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ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006 3 NZ Distributors: Southern Extreme Ltd. Ph 03 360 2550 Fax 03 360 2499 e-mail thule@irl.co.nz

Issue 36

Letters to the Editor

The Unclaimed Coast - Adventure Philosophy’s South Georgian Odyssey Chapter Two

Mangakino Stream Night Paddle

Safety at Sea - The Law and how we can work within it.

Whanganui Kayak Trip

Rendezvous at Rat Island

Alderman Islands Adventure

Navigation tips for kayaking in adventure races

Star-studded Coastbusters

Coastal Invaders Wellington Yakity Yak 2006

A Paddle in the Catlins

Halong Bay - Venice on the rocks

Cambridge to Hamilton Kayak Race

d’Urville trip

Kayaking the Kawhia Harbour

Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere

The Contour 480

Directory: Things To Do

Learn To Kayak

Buyers Guide

Front cover photo: Mark Jones Contents page photo by Fay and Bruce Schaw

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Anzac Day Lots of fun and a few tears EDITOR: Peter Townend Ph: [09] 473 0036 Fax [09] 473 0794 Email: pete@canoeandkayak.co.nz DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Breakthrough Communications PO Box 108050 Symonds St, Auckland Ph: [09] 303 3536 • Fax [09] 303 0086 Email: kayak@graphics.co.nz Website: www.graphics.co.nz PUBLISHER: Kayak NZ Magazine is published six times per year by Canoe & Kayak Ltd. 7/28 Anvil Road, Silverdale, Auckland PRINTING: Brebner Print

A week down the Whanganui River with 55 keen Yakity Yakers is huge fun. The laughter, the teasing, the letting down of one’s hair as they say, is great for the soul. Hard work you may think arranging a trip of that size and you would be right. It took eight or nine trolleys at Pac n Save, a 100kg meat shop from the butcher, another three trolleys of bread at Taumarunui, gas bottles, cookers etc. Well over 500 kilos of food and another couple of hundred kilos of equipment! Yet I come home feeling that I could take on the world after one of these trips. A feeling of being out in the wilderness and thriving, not just surviving. Seeing the looks on faces and hearing the comments when we all achieve something new together is great.

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About 70 gathered for a Dawn Service at Tieke Kainga Marae and with my head always somewhat clouded at such a time I passed the proceedings onto Mac from the Marae who talked well about the fallen. Tony from Hamilton wrapped it up with the right words and a prayer.

Overseas subscribers can make payment via credit card number on subscription form. CONTRIBUTORS: We welcome contributors’ articles and photos.

These two things, the fun and the remembrance are I think my fuel. There aren’t many moments that go by that I don’t think how lucky we all are. The fun and enjoyment I get from the outdoors and the people who venture into it with me improve tenfold when I remember just how quickly they can disappear if we are not vigilant. We owe much to our previous generations, who fought to protect our freedom and to build NZ so we can grow in a safe and peaceful country. Many millions of the worlds population today would and do die for even a scrap of the peace, freedom and abundance we have here in NZ. So let’s get out there and live a lot. Don’t put off today something you have been meaning to do. We owe it to our brave ancestors to use this peace they won for us to the fullest and remember, if some little thing needs fixing then fix it before it wrecks the lot. Cheers and see you out there on the water Peter Townend Editor

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ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

Letters to the Editor Hi Peter Steve and a bunch of clubbies went for a surf the other night. It was HUGE, he even managed to damage the Polar Bear. One of our clubbies with a flash camera took loads of shots and they are awesome. I am getting prints off the disc and was going to send you some (via email) for the mag. It would make a good picture essay. Cheers Karen, BOP Canoe & Kayak Photos By Doug Dearlove

Challenge 5 Barbara Phillips

Penguin Laraine Hughes

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For Sale Kayak Centres Interested in owning your own kayak shop?

Canoe & Kayak Ltd is ready to open Licensed Operations in

Whangarei and at selected South Island locations

Phone: 09 473 0036 Peter Townend Managing Director, Canoe & Kayak Ltd and I’ll be glad to have a chat. All approaches will be dealt with in confidence.

