines) connecting muscles to bones. * Muscles are tissue made up of contractile fibres (like elastic bands) that effect and create movement of bones.

So in short, as the muscle contracts, it shortens. With support of the tendon attachment to the bone it levers the bones in different directions depending on the joint type and shape. Ligaments secure, protect and hold bones together. This “threesome” allows your body the joy of movement! To keep a joint fit and healthy, we must keep it within the range of motion dictated by the joint shape and function as well as the ligament’s protective grip.

and the slightest 0-4 degrees of unfamiliar movement or impact punishes the joint or muscle. Then this angry joint punishes you with an injury!

SELF HELP: You have to manage your imbalances ie: golf, tennis, squash, cricket all twist you primarily in one direction – so you need to twist the opposite way in the same pattern to re-balance. You can do this in a gym with pulley cables or at home with a small weight and do exactly the same sport movement BUT in the opposite direction… For kayakers lifting the kayak on one side of your body wreaks havoc – get help or a trolley and while in the water maintain a lumbar (low back) curve to protect your discs…

Yours in Health, Dr. Theresa Dobson I’m here for you. Neck pain and headaches are where I specialize; I also treat all joint pain and specialize in Fat Burning and sports performance. Join my blogs below for short smart weekly tips on living a vital life. www.activecare.co.nz and www.burnthefat.co.nz 09 415 9399 Pictured: A dislocated shoulder.

SPORTS HAVE THEIR ISSUES: Most work places and sports force imbalanced muscle load and demands which twist you one direction loading one side of your joint, ligaments, tendons and muscles. This creates uneven contracted strong muscles on one side and weak loose muscles on the other in turn putting tremendous stress across your joint which ripens it for injury.

Then the weekend arrives and you take this stressed joint out to play

Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers N.Z. Inc. (KASK) Annual subscription is $35.00.

Kask PO Box 23, Runanga 7841, West Coast

www.kask.co.nz

34

KASK is a network of sea kayakers throughout New Zealand KASK publishes a 200 page sea kayaking handbook which is just $15 to new members; the handbook contains all you need to know about sea kayaking: techniques and skills, resources, equipment, places to go etc.

KASK publishes a bi-monthly newsletter containing trip reports, events, book reviews, technique/equipment reviews and a ‘bugger’ file. KASK holds national sea kayaking forums.

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Quick Crossword Test your knowledge of kayaking and kayaking safety.

1

4

2

3

5

6

7

8

9

Across

Down

1. Use your ______ to help keep watch.

2. A hot way of getting attention is to use a ______ .

3. When capsized grab your ____ first.

4. Hold a paddle _______ .

7. In emergency use _______ 16 on your VHF radio.

9. At night to keep together, a group will ______ off.

11. A ______ rudder turns your kayak quickly.

14. Foot ______ allow you to paddle faster.

15. What does the symbol ‘H’ on a weather map indicate

the centre of?

16. A__________ shoulder is possible when using a

high brace.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

10

11 13

15

16

18

20 22

23

24 26

27 28 30

31

33 34 35 36 37

20. You should have a system that allows you to ____ another kayak.

21. The best way to avoid _____is to paddle further offshore.

23. Your ____________equipment should be carried on your PFD. 24. Green Lights indicate.

27. What direction does a northerly wind blow from?

31. When broaching, use a low brace on the _____side.

33. On a weather map, when isobars are close together expect strong _________ .

34. If paddling well, you should feel your _______ twist on your seat.

35. When travelling into a harbour, the Red Channel Marker will be on the _______ side of the channel.

Answers Across 2. Flag, 5.Rope, 6.Anchor, 8.Cyclone, 10. Waves, 12. Side, 13. Trip, 17. Cellphone, 18. Whistle, 19. Nautical, 22. Checklist, 25. Hazards, 26. Floatation, 28. East, 29. Positioning, 30. Draw, 32. Bilge, 34. Bearing, 36. Dive, 37. Port.

Down 1. Buddy, 2. Flare, 3. Kayak, 4. Loosely, 7. Channel, 9. Pair, 11. Stern, 14. Pegs, 15. Anticyclone, 16. Dislocated, 20. Tow, 21. Clapotis, 23. Safety, 24. Starboard, 27. North, 31. Wave, 33. Winds, 34. Bottom, 35. Left

2. To be seen a _________ 12 is helpful.

14 5. When loading a kayak on your 17 car use bow and stern ________.

6. A sea ______ is used to slow the kayak down if running with 19 the wind.

21 8. What is another name for a depression?

10. Wind against tidal 25 stream creates ______.

12. Hold onto the _______of the 29 kayak if you are swimming in surf.

13. In VHF communications, a TR 32 stands for _____ report.

17. A way of communicating that you are in distress.

18. A simple communications device you have on a string tied to your PFD. 19. One minute of latitude is equal to one _______ mile.

