Issue 93

Issue 93

Circumnavigation of Koh Chang Island, Thailand

Time Out at Queen Charlotte SoundBoot Camp with a Difference!

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Time Out at Queen Charlotte Sound - Arapaoa Island by Ruth E. Henderson

by Nathan Fa’avae

Queen Charlotte Sound is an incredible sea kayaking destination, that’s a fact. There is an infinite number of trips to do within the waterways, bays, beaches, coves, in and out, up and down the flooded valleys. What can easily go unnoticed is that much of the magic that Queen Charlotte offers is in fact provided by Arapaoa Island (formerly Arapawa): New Zealand’s 13th largest island, not much smaller than Waiheke.

At the head of Queen Charlotte, Arapaoa is positioned only one kilometre off the South Island to create Tory Channel, the sneaky little passage the ferries go through. The island itself is very narrow in places but it does a splendid job of giving shelter to the Sound and the interior islands (Blumine, Matapara Pickersgill, Long and Motuara), aided largely because it climbs abruptly to 500 metres above sea level.

For the intrepid sea kayaker, Arapaoa Island has everything one could wish, and I don’t say that lightly. For beginner sea kayakers cruising around the expansive East Bay provides sheltered waters and unlimited landing opportunities. There is one of the best DOC campsites in the entire Marlborough Sounds at Wharehunga. Being so close to the open sea, the nutrient dense waters mean the marine and bird life is rich, and on fine days drifting over the reefs looking through pristine clear water, one can see shellfish, paua clinging to the rocks in the kelp beds, and it’s not difficult to spot blue cod feeding along the bottom. The snorkeling in Anatohia Bay is surprisingly good, with marine life you’d normally expect in warmer tropical waters. The fact that there is thriving salmon and mussel farms around the island is testament to the environment. There are a few spots popular for seals, little blue penguins have nesting colonies on the island and there are nearly always dolphins around the island somewhere.

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For the more confident paddlers, Tory Channel / Kuha Te Au, is a dynamic and engaging section of water. It pays to time the tidal flow to aid your progress, which is both fun and fascinating at the same time, with millions of litres [at a guess] of water being exchanged in the channel each tide, it’s a powerful place to be. There is a quaint little DOC campsite at Ngaruru Bay. If you’re a light sleeper then expect to be woken a few times during the night as the ferries chug on by. I quite like it, the ferries are a symbol of connection between the North and South Islands and play an important role in New Zealand life, they serve to remind you where you are as well - out on an adventure.

A somewhat sad but interesting place to visit is the historic Perano Whaling Station, close to the entrance to the Cook Strait. The framework of the factory still exists and there are detailed information panels to learn about what took place there. It is a sombre place but part of the history of the area and an insight into the time period the people lived in.

Within the channel there are numerous side trips and places to explore, you can easily spend two to three days in the channel area itself, and if you want fish for dinner, you’re most likely not going to go hungry. When I was an Outward-Bound instructor many years ago, we nicknamed it Ara-paua Island.

For the advanced paddlers, there is a short but very committing open ocean leg from Perano Head to Cape Koamaru. With the mythical islands ‘The Brothers’ supervising, there is a 16 km paddle to reach shelter. There is no landing on the east side of Arapaoa and it’s very important to paddle with the tidal streams, which can be ripping like a river. If you got the tidal stream wrong, it’d be easier to the paddle to the North Island, no joke. Passing between West and East Head at the entrance to the Cook Strait,

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it’s an intelligent move to go through at slack water, the water hydraulics there can push the ferry around somedays. If you’re lucky enough to have calm settled weather, the north western beaches are havens, between Te Huahua and Onehunga Bays. There are four to five lovely beaches

to explore during the day, with brilliant swimming and snorkeling. To circumnavigate the island, prepare for a 60 to 70 km trip. Starting your trip, you can either paddle out to Arapaoa from Picton easily in a day or take a water taxi which can drop you and your kayaks on the island.

www.kayaknz.co.nzIssue 93 Autumn 2019 PAGE 9

Whatever your paddling ability, Arapaoa Island offers an excellent multiday trip.

If you are wanting some comfort, which I will admit having sought on some trips to the Island, the Homestead at Whekenui Bay is a prime destination with a variety of cosy accommodations. There is also a sea farm with Paua pearls to visit, plus a big sandy beach to enjoy. There is a very nice place to rent and base yourselves from at Burneys Bay. So, between these places and your tent, you have an wide range of overnighting options.

Arapaoa provides a unique destination and theme for a sea kayak trip, it’s well worth the effort and highly worthy of whatever time you can give it.