Polar Bear Steve Knowles

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Letters to the Editor How to enjoy your last weekend in New Zealand I offer to you my best recipe for how to spend your last weekend in New Zealand. Take 1 beautiful destination. Mix with a dash of warm sunny weather, a large dollop of water, and a good dose of humour. Add good food, great friends and a sense of adventure. Give a good stir, and enjoy. On my last weekend in New Zealand, I headed out with the gang from Canoe and Kayak BOP. With Karen leading her first paddle in a while, we headed across the harbour in Tauranga, to eat lunch on the beautiful sands of Matakana island. With a beautiful Waitangi day lunch populated with snags and pavlova shared by all, we were quite dismayed when an incoming tide flooded our beach sooner rather than later! The paddle back was a bit of a struggle for those of us (mainly me) who weren’t quite as paddle fit as I once was. Next time I know to be more prepared! But again my thanks to those who shared a wonderful year with one Canadian that was extremely sad to leave a beautiful country, but even more so the amazing friendships that were forged on the water. Until next time.... Linsay Seitz

Canoe & Kayak Fishing Competition April 15th With fishing off kayaks gaining in p o p u l a ri t y, Ca n o e & Kay a k recently held its annual kayak fishing competition. Up for winning was a Perception Squirt Jason Bond with the kayak. This was won for a mystery bigger Snapper. weight snapper. Gary Harrison won this, his snapper being just .255 away from the mystery weight of 2.2. Jason Bond won the prize for the heaviest snapper of 3.555 kg Caught close to the white cliffs, Jason said that he had planned to paddle in but decided he could give it another 15mins. It was during this last 15mins that he caught his prize snapper, well worth the wait.

Gary, Jason and Andrew Bailey.

Another Taranaki catch of the day by the locals.

The sun was shining but the sea was lumpy. There was a good size swell coming from a low, off shore. This stopped some anglers venturing out to their favourite spots. One angler said he watched a couple of guys getting munted by the waves while trying to paddle out Pukearuhe way and therefore decided to head out from the port instead. This capsized angler admitted to not only falling off on his way out, but again on his way in. He won a pirate’s flag for his effort, with the idea of frightening off the sharks before he falls out next time.

Although the fishing was slow, plenty of fish were caught and most were of a reasonable size. But most importantly fun was had by all who joined in.

Gary Harrisson with the Squirt Kayak

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Next year Canoe & Kayak, Taranaki plan to make the event even bigger. By joining up with the Oakura kayak fishing club, finding sponsorship and broader advertising, including outside the district, they hope that even more anglers will enjoy the day.

Dear Pete, I have just had a very unique (arn’t they all) kayak stolen though Idon’t think the kayak itself was the target but the camper van that it was in. It is an Innova inflatable and unique in that it was the prom/demo kayak that was brought to NZ for the website photo shoot in Abel Tasman. I was wondering if you could put a small ad in the next additon of your magazine to alert any kayaker who might be approached by someone trying to sell it. It is a SEAKER model - if you have time please check out the innova web site on www.innovakayak.com or I have attached the relevant page from the web site. The actual kayak shown is/was my kayak, grey and red single. It was hidden out of view in the back of my campervan which was parked up in Nelson marina whilst I was away sailing around the South Island. On my return the camper was missing with all my kayaking gear. The van could have been stolen anytime between 3rd April and the 13th April. The police have been informed and also have the same web site picture I have attached for you. The other recognisable item is maybe the paddle though of no particular value it is from Innova and has their name inscribed on the red blades. I visit NZ every 6 months for a 6 month ‘holiday’ that is dedicated to kayaking so I am pretty lost without my van and kayak. Any help or advice that you can offer in helping me get information out to the kayaking community would be gratefully received.

Hawke’s Bay Kayak Centre

For Sale

With regards Jill Strawbridge

Hi Pete Just thought I would forward these photo's to you incase you are looking for a filler for the next mag. Might make a nice picture essay. Photo's by Barbara Phillips. YY BOP Club paddle on Tauranga Harbour Cheers, Karen

This licensed area has come up for sale in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay. Bay Phone: 09 473 0036 Peter Townend Managing Director, Canoe & Kayak Ltd and I’ll be glad to have a chat.

Karen, are your clubbies finding new beach toys?

All approaches will be dealt with in confidence.