22. Helps to prevent things going wrong. Use a _______ .

25. Identify known ______ before going on a trip.

26. The F in PFD stands for ________ .

28. 90 degrees on a compass indicates ________ .

29. The ‘p’ in GPS stands for _______ .

30. To move a kayak sideways, use a _____stroke.

32. To remove water from your sea kayak you could use a _______ pump.

34. You sight a parachute flare, the first thing you should do is take a ________ .

36. A blue and white flag is a _______ flag.

37. The left side of your kayak.

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

35

Bush Craft

Tea and Coffee - Essentials for a Great Day!

By Andy Blake

I love a good coffee; ask any of my friends, but have you ever ran out during a prolonged trip into our backcountry – this is a sure recipe for disaster. In this country we are blessed with a plethora of native plants, many only endemic to New Zealand. Many have unique properties and uses which can come in handy whilst away from the convenient corner dairy or super market. Improvise, adapt and overcome springs to mind.

A Good cup of Tea Those who have spent any time in the bush can identify the native manuka Leptospermum scoparium . Manuka which is coincidentally also known as “tea tree” can be used to make a palatable “tea”. Captain Cook himself was quite a fan and would often infuse manuka leaves to produce a nice wee brew in a process called steeping. Steeping is a process identical to how we make tea today – just pour boiled water onto a small handful of chopped manuka leaves and wait! Some of the other qualities of manuka include using manuka sawdust to impart a lovely flavour through smoking, onto meats and fish; it is extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry, and is also used by honey bees to produce a wonderful honey with other very special properties.

Coffee, coffee make me coffee!

Karamu and taupata Coprosma robusta / Copros marepens both of these plants are small trees belonging to the Coprosma genus which has over 40 species found in New Zealand. Coprosma can either have small or large leaves. Most species are easily identified by the obvious small pits (domatia) found on the underside of the leaves between the mid vein and some of the lateral veins.

All Coprosma have lovely tasting edible berries and pleasant tasting coffee can be made from roasting and grinding up of both karamu and taupata seeds. You simply remove the outer pulp and wash the black seeds. Carefully roast these seeds on a hot flat rock being careful not to burn the seeds. Then grind and steep in almost boiling water. Quite a number of berries would be required for a good cup of coffee but due to the prolific amounts of seeds on a typical karamu or taupata tree, supply is not an issue. Not surprisingly, Coprosma belongs to the same family as the coffee bean.

Bon Appetite!

Spend some time at your local botanical gardens or walk around the bush with a good native plant guide and start learning to identify our useful plants. Some will have medicinal properties, some will have edible parts and others may help in a survival situation.

Pictured, Top: manuka Middle: karamu Bottom: taupata

36

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

First Aid

Do you know what to do?

By Johanna Verheijen

For many years I was fortunate enough to be involved with guiding kayaking trips in and around the greater Auckland area, and going far afield to Alaska and to Baja in Mexico.

And the most common question from clients was... “Am I going to get wet?” And of course my answer was “Yes we are paddling in water and yes you will get wet, it’s a water sport” With that in mind we do have to be aware of water safety and what to do in the event of a drowning. Understanding the physiology of the drowning process can help.

Drowning can occur when water is inhaled past the larynx into the lungs, severely complicating rescue and life support procedures. When water enters the lungs the victim’s blood chemistry is rapidly altered, often leading to heart failure. In fresh water drowning, inhaled water is immediately absorbed into the blood causing hemodilution. The diluted blood quickly leads to heart failure due to ventricular fibrillation. Sea or salt water creates the opposite effect. Water is drawn from the blood into the lungs. This process causes the blood to become more concentrated, leading to an increased load on the heart and heart failure.

If you find a person in a drowning situation ensure your own safety first... many people have drowned themselves trying to assist others.

Follow the guidelines for basic life support;

DRS ABCD If the patient vomits roll them over on to their side and drain away from their airway.

Continue CPR until help arrives or you become too exhausted to carry on.

In the event a drowning where the victim is revived or a near-drowning is suspected victims should be transported to the hospital for continuous observation just in case of further complications.

“New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the developed world – third only to Finland and Brazil - and this must change. To reduce our shocking drowning toll we need all New Zealanders to learn to swim and survive and to take the necessary precautions when in and around the water. Only then will lives be saved.”

Danger

Response

Send for Help

“It doesn’t matter what you’re doing – whether fishing, swimming, boating or just relaxing beside the water – the water safety basics are the same. Watch the weather, keep kids within arms reach, know your limits, don’t drink alcohol if you’re going out on or in the water and use the right safety equipment.” Matt Claridge Water Safe NZ And I’d like to add to these basics; have a current first aid certificate so you know what to do in case of an emergency.

Stay safe and enjoy our summer First training Ltd www.first-training.co.nz 0800-1st AID

What do you do in the case of a drowning?

Test your knowledge.