Photos by Nathan Fa’avae

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PAGE 10 Issue 93 Autumn 2019www.kayaknz.co.nz

www.kayaknz.co.nzIssue 93 Autumn 2019 PAGE 11

Join the Yakity Yak Kayak Club now

Come and join us on one of these adventures

• Tutukaka

• Urupukapuka

• Abel Tasman

• Mangakino & the Waikato River

• Northland Explorer

• Whangaehu / Manganui-a te-ao

• Kaituna / Wairoa

• Rangitikei Gorge Section

• Lake Karapiro & Pokaiwhenua Stream

• Waihi Beach Coastline

• Whanganui River

• Kadavu Island - Fiji

Enrol at yakityyak.co.nz /join

email: info@yakityyak.co.nz

Stunning Lake Rotoiti.Photo by Ruth E. Henderson

, and let the adventures begin.

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• Meet New Friends

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• Discover the Great Outdoors

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Extend Your Vehicles Usable Space

By Roger Devonshire

An awning is a fantastic way to take your adventure to the next level, and Rhino-Rack has a range to suit just about any application. There are a few things you need to consider if you’re in the market for an awning. You don’t need to over-complicate things, but before making a purchase you should consider the following; vehicle size and shape, shade coverage, UV protection and water resistance.

vehicle and opt away from a 2.5m awning there are plenty of ways to increase your shade coverage. However, if you have a larger vehicle and don’t need a large amount of shade, the 2m awnings may be what you’re after. When it comes to how much shade you want to create, Rhino-Rack’s awning range offers several options.

It’s also important to remember that these awnings are compatible with many accessories, all of which can help customise your set up to suit your needs.

Vehicle Size and Shape

Each Rhino-Rack Awning comes in two sizes 2m and 2.5m. An awning shouldn’t exceed the length of the vehicle and should be installed with relatively equal overhang each side of the rack.

When the awning is open, you need to consider if it will interfere with doors opening, particularly for 270-degree awnings on hatchbacks. If you have a hatch which opens considerably higher than the roof, you’ll need to keep in mind there may be limited rear access when a 270-degree awning is extended.

The width between your front and rear roof racks should be greater than 700mm and the overhang on either side shouldn’t exceed 1000 mm. If your roof racks are too close or there is excessive overhang, you may damage the racks or the awning while driving or when set up in high wind.

Coverage area

You don’t need to worry too much about coverage area as we have a large range of awning accessories including extensions. So, if you have a small

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UV Protection and Water Resistance

Awnings are great for keeping cool in the shade and staying dry if it rains, but keep in mind not all awnings are created equally. You should make sure the awning you purchase will provide sun protection and water resistance. Our awnings are made from high-quality rip stop and PU2000mm water-resistant PVC (210D P/OX W/R PU2000mm) with an independently tested UPF 50+. You shouldn’t settle for anything less!

If you’re not up to date with the jargon don’t worry, it’s not that complicated. UPF is the ultraviolet protection factor and it refers to the proportion of UV radiation which can penetrate a material. UPF 50+ is the maximum achievable and means only 2% of UV can penetrate the material, so bear in mind while it does provide some protection it’s not 100% and you should always wear a hat and sunscreen.

So that’s UPF, now for water resistance, PU refers to polyurethane which is a coating added to fabrics to fill in the gaps between the threads so water cannot seep through.

A water rating (HH) is the degree of water in a column a fabric will endure

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until 3 drops of water seep through. In this case, our awnings will withstand a two-meter column of water before water will seep through.

It’s important to consider the higher the water resistance the heavier and more ridged the fabric. We’ve kept the quality high while keeping the weight down so you can carry more and stay dry.

Having the right gear can be the difference between a great comfortable, dry escape and a miserable burnt or saturated weekend away. These are two areas you don’t want to skimp on.

Product Range

Rhino-Rack Sunseeker:

• Sunseeker 2.5 m Awning - 2100 mm x 2500 mm - 5.25 m 2

• Sunseeker 2.0 m Awning - 2100 mm x 2000 mm - 4.2 m 2 Rhino-Rack Batwing: (Right hand side also available)

• Batwing - 2500 mm extension with 270 0 of coverage - 10 m²

• Batwing Compact - 2000 mm extension with 270 0 of coverage - 6.4 m²

www.kayaknz.co.nzIssue 93 Autumn 2019 PAGE 47

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Length: 4.88 m Width: 559 mm Weight: 21.0 kg

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

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Canoe & Kayak Botany 169 Harris Road Botany, Auckland, 2013 09 265 2654 botany@canoeandkayak.co.nz

Canoe & Kayak Bay of Plenty 49 Totara St, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, 3116 07 574 7415 bop@canoeandkayak.co.nz

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