Pete

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ADV E NT U R E P H I LO S O P H Y

The Unclaimed Coast Adventure Philosophy’s South Georgian Odyssey - Chapter Two

Mark Jones

By Mark Jones, a member of the Adventure Philosophy team who lectures at AUT University on its Outdoor Leadership courses. The cove we headed for was marked as being 2km deep. Such was the inaccuracy of our chart that we rounded the headland and found it to be only 200m to the back of the bay. A wide sweep of black sand stretched from one side of the bay to the other, studded with large blocks of ice like diamonds sprinkled on a couch of black velvet. Beyond the gems wriggled hundreds of huge brown larvae. We carried our kayaks past these grunting, barking, snuffling beasts and claimed a place for the tent. As we pitched it the weather changed abruptly and in 20 minutes the bay went from near calm to having williwaws twist across it and the spume blown from its surface in a hazy mist. Sand was blasted into our clothing, the tent, and every part of any equipment not stowed. The benign face we had seen had shown us how capricious it could be, a mood swing in an instant. But there were plenty of rocks to secure the tent and we soon had a home in which to shelter from the wind. After 40 solid kilometres with very heavy kayaks, after 3 weeks of little activity, my body was sore, but oh what a place to be. Facing inland it looked similar to being on the lower slopes of Mt Ruapehu, with black sand, water

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rounded boulders, and a field of tussock clumps climbing to craggy, snowclad peaks, but when I turned around there were penguins and a herd of elephant seals, with the sea beyond and a shore of glittering iceblocks. Inside the tent, although cold enough to make fog of our breathing, it sounded nothing like the mountains- the crash of surf, skuas’ cries, and the snufflegargle-grunting call of the elephant seals spoke of a rich seascape. It is the marriage of these two zones, the mountains and a sea, rich with life, that makes this island so special. The cacophony of animal sound increased if anything during the night and it felt as though we were camped in the middle of a zoo. The elephants were a constant source of anxiety. Although we had rationalised that the chances of having our tent squashed did not warrant a watch to be held, it was nevertheless a possibility, one that was palpable at times as we heard the scrunch of gravel being ground beneath four tonnes of undulating blubber next to our beds. On such occasions we all sat bolt upright and listened intently, breath held as though that would make any difference to our fate. The wind continued unabated during the night and the pointlessness of trying to travel that day was clear from the start. Antarctic Bay directs its icy breath straight out into the Atlantic- next stop South Africa- and we spent the day enjoying a magic day of photographic forays from, and back to, the sanctuary of our tent.

I lay on my stomach and had giant petrels land a few feet away, stalking within striking distance of me, thinking I was some sort of cast and ill-looking source of protein. I found a whale’s jaw bone high on the beach, bleached white and impossible to imagine supporting a mouth. I watched while a skulk of skuas played tug-o-war with a ragged, bloody placenta, and I watched elephant cows lactating to small fluffy pups with their enormous black eyes, thick creamy milk oozing from the corner of their mouths. This last was especially intriguing when one realised that the cows would keep producing this milk until their pups were 150kg weaners, without eating so much as a single squid. By day three the wind had dropped to 15-20knots and we packed up to leave. A sizable surf break frustrated my departure. I took two seconds too long to secure my spray deck and lost the nose of my kayak to the wind. I was soon sideways to the shore with nothing for it but to get out and start over. My hands were already cold enough without that sort of lapse, and by the time I made it through the break I had no feeling in them at all. A long ferry glide got us to the other side of Antarctic Bay. The next was the deep Possession Bay. It is the site of Cook’s landing in 1775, where he raised the Union Jack and claimed the island for King and country. We gained some insurance by paddling a distance into the bay before making for the other side in another energetic ferry glide across the wind. Lining up the point we wished to head toward with the land beyond it and keeping the two points