1. Do you remove the person from the water if you suspect a spinal injury?

Yes, airway care takes precedence over any other injury 2. When should you commence CPR? In the absence of response and absence of normal breathing.

3. How hard should you push on the chest doing compressions?

Your compressions should be pushing down 1/3 of the chest cavity.

4. Where should you have your hands on the patient’s chest?

Placing the heel of your hand in the centre of the chest with the other hand on top.

5. How many compressions per minute are you aiming for?

100 compressions per minute.

6. Why do you tilt the persons head back to check for breathing?

It opens the airway, by lifting the tongue off the back off their throat.

7. How much air should you try to breathe into your victim?

Over a period of 1 second and enough to see the chest rise.

8. How long should you continue CPR for in an isolated area where you have not been able to call for help?

Until you can no longer carry on and are too exhausted.

9. Is your First Aid certification current?

You should renew your certificate every 2 years.

Airways

Breathing

CPR

Defibrilation

D R S A B C D

Check for Danger

Check for Response

Call 111 or May Day

Check for foreign matter

Check for Breathing

Danger to yourself, bystanders and patient

Talk and touch the patient.

Any response?

Dial 111, send a May Day call by VHF or set off your PLB

Clear and open the airway.

Adult/ Child full tilt of the head.

Infant neutral head position

Look, listen and feel for breathing.

If breathing normally, place patient in recovery position. and monitor.

If not breathing, start CPR.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Start CPR

Apply Defibrillator

30 Compressions 2 breaths

- if available.

Continue until help arrives

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

37

Paddling the Cook Strait

Both Tara and I have experience with water pursuits and do outdoors things as part of everyday life. Tara’s been a sailor, kayaked, completed an Iron Man, plus has that ‘small’ business of rowing across the Atlantic (2007 Race) and being the current World Record holder - 51 days, 16 hours, 31 minutes, fastest female fours boat across the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an achievement that’s got her into the Guinness Book of World Records.

She’s a dedicated multisport athlete, and lectures at The University of Auckland. She also gets seasick easily. My own background is some 15 years or so of white water kayaking mostly, a few waterfalls, a couple of multi-day sea kayaking trips along the Abel Tasman National Park, some years in canoe polo, and doing the Coast to Coast Two-day event after resurrecting myself from couch potato status. Outward Bound got me started on kayaking, and once I had learned to paddle in a straight line I was hooked. I’m a rivers gal at heart though. Oceans unsettle me – I’m sure that Jaws is waiting for me, plus that whole deeper-than-you-cansee sea thing takes some getting used to. During training I’ve had to work at making my peace with the ocean. A couple of deep-water ocean swims with Rakuera helped. I’m also at The University of Auckland.

As Tara and I head out to sea there’s complete dark apart from our headlamps, and the car-lights back on shore with our support crew, Rakuera; and complete quiet apart from our paddle strokes. It’s been three summers of planning and waiting. Now it’s 5.30 am on January 19th 2012.

We’ve said a karakia and we are starting out to kayak across the Cook Strait, one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world.

Known to Kupe as Te Moanaa-Raukawa, and then Tasman, the English name for the strait is due to James Cook who sailed through there in 1770.

In good weather you can see clearly across Cook Strait. At its narrowest point 22 kilometres separate the North Island from the South. Tara and I are to paddle the 29 km from Makara Bay, northwest of Wellington, to Tory Channel Head in the South Island, and then 32 km on to Picton, all going well.

Makara Bay beach was gouged out and had knee-deep kelp washed ashore from recent storms so we launched using the stream mouth at the north end of the bay. Our plan was to make the most of the neep tidal pattern, catching the end of the outgoing tide as we went through to slack water at midway, then avoid the stronger tidal streams so that we could get into Tory Channel. We also wanted to miss strong winds as the day heated up. We thought we had a chance of being on the ferry back to Wellington that evening. Our wish list: good weather, minimal seasickness, and to see seals, and dolphins.

The idea to buddy up for the crossing came in one of those corridor conversations that either lead to things happening or don’t. For a few years I’d been trying to find friends willing to take on the crossing, but no-one was keen or available. As we left a Faculty meeting one day I said offhand to Tara that I wanted to do the crossing. Tara kept walking and said, “Let’s do it”. And that was it.

Even with our combined experience, the crossing of Cook Strait was to be respected. We chose to take two single sea kayaks, each stocked

COMPETITIVE / COMFORTABLE / A TRUE CONTENDER

Ruahine Kayaks Designers and Manufacturers of Multisport & Adventure Racing Kayaks Phone: 021 273 0550

kevin@ruahinekayaks.co.nz www.ruahinekayaks.co.nz Ruahine 11-07 V1.indd 1

25/07/2011 10:23:11 a.m.

with compass, electronic navigation, locator beacon, mobile phone, whistle, maps, food, water, first aid, clothing, and emergency gear should we need to overnight somewhere.

We got advice from Bill Day who had done the crossing, plus Conrad Edwards’ brilliant webpage on kayaking the Cook Strait based on his experience after some 17 crossings (http://conradedwards. net/pmwiki.php/Public/ CookStraitKayakCrossing), and Kevin Moran – New Zealand’s leading researcher in water safety education. The teams at Canoe & Kayak Auckland and Wellington were helpful and positive with gear and advice. We linked up with Brian Hamilton our meteorological expert with uncanny accuracy from his base in Awhitu. Living almost 700 km from our paddle zone didn’t faze him at all. His weather readings were faultless.

It’s hard to know what’s normal or even big or small, when doing something unique like paddling the Cook Strait. The weather conditions were good and remained so. The wind was steadily blowing between 5-10 knots with a few 15 knot gusts. The swells came rolling through and we travelled parallel to them. These swells were spectacular in their breadth and energy. When you were in the trough of one, the mountain peaks from the South Island were lost to view. The conditions were changeable though. Tara said she’d never experienced so many different sea states in such a short period of time. She said it was like experiencing a week of Atlantic sea conditions compressed into a few hours.

At half way, about 7.45am, we stopped to take photos and to text our land-based support crews. The dri-Phone cases for our mobiles worked a treat. Skies remained clear and as we approached the Mainland we looked at each other, knowing it was more and more likely we’d make it, but dared not say it out loud. Our east-west crossing coincided with a west-east swim attempt by ‘Tom from the States’. His on-water support crew said he was the oldest person to be attempting a crossing. He looked strong and may have even heard us cheering him on.

We decided to paddle past the head-waters and into the channel before saying “We Have Arrived”. Off Perano Head just north of Tory Channel entrance there are swirling tidal streams that need to be taken seriously.

When you add into the mix an oncoming ferry, things do get interesting.

There were big smiles and hugs once inside the Channel. What a day and experience. It had gone so smoothly. After texts home at about 10.40 am, we radioed the Coast Guard to let them know we’d arrived as per our earlier trip plan we’d given them and confirmed we were paddling on to Picton. Honestly, on such a day it might be a let down to get out now. We were going straight through so we didn’t get out of our boats. After some 40 minutes of pulling off layers, lunch, putting on more sun-block, we headed off again. Good weather, no sea-sickness. Just need the seals and dolphins to make the day complete…

The paddle through the Sounds also had variety – high and low: birds, mussel farms, and enormous jellyfish. We skimmed over swaying lengths of kelp that dropped away below us. It was as if we were flying above marine treetops. And then, the seals – just the two – a mother and her pup. And then, the penguin. And the weather held. The wind was only a breeze. Some three hours into this second leg Tara said, “Well, the wish-

list almost came true. What a day”. And then, on cue, a dolphin broke through to the right of her boat, plunged and was joined by three others.

Incredible.

Once into Queen Charlotte Sound the boat traffic picked up and we stood out as the only paddlers in waters busy with motor and sail-boats.

About an hour out from Picton, a water taxi approached us, tooting. Tara and I could see the skipper, a man (waving) and a woman taking photos of us. It turned out Rakuera had decided the best place for him was to be on the water cheering us on. He’d caught the ferry over, arranged a ride up the Sound and brought the local news reporter along for company. As he headed back to Picton he called out to keep the pace on if we were to get the ferry through to Wellington.

It’s a steady paddle all the way through to Picton. And as we got closer it started to feel like a bit of an adventure had been had. The ferry we were to catch was berthing to one side as we arrived onto the beach about 5.30 pm. Rakuera was waiting on the shore. There were hugs all round. People sitting at cafes and bars nearby, nodded and raised their glasses to us. A quick pack up of gear followed as we dashed to the 6.30 pm ferry. And it was as we sailed to Wellington that the quiet, deep sense of satisfaction and gratitude started to glow.

It was a wonderful day out. We each loved every minute of it out there.

It’s a privilege to do the crossing. This is a place of history, nature, and spirit. We’re grateful for the support of many, especially our partners and experts, and for the safe crossing. After all the ferry trips taken over the years, Tara and I agree that paddling across is by far the best way to travel.

Airini (airini@auckland.ac.nz) Tara Remington (t.remington@auckland.ac.nz)

Taranaki Kayak Fishing Classic

The 2013 event is set for 2 - 3rd March 2013. Once again the venue is Butlers Reef at Oakura Beach near New Plymouth.

After six years this event is now established as the leading kayak fishing comp in NZ with entries from as far as Southland and all parts of the North Island, and attracting the best of the best in kayak fishing to the once a year fisho.

The thing about fishing the Naki is anyone can win it and all the major prizes have had different winners each year. The prize pool has been increased once again thanks to our generous sponsors and the organisers putting the profits back into prizes.

Last year we introduced a manufacturer’s cup which was hotly contested and once again we expect all the top manufacturers to enter teams for this popular addition to the classic.