We stopped for lunch near the rusted hulk of Brutus, an old whaler lying on its keel in the back of the harbour, and hunched over mugs of hot milo we restored our stores of energy for the afternoon. We tried to imagine what the scene would have been like in the early 1900’s. The noise of the generators, kilns belching smoke, the hubhub of workers moving about the station, a stench that must have been overpowering, while the tide ran red with the blood of whales. It must’ve been at once a grim but at the same time exhilarating place to live, cradled as it was between a peak the shape of a harpoon head and the restless sea. lined up helped us maintain the correct heading, a critical skill on large We made two more crossings, sneaking up the side of the fiords before crossings. It can be easy to misjudge the strength of the wind and find oneself ferrying to the far side. Beside a reef the reptilian-looking head of a leopard unable to make the headland and get blown out to sea. seal broke the surface. It had a small cod, wriggling Prince Olav Harbour formed a deep indent in the back hopelessly, hanging from its mouth, and I remembered of the next bay and rusting at its head we found the the grizzly scenes I had watched from my kayak when derelict Prince Olav whaling station. It was one of seven in Antarctica of these same seals hounding penguins whaling stations which operated on South Georgia, the through the sea, chomping them, letting them go and first being built in 1904 and the last finally closed in 1965. chasing them all over again until the inevitable final The recovery of the whales, which they thought at the mauling-macabre and fascinating encounters. time would only take a few years, is still far from fulfilled. Kayaking around a final headland we entered a wide www.adventurephilosophy.com That they thought the decimated stocks would recover bay and approached a broad plain at it its far end, quickly accounts for the fact that most of the stations are Salisbury Plains. largely intact- hospitals, cinemas, engineering shops, and “Can you believe this place?” I said to Marcus, as we the flensing platforms where the bloody work was done, left as they were, hauled our kayaks up to the flat above the tide line. A throng of penguins with the intention of continuing to reduce whales to vats of oil. But the whales lined the beach, the end of which we could not see. Stretching to the tussock never returned. slopes 500m away was an unending penguin-scape, thousand upon

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thousand of adults standing around in groups like stately gentlemen dressed in tails discussing the day’s business. Further away chocolate-brown chicks gathered in large rookeries, fluffed up as though each had a down sleeping bag pulled up about its neck. Marcus simply shook his head slowly from side to side as he took in the scene. It was one of extraordinarily abundance, more wildlife in one place than either of us had ever seen in our lives. Dozens of elephant seal harems dotted the beach into the distance and the air was thick with the sound of penguins trumpeting and elephant bulls roaring. We flattened out a spot in the gravel for the tent and battened down the hatches as the wind increased. Spindrift blew along the ground plastering the chicks white, swirling about our legs like the visible face of the wind. The wonderful light faded and the plains became a mosaic of browns and greys, but the magic remained.

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That evening I tried to take a time exposure of the camp, fixing my camera to the tripod and leaving the shutter open, but a gust of wind knocked the tripod for six and the camera was lucky to survive the fall unscathed. That evening as the aches from the day became fully manifest. I began to get an appreciation of how tough the trip was going to be. It had been brutal with a head wind most of the day for a hard won 41kms. With the Polar Bears loaded as they were this was a huge day. The wind remained strong the next day so with weary arms and backs it was an easy decision to spend the day on our legs exploring our aweinspiring surroundings. By now the sheathbills

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had decided our boats were their new home. All night long they pecked incessantly at the deck fittings, all day they crapped over them and pecked at their reflections in the shiny gelcoat. The Bears looked as though they had spent the night beneath a row of battery hens. Sheathbills are comical for their apparent stupidity and their antics, and loathsome for their habits, mostly due to their diet, which consists entirely of excrement from one source or another. We threw them cheese and salami and crackers at lunch, but they turned their beaks up at each morsel. Graham returned from the intertidal zone one morning appalled when he turned to find one beak-deep in his business before he had time to cover it with sand. Next day, high on the tussocky slope of the hill the plain below looked for all the world like a rendezvous point for a great massing of armies somewhere in Middle Earth. Great battalions of brown were pinched between blue-grey companies, while random individuals made sorties between the various units, and a constant stream of the adults returned from the sea as though just disembarked from landing craft. Diary 17 Oct: The South West Coast looms large in my consciousness. If the swell on this coast is anything to go by then we are in for a test. We may be lucky and find landings with enough protection, but more likely face the prospect of landings that, if we get it wrong, the expedition is over, with busted boats, bodies, or both. Better to focus on the immediate challenges. The west coast would come soon enough...