The entry fee has been kept to $60.00 early bird and $80.00 late entry.

Check out the website wwwkayakfishingclassic .co.nz for details.

If you are coming for the event have fun but be prepared to change plans, rigs and location as conditions change.

The organisers look forward to seeing you at the next Taranaki Kayak Fishing Classic.

If you are planning a trip to this event from outside Taranaki, here are a few tips that might help: If the wind blows from the north the sea will be settled in the south Taranaki from Opunaki southwards, and there are lots of top spots all around this bit of coast.

If the wind comes from the west generally it will be better in north Taranaki. The best wind in my opinion is a light south east which flattens the sea and makes for good fishing.

On the east coast soft plastics and lures are the way to go, on the west coast bait rules supreme. Soft plastics have their moments but the locals will always use bait and buckets of burley. On the east coast anglers hunt for fish, on the west coast anchor up and burley brings the fish to you.

On the east coast the change of light is a good time to fish, on the west coast the change of light is good but the bite time is better.

Snapper will still bite hard in shallow water on a bright sunny day on the bite time.

Finally don’t think you have to go miles out to sea to catch fish, we have caught kingies, John Dory, gurnard, kahawai, and snapper up to 10 kg inside the port.

40

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Sudoku Answers From page 33

1 3 4 9 5 2 7 8 6

5 8 6 4 3 7 1 9 2

9 2 7 8 1 6 4 3 5

5 9 8 2 6 1 3 4 7

7 6 1 9 4 3 2 5 8

2 4 3 7 5 8 1 6 9

4 2 5 6 7 3 8 1 9

6 7 9 8 1 4 3 2 5

3 8 1 5 9 2 6 7 4

ibe r c s b u S

adventure equipment

to ur door

to yo elivered

ave it d

&h

6 issues for $40, saving $5.00 off the news-stand price, delivered free in NZ. Overseas subscription $NZ60 including postage.

Xipe Touring PFD

Send form to: New Zealand Kayak Magazine.

P.O. Box 35123, Browns Bay, Auckland, 0753.

Or phone 0508 529 2569 Or email: info@canoeandkayak.co.nz Or buy on-line to canoeandkayak.co.nz/subscribe

Payment Details Cheque (payable to Canoe & Kayak.)

Visa/ Mastercard Signature: Name on Card:

Expiry date:

Card No:

Yes - I’d like to subscribe to the New Zealand Kayak Magazine for $40.00 ($60 overseas)

Verification Code:

Pursuit Touring Cag

OR: Gift Subscription - Please send New Zealand Kayak Magazine as a gift to the person below.

First Name:

RFD New Zealand Limited

Surname: Email:

Toll free: 0800 777009

Address:

www.rfd.co.nz Post Code:

Auckland Wellington Nelson Christchurch

Phone:

www.kayaknz.co.nz Subscriptions Quater Page PURPLE.indd 1

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013 25/01/2013 12:49:22 p.m.

41

Products

Stay Warm & Safe on the Water

Climate Control Long Sleeve - $315.00

Performance Top Long Sleeve - $269.00 Sharkskin is 100% windproof to allow you to enjoy your watersports all year round in any weather.

Climate Control Short Sleeve - $269.00

The zippered front allows you to adjust and control the heating effect of the Sharkskin. The vest also has reflective colour to keep you cool.Sharkskin delivers many benefits to water sports enthusiasts that are unachievable with less technically advanced products such as neoprene.

Paddling Shorts $195.00 Cut with a high rear waist, these pants are designed to provide exceptional comfort and fit when worn in a seated position.

Rapid Dry Top - $99.00

With a WRT treatment giving maximum water repellency and super fast drying, and the WRT treatment lasts a very, very long time.

Lavacore Long Sleeve Shirt $199.00

Long Sleeve Power Top $99.00

Four way Super Stretch, brushed inner lining, warm, lightweight, wind proof, splash proof, quick dry!

Paddle Longs - $149.00

The perfect multi-sport thermal garment when superior protection against wind chill and surface splash is required.

Short Sleeve Top $179.00

3/2mm neoprene longs, perfect for sit-on-top kayak fishing. Keep your vitals warm, snug and comfortable.

Paddle Shorts - $104.00 2/2mm neoprene shorts, the perfect addition for any kayaker. These too will keep your vitals warm, snug and comfortable!

42

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Available at Canoe & Kayak: canoeandkayak.co.nz Uniden

Condor

This well built, rugged handheld Marine radio is packed with outstanding features including emergency strobe, all marine channels, weather channels, Dual and triple watch, memory channel scan, instant access to channel 16 or channel 9, and adjustable transmit output power to maximize the battery life.

345c df Fish Finder - $615.00

F 238 Fish Finder - $195.00

The bright color screen of the Condor 345c df ,with its 480 vertical pixels, provides high resolution, clear and crisp colour images, and a 16 bit colour depth (65536 colours). Thanks to TFT technology, it is perfectly viewable, even in full sun light or when wearing A high-tech fishfinder at an polarized sunglasses. incredible price.A genuine break through in fishfinder price-to-value ratio. High performance fishfinding has never been so affordable.

MHS 125 - $299.95

This VHF Marine handheld unit is ideal for mobile marine communication.

Voyager $319.95

The Uniden Voyager is great VHF radio for kayakers as it’s fully waterproof.

It’s also nice and small so it can fit in your PFD pocket. The use of a dry bag is recommended with all VHFs.

Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) - $699.00 Its small size belies its rugged construction and powerful output. There is no compromise. Once activated, the distress beacon will obtain a GPS position, send out a signal for help, and continue to transmit for at least 24 hours, at a powerful 5 watt output, ensuring that your call for help gets through whatever the conditions.

Great Stuff Safety Flag - $49.90 Be seen with a Safety Flag or even better a Safety Flag with light.

They come complete with rod holder or alternative deck fittings. A must for all open water kayakers.

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Atlantis 200 $109.95

Railblaza Starport Flag Whip $48.95 Safety Flag & Light $165.00

ISSUE SIXTY Eight • Summer 2013

43

Kayaks Huge Range of the Best Paddling Gear

Paddling Perfection

Sea Kayaks Double

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Price

Greenland T Wind Solo Reval Wind 585 Reval Midi Sea Spirit Reval Mini

5.45 5.05 5.50 5.85 5.20 5.20 5.20

530 540 540 540 540 560 540

23-24 23-25 24-26 25-27 24-26 26-28 24-26

$4590 $3490 $4400 $4570 $4050 $3290 $4150

Kiwi Kiwi Excel Kiwi Lite Skua Skua Lite Shearwater Tasman Express Tasman Express Lite Tasman Express Elite Foveaux Express Southern Skua

3.75 3.75 3.75 5.20 5.20 480 5.30 5.30 5.30 5.00 5.40

740 740 740 600 600 610 620 620 600 600 600

20 23 18 27 24 26.5 29 25 22 19 22

$1365 $1660 $1970 $2890 $3140 $2650 $2890 $3140 $4590 $4460 $4590

Contour 450 Contour 480 Eco Bezhig

4.50 4.80 5.40

620 620 590

26 27 27

$2499 $2779 $2999

Manitou 13 Looksha 14 Eskia

3.90 4.30 4.90

630 625 635

20.5 26 27

$1199 $2199 $2499

Kekeno SeaBear Waitoa SeaBear Waitoa Kevlar BreakSea BreakSea Kevlar

4.00 5.50 5.50 5.20 5.20

630 600 600 540 540

21.5 26 24 22.5 21

$3595 $4545 $5195 $4495 $4995

4.90

600

17

$3100

Barracuda Beachcomber

Great Advice Great Brands Great Service

Length (m)

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Price

Q-Kayaks

Southern Endeavour

5.60

800

46

$3540

Mission

Contour 490 Eco Niizh

4.90 5.65

800 770

35 45

$3499 $4569

Necky

Amaruk

5.40

725

41.3

$3499

Paddling Perfection

SeaBear II Packhorse

5.90

850

40

$5995

5.80

700

28

$4300

Length (m)

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Price

Astro 58 Magnum 72 Magnum 80 Thunder 65 Thunder 76

1.93 2.41 2.54 2.34 2.44

650 660 254 650 660

15.5 18 67 18.5 29.5

$1725 $1599 $1599 $2095 $2095

Remix 47 Remix 59 Remix 69 Remix 79 Freeride 57 Freeride 67 Stomper 80 Stomper 90

2.21 2.57 2.64 2.72 1.98 2.06 2.49 2.57

530 640 650 670 650 660 650 680

13 19 20 21 14.5 15 21 22

$1399 $2199 $2199 $2199 $2199 $2199 $2199 $2199

Barracuda Beachcomber Duo

White Water

Riot

Length (m)

Liquid Logic

Necky Mission

Q-Kayaks

Tahe

Sea Kayaks Single

Available at Canoe & Kayak:

canoeandkayak.co.nz Sit-on-Top Double

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Starting Price

Fire Fly

2.40

700

16

$535

Q- Kayaks Cobra

3.30

740

23

$775

3.50

750

27

$975

Play

3.10

710

18

$545

Escape

3.20

790

17

$795

Explorer

3.40

790

18.20

$895

Navigator

3.80

790

22

$995

Squirt

2.70

760

17

$499

Flow

2.95

750

19

$899

Xstream

4.20

730

28

$1429

Frenzy

2.75

790

19.5

$699

Mysto inc seat

2.95

790

21

$799

Venus 11 inc seat

3.30

725

21

$1099

Scrambler 11 inc seat

3.60

Barracuda SoT Tourer

4.20

750 680

23 18

$999 $2800

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Starting Price

Escapade II

3.50

750

26

$900

Tandem

3.80

915

26

$995

Double +1

4.40

910

36

$1195

Mission

Surge

3.90

850

28

$1099

Malibu 2

3.65

870

27

$999

Malibu 2 XL inc 2 x seats

4.10

86

33

$1449

Cabo

4.97

76.5

33

$1699

Length (m)