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Mangakino Stream Night Paddle by Peter Koole

Sunday, February 26, 2006 My paddle buddy for the evening was Jane Schnaffer, an American friend visiting from Washington DC. Jane had heard about glow worms and was considering a trip to Waitomo when I suggested an option closer to home. I live in Mangakino and have paddled the Mangakino Stream several times and thought the chances of seeing glow worms there would be high. We weren’t to be disappointed. I rented a Contour 450 for Jane from Steve and Freddy in the Taupo store, promising to return it the next day and paying matesrates as a clubbie of course. We put in at the boat ramp in the Mangakino Reserve at the end of Lake Road around 7pm. If you come down here at the weekend there’s a great little café in a bus called - oddly enough - The Bus Stop Café. It is parked at the lake front from Friday through Sunday night for pre or post paddle coffee, toasted sandwiches etc. Very handy. There’s also free camping with a well maintained toilet block and even power for campervans. You’ll usually find a few campers or house trucks spending the evening or weekend.

the banks near the water, and as our eyes adjusted to the darkness, many more appeared rising from the waterline and sprinkled through the steep bush. Glow worms are the larval stage of an insect. They hang from threads; a web almost, using their luminescence to attract small flying bugs which become trapped in the glow worms sticky threads, and finally, dinner for the glow worms. An interesting phenomenon on the river is what I call “Pumice Island”. It’s a barrier of pumice, small branches, flotsam and algae which spans the width of the stream and is maybe 20 metres across. It is quite easy to paddle through and the interesting thing is the temperature difference between the upstream and down stream sides of the ‘island’. The water is probably a good 10 degrees warmer on the lake side. Check it out as you paddle through. The darker it got, the brighter the glow worms and stars became until we were surrounded by twinkling points of light. Even the water displayed myriad lights from the stars reflections. This is truly a beautiful paddle on a still clear night. The stream has barely any current but some sections have sunken but standing trees as hazards. A more noticeable hazard however were ducks and swans taking fright and flight at our silent approach. I don’t know if they can see in the dark but the stream is a very

It was a perfect evening with barely a breeze and the sun setting. The few clouds dressed in pale pinks and oranges promised a sunny morning. We paddled the still waters past Dog Island, which separates the golf course from the lake front, carrying on south to the entrance to the Mangakino Stream on the right hand shoreline , about a 45 minute paddle. By this time it was becoming dark. I explained to Jane that the glow worms we were looking for would look like stars against the dark river banks and surrounding bush. We paddled on up the stream and under the road bridge on Highway 30 between Mangakino and Whakamaru. Here you’ll find yourself paddling between sheer cliffs making the waters dark and mysterious, light faded with the setting sun revealing stars by the millions increasing in number and brilliance as the sunlight fades. We spotted the first twinkling glow worms as the stars were appearing. First one or two along

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narrow airstrip and we were paddling in the middle of it. The sound of a swan getting airborne, wings pounding on the water, and coming directly towards us before lifting off barely overhead, was quite exhilarating. Maybe surf landings aren’t the only time to be wearing a helmet in a sea kayak? We paddled back downstream to the lake, gliding silently through galaxies of stars reflected from the heavens. Looking skyward we saw several shooting stars, just one more bonus of a night paddle. There is seldom boat traffic on the lake at night as a rule, and none on the Mangakino Stream, probably because of the pumice island barrier. We travelled upstream without lights which is only possible with prior river knowledge, as it is pitch black once the sun sets due to the steep sided banks and lack of light pollution reflected from the sky. Downstream I used an LED headlamp on the bow of my kayak to navigate by and we carried a brighter torch incase of approaching boat traffic. I’d recommend using an LED torch which gives extended burn times for batteries, plus they’re generally waterproof. A glow stick on the rear of each kayak is probably good in a group setting. Then you can follow-the-leader up the stream. The less light shed on the stream, and in your eyes, the more you can enjoy the sight of glow worms and stars. Enjoy.

Safety at Sea - The Law and how we can work within it. by James Fitness

Last issue I put forward an overview of safety at sea, and our responsibilities as kayakers. Kayakers are often perceived by other sea-going vessels as a nuisance, mainly because we can’t be seen. It is our job to show we are well equipped to meet any of the challenges the weather may throw at us. Also to be able to help others in distress, if possible. A notice dated 19 June 2002, from the MSA states:

the deck will only shine forwards and it can’t be seen from the sides or the stern. They also shine in your buddies’ eyes, affecting their night vision. There are very good all round light & flag pole combinations available. A torch should be carried to shine to ensure other vessels have spotted you. Although it is tempting to use devices to attract as much attention as possible, many can cause confusion, causing accidents and unnecessary expense from rescue call-outs.

There have been a number of collisions and many near miss situations involving kayaks and other vessels on lakes, bays and on the coast.

Examples are;

It is the duty of every vessel’s skipper to keep a careful lookout using all available means. Power craft must give way to kayaks. However, in reality it is very difficult, and at times almost impossible, to see kayaks at a distance of more than a few metres. Kayaks are very low on the water, easily lost from sight amongst even small waves, and do not appear on radar screens.

This can cause confusion and cause a passing vessel to alter course towards the light to investigate, resulting in a near miss (if we’re lucky!)

It is essential, therefore, that kayak skippers make sure they can be readily seen by the operators of other vessels. While brightly coloured hulls and clothing assist to some degree, a much more effective means of being seen is required.

FLAGS These are not compulsory, BUT, they are strongly recommended. A flag on a metre pole will increase your visibility by 100%. When you are in a trough, the flag will be visible above all but the largest wave. I was on Lake Tarawera with 80 kayakers not so long ago. We obviously had to split into pods, and spread out. We were far enough apart that the leading group dropped over the horizon and all that could be seen was a row of flags. They work.

LIGHTS

White flashing lights - the international sign for man overboard/ distress.

Use of red & green navigation lights on a kayak implies you are bigger than you really are, and could be assumed that you can manoeuvre quickly.

WEAR A LIFEJACKET OR BOUYANCY AID “75% of all those who drown could have avoided death simply by wearing a life jacket” (Safe boating an essential guide) It is a requirement that all craft must carry a lifejacket for everyone on board. As a kayaker, your lifejacket will be of most use to you if it is worn. It will be of little use if it’s in a hatch, or worse, in the car. Kayaking buoyancy aids are designed to allow free movement of arms, are shorter in the body to suit the seated position and tend to have multiple pockets to carry stuff. (Snacks, compass, torch etc). My BA is stuffed with all sorts of paraphernalia to keep me going through the day.

CARRY A PUMP AND PADDLE FLOAT This is basic safety gear for a “sit in” kayak.

At night, all boats are identified by the pattern of lights they display. This pattern also helps to determine which direction they are traveling.

When you have capsized your kayak and are in the water, you will find reentering the kayak on your own possible with a paddle float, as long as you have practised beforehand.

ALL BOATS MUST COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS REGARDING LIGHTING.

Obviously the pump is used to remove the remaining water in the cockpit (and is a great water cannon)

By law, all non-powered boats under 7 metres in length, such as a rowing boat, canoe, kayak or sailboat MUST show a white light or torch to indicate its presence.

Taking part in a Sea Kayaking Skills Course will take you through the use of these items, along with the most common paddle strokes.

Torches are acceptable, although a torch is directional, in that if strapped to

Remember that you have to practise the skills you have and need, so that they will work for you when things go wrong for real.

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Whanganui Kayak Trip 20th - 25th of April 2006 I was up before dawn. The car was packed and off I set at 5.00am to Taumaranui. We met at a place called Ohinepani at 7.30 sharp and there were Yakatiy Yakkers who had camped the night before. There I met a bloke named Pete. We had a role call and a brief, “Look out for the V in the river and you’ll be fine”, let’s all listen to Pete’s instructions and we’ll be safe and have a good time. (Yeah!). Brown Squirrel you say as we shake our bums. Oh my gosh what have I done! This crazy bloke whom Id just met was going to take all 55 keen kayakers down stream Yer Right! (That’s what I was thinking in my head) he called for those who had been on the river before to be leaders and to help along the way. Gosh what a relief. Then we packed our boats with clothes and food and set to launch when, oh no, a chap named Dennis had disappeared. We drove our cars to Taumarunui Campsite for the week and shuttled

by Donna

back to Ohinepani, but Dennis fancied a drive to Ohakune and back. We did the numbers game and with everyone present got on the water and paddled up stream. It was a great picture, all those boats you know, all different colours and shapes. Then this mighty roar, of course it was Pete “All just follow me (orderly) and look out for those V’s”. As we made our way through the first rapids we were nice and close so looked more like bumper boats. We made our way leisurely down the river about 10 kilometres or so then upon our first camp we came. Pete shouts “All hands on deck mate” to carry those heavy Canadian boats onto the tiny shore and then help the others carry their kayaks too. We set up our tents and the kitchen too and again all hands on deck to prepare the food. I’d heard tales of Pete’s cooking skills but alas a neat lady called Jocelyn could cook just as good too. Her spaghetti, cheese sauce and all those puddings were just great (Thanks Jocelyn). I was glad to hit the sack after all that anticipation