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Starting Price

Twist 1

2.60

790

6

$1095

Twist 2

3.60

830

9

$1395

Helios 1

3.10

710

13.5

$1595

Helios 2

3.80

750

17

$1895

Sunny

3.80

800

16

$1895

Tasman K40

4.40

670

15

$3036

Pacific K50

5.35

670

20

$3680

Length (m)

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Starting Price

Hurricane (kevlar)

5.90

490

12

$3170

Maximus (kevlar)

6.40

510

16

$3890

Inflatables

Gumotex

Escapee Escapade

Length (m)

Ocean Kayak

Length (m)

Incept

Ocean Kayak

Mission

Cobra

Q-Kayaks

Sit-on-Top Single

Multisport

Fishing Singles

Mission Barracuda

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Price

Escapade F

3.50

750

32

$875

Marauder

4.30

780

28

$1345

Q- Kayaks

3.80

915

28

$1145

Intrigue (kevlar)

4.95

540

12

$2900

4.60

710

23

$1295

Swallow (kevlar)

5.40

480

12

$3000

Prowler 13 inc seat

4.10

710

28

$1399

Firebolt (kevlar)

5.90

450

12.5

$3250

Rebel (kevlar)

5.65

450

11

$3210

Prowler Ultra 4.1 inc seat

4.10

710

28.5

$1699

Gladiator (kevlar)

5.90

530

13.5

$3210

Prowler Ultra 4.3 inc seat

4.30

740

32.5

$1999

F1 (kevlar)

6.20

350

13.5

$3350

Ocean X (kevlar)

6.40

500

16.5

$3750

Prowler Elite 4.5 inc seat

4.50

710

31

$1799

Duet (kevlar)

7.00

550

26

$5760

Prowler Ultra 4.7 inc seat

4.70

740

35

$2249

Excalibur (kevlar)

5.70

550

15

$2945

Saracen

5.2

520

13

$3150

Torque

4.20

735

32.2

$3499

Saracen X

6.0

600

15

$3195

Line 280

2.80

730

18

$1229

Length (m)

Width (mm)

Weight (kg)

Starting Price

Sprite 1

3.00

700

19

$850

Sprite 2

4.50

820

32

$1410

Access 280

2.80

730

18

$989

Access 400

4.00

840

32

$1399

Manitou 13

3.90

630

20.5

$1199

Catch 290

2.95

750

19

$999

Catch 390

3.90

850

28

$1779

Line 400

4.0

840

32

$1599

Catch 420

4.20

730

28

$1879

Kotare

3.90

850

28

$1349

SoT Fish Pro

4.20

680

18

$3500

Ruahine

Fish n’ Dive Tourer

Paddling Perfection

Ocean Kayak

Cobra

Q- Kayaks

Length (m)

Recreational Q- Kayaks

Mission

Ocean Kayak

A Water Park in the Mountains

Josh Neilson in the best of the Sierra Nevada’s.

Josh Neilson on Plastic Surgery - Photo by Shilo Gibson

As a child I wished summer would never end and my days at the bach at Lake Taupo would go on forever. One of the highlights of those days was ripping down the waterslides with my family at the hot pools. We’d do this over and over again until the pools closed.

Fast forward a few years and I guess you could say my wish came true! I have just finished my 14th summer in a row paddling waterslides that have become better with age.

South Silver creek in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain range is known by kayakers as the water park of all rivers and shares many similarities to the slides in Taupo. Steep smooth granite bedrock produces the slide and the fresh snow-melt roars down to create the kayakers dream run. At the top you have a 200 metre put in slide called ‘Autobahn’, aptly named due to the speeds reached kayaking down this thing. From here a few boulder choked drops keep you on your game, before my personal nemesis, called ‘Boof, Boof, Slide’. I broke my hand on this drop a few years back and I have yet to figure out how to paddle it cleanly.

The name makes it sound easy, but it is not really a good indication of how to run this drop. First you must push right and slide onto a pillow, off a rock, then slide some more to drop off a shelf sideways, avoiding the wall on the left that the water crashes into.

Next up is the entrance to the ‘Tea Cups’. This section is made up of three drops that are separated by perfect pools spilling over into the next.

The first is ‘Left Left’ and is exactly how it sounds. Push left and stay left, to drop into a narrow slot aiming left. Sounds easy enough, but it all happens pretty fast. At the end of the ‘Tea Cups’ there is a must make eddy on the left and right at the top of ‘Sky Scraper’. The first part of this river you can pretty much just jump on and bomb down with your mates and not really stop. But this one needs some attention. Partly because it is quite technical, but also because it leads straight into another big drop called ‘Off Ramp’. You have no choice; to run ‘Sky Scraper’ you must then run ‘Off Ramp’. On this day the river was at a substantial flow and I was feeling fired up. Having positioned my bros where I figured the best

White Water Courses

Want to learn, or brush up your skills?