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of the day and not knowing quite what to expect. My tent buddy Christine was really good company and we had some great chats. Our other club buddy Natalie was right next door in her tent but she didn’t snore. We listened through the night to the chorus of snoring and the chatter of happy campers. As day break came it was breaky time. We all got in line there was porridge and wow some cream. Alas that famous shout. It’s Pete and it’s briefing time again, “I think we need to break into small teams”. There are four green Canadian kayaks with leaders and Pete’s big red machine. Once on the water we looked for our teams. Our leader was Tony. A really nice chap, (so if you’re in Hamilton call in and say hello! At Hamilton Yakity Yak) Tony called us over and gave us a chat; “We’ll stay in our group as we travel down stream and occasionally do a count to make sure no ones left behind”. This was our team: Tony, Kathy, Lorraine, Dave, Nigel, Natalie, Bevan, Andy, Sandra, Mark, Jocelyn and me -Donna

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There were no sacrifices made on this trip. Andy and Sandra had wool on their kayak seats, no sore bums for those two. As we make our way down the river I’m in awe of the beautiful scenery. Lots of caves in the walls, also metal tags way up in the tree tops from the floods before and goats frolicking on the shore. The sun is shining and the sound of everyone’s happy chatter and then along comes Pete, “Do you know any good jokes” or “Sing us a tune” he would say or yell “Look out there’s a big rock coming your way”. Thanks Pete for being a great kiwi bloke, lots of fun and cheek all in goodwill. We even did a 40 minute tramp to the bridge to nowhere and then of course a marvellous lunch, sausages, bacon and eggs. Then Pete decides to throw the cooked eggs to see who could catch them and was surprised when I caught mine in a cup. What great cheers I got. Back in the boats we got and paddled down stream very leisurely, to the next camp. Some stayed in their tents while we stayed in the John Coull hut. At 2.00am I needed to go wee’s when sudenly I nearly stepped on Ruth (Henderson) who slept on the hut veranda floor. I have heard that Ruth writes a good kayak story or two, but what a pleasure to actually meet her. Its time to paddle to our last campsite a place called Tieke which had an awesome Marae. We met a cool chap named Mac who welcomed us on. We put up our tents as the Marae was full and chatted and had dinner and wine or two. Morning came and so did the rain to bless us on this ANZAC day. We had some prayers and a minute’s silence in remembrance of those soldiers who gave their lives. Here a sadness and a relief all in one. It’s time now to go. We packed our boats and set a float then that voice again Pete yells! “Come on Bevan sing us a song”. Ten Guitars was what he sang as he did a bit of a giggle in his boat and everyone joined in. Great hidden talent you have Bevan! We set off down the river as the rain gently came down. It was absolutely beautiful as all the waterfalls started to appear, some big and some small. We reached our lunch time destination and still the rain poured. Then Pete yells out “We will put up the tarps and start a fire”. Now I have to admit Pete’s got to be a pretty clever bloke to light a fire in the rain with wet wood, but he did and then guess what! The sun came out. Lunch was great and there was lots of chatting as everyone warmed their bums by the fire. Then it was time to move on. It didn’t seem very long till we reached the massive rapids. You all know Pete has a great way of making the rapids sound rather big. We navigated through and we all agreed “that was really cool”. As we moved from camp to camp we started to get to know lots of good things about each other and especially everyone’s names. I met some great people in those five days. To everyone on our trip thanks for the great chats and I hope we all meet again. This is only a small part of what we did in those five days so if you want to know the rest you’ll have to make the trip. Be sure to book next year to listen to Pete’s tall tales. Cheers Pete for the experience. The BOP Yakity Yakkers Donna, Natalie, Christine and Bevan

NZKI New Zealand Kayaking Instructors Award Scheme ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The NZKI was formed in response to a growing need in the Kayaking Industry to have more people with Kayaking qualifications to encourage more kayakers towards expanding their skills and knowledge, to continue to increase the safety of our sport. The NZKI Award Scheme is structured around the assessment of skills and knowledge that are required for the type of activity to be undertaken by the Instructor or Guide. A star is awarded for each level achieved, starting off with the NZKI One Star for personal paddling skills and knowledge and moving up to the NZKI Five Star for an Assessor. For more information phone 0508 5292569 or ask at your nearest Canoe & Kayak Centre