Give us a call.

0508 529 256

White Water bw.indd 1

Lou Urwin on Boof Boof Slide - Photo Tyler Fox

26/11/2012 8:26:19 a.m.

Josh Entering Offramp - Photo Harmony Wimsett is a drop now named ‘Jamie’s drop’. Two seasons ago we dropped in there thinking we were home free when Jamie got sucked back into an unsuspecting hole and it did not want to let go. Thankfully it did and he is here to tell the tale and remind us that you cannot let your guard down ‘til you’re home drinking tea by the fire.

Thankfully we have an awesome crew out on the river and always have each other’s backs. South Silver Creek is as close as it comes to a natural waterslide and a highlight of the California season. I am back in NZ now for summer number 15 and there are some cool things on the horizon.

Many thanks to all the people who support my lifestyle and follow my adventures.

Cheers Josh

Josh Neilson at the bottom of Skyscraper.

- Photo by Tyler Fox

We can fit a rack to almost anything!

Well... maybe not elephants Come and see the experts

0508 529 256

roofrackcentre.co.nz

BAY OF PLENTY [ TAUPO [ WELLINGTON [ TARANAKI [ MANUKAU [ WAIKATO [ AUCKLAND [ NORTH SHORE

Canoe & Kayak Auckland

502 Sandringham Rd, Sandringham, Auckland 1025 09 815 2073 auckland@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Canoe & Kayak North Shore

Canoe & Kayak Bay of Plenty

73-B Duke St Hamilton, 3204 07 847 5565 waikato@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Canoe & Kayak Taranaki

Canoe & Kayak Wellington

2/20 Constellation Drive Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0632 09 479 1002 northshore@canoeandkayak.co.nz

6/ 631 Devon Road Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth, 4312 06 769 5506 taranaki@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Canoe & Kayak Manukau

Canoe & Kayak Taupo

605A Great South Road Manukau, 2104 09 2620209 manukau@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Discover Another World New & existing territories available throughout New Zealand Call Peter Townend pete@canoeandkayak.co.nz or phone 09 476 7066

Canoe & Kayak Waikato

3/5 MacDonald St, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, 3152 07 574 7415 bop@canoeandkayak.co.nz

The Castle, 77 Spa Road Taupo, 3330 07 378 1003 taupo@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Unit F 2 Centennial Highway Ngauranga, Wellington, 6035 04 477 6911 wellington@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Canoe & Kayak Christchurch

(Agency) 03 377 6161 027 376 6161 chch@canoeandkayak.co.nz

canoeandkayak.co.nz roofrackcentre.co.nz yakityyak.co.nz kayaknz.co.nz

Chris, Nick and Toni on Autobahn Photo Shilo Gibson

the river runer

safety would be I walk back to my kayak. One of the technicalities of this drop is about half way down in white out conditions you need a boof at the right time to keep your nose up off the bottom drop. This can be hard when you can’t see where you are.

At the top I visualise my line and estimate speed and timing for the much needed paddle strokes. Happy with the line, I am back in my boat and giving the boys the thumbs up.

The signal is relayed and I line up centre left - heading left at the top. Rolling over the lip, it’s a long way down. There’s no time for sightseeing, immediately dropping off the first shelf and onto a jet of water pushing up the wall. White out from here. Two predetermined right sweep strokes, pause, and a third acting as the boof stroke. The nose comes up and I shoot out the bottom.

For a moment I can hear the boys cheering and then concentration sets in again for ‘Off Ramp’. A sticky hole guards the wide lip of the drop. Through that the water fans out and getting good purchase in the water with the paddle becomes tough. Centre left is where you need to be to avoid a ledge on the left and a big cave on the bottom right. I start to pick up speed and catch air as I land in the eddy at the bottom. You cannot see the top from the bottom but can see the boys giving me the thumbs up again as they make their way to the next rapid. This would have to be one of my favourite rapids to run in a kayak.

After a short portage, we all gather again at the river’s edge for the last section. The names of these become less inviting, but are just as much fun. ‘Nose Job’ is first up and it’s a nice boof, but you need to be careful not to crash into the rocks at the bottom. A few bouncy rapids later, we are at the top of a big drop called ‘Plastic Surgery’. Again, not that reassuring, but fun if you get it right. Avoid a few sticky holes, boof a sticky weir, pass the big rock in the middle and get as far behind the rock as possible, then hold on tight.

This is the end of the big ones, but one thing we have learnt is it’s the small ones you have to look out for. One of the last slides

REMIX

the river runner

For more info visit: www.kayaksnz.co.nz