Hi Pete Thanks for organising the trip last week - it was fantastic! What an anaemic statement - really, there aren’t the words to describe how much I enjoyed the trip ... it truly was a complete experience. I really appreciate the commitment you obviously made to it. You mentioned that you were looking for things to put in the magazine, so I’ve put a couple of thoughts at the bottom of this. Eight Wonders of the Whanganui • Why is the campsite always one bend after your team has a toilet stop? • Why is there only one potato peeler when there are five 10kg bags of potatoes? • Why do the snorers wait until everyone else has put up their tents, then set up their tents right in the middle? ... Why do the snorers then roar with laughter as 54 people frantically relocate their tents to the other side of the campsite? • Why does camping bring out the hunter/gatherer instinct in males? • Why does Pete have his bath at lunchtime in front of the serving area ... when 55 people can provide feedback on his bathing habits? • Where did all the rapids go? • Why were there 11 uneaten King Size bars of Dairy Milk? • Why do you feel like you’ve made friends for life? Rachel Sutton

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Rendezvous at Rat Island by Tony Barrett It was one of those paddling days that you dream about but so rarely get! The islands dotted around the seascape sat bathed in the early morning sunrise. To pause the rhythmic slice of the paddle and glide was to enter a zone of peaceful solitude broken only by the occasional cry of a gull or the far off rasp of a fizz boat heading for fishing grounds. The previous afternoon, Joy and I headed up to Coromandel from Hamilton to steal a Good Friday on the water. We booked into a cabin at the Long Bay Motor Camp, and eagerly scanned the rather windy sea in front of us, hoping it would faithfully follow the forecast of “light winds” in the morning. We woke the next morning to a clear sky and a perfectly still day. Although excited to get out on the water, we had a leisurely start to make the most of a holiday experience.

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Checking in at the camp office before we left, I handed over the ‘2 minute form’ I had hastily scrabbled together, giving our intended route, contact number and expected time off the water. This simple procedure is an important part of executing a safe trip and I was pleased to note the proprietor of the camp was well versed in this procedure. The Camp office also has a marine VHF base station, so if you have a portable set with you, immediate communication is possible in an emergency. Our plan was to head to Motukakarikitahi Island, more commonly known as ‘Rat Island’, about 2.5 km out from Long Bay, then - weather permitting - go another 3 km further out to Waimate Island. As it turned out, we revised the plan along the way. The water was like velvet as we paddled parallel to the Wyuna Peninsula. A small head appeared above the surface of the water not far from my kayak, followed by a stubby little body. Beak nibbling from side to side, a Blue Penguin cautiously watched my progress as I drifted past. Many people

would be surprised to learn how prolific these little fellows are around the North Island coastline. Say penguin and most people think of a large Antarctic creature shuffling along comically in his waiter’s suit. But the Blue Penguin (or Little Penguin as he is sometimes known) is very common in our waters. Measuring only about 25 cm long, he can cover up to 75 km each day fishing at sea. He comes ashore at night to roost, unseen by humans who have retreated indoors. One of the things I really enjoy about sea kayaking is how close you can be to sea animals without unduly disturbing them. As we passed penguin after penguin, they watched us carefully but never appeared stressed or unnerved by us. Drawing closer, Rat Island soon revealed a lovely beach on its south-eastern side. Pulling ashore we stretched our legs and watched Kawahai chase herrings around in the shallows. To the South we could see the gap between Wyuna Peninsula and Whanganui Island, which opens into the Coromandel Harbour. As we watched, a pair of flashing paddles revealed two kayaks steadily heading our way. Just before we had set out earlier that morning, two Yakity Yak club members from Hamilton, Trevor and Cherie, had called in at our cabin and we had arranged a rendezvous together on the island. Making swift progress it wasn’t long before we had four kayaks pulled up on the beach, with each of us enjoying the warm sun and beautiful surroundings. Most of Rat Island has a rocky shore, with the beach we were on being the best landing spot. We explored around the craggy perimeter together in the kayaks, before Trevor and Cherie had to head back to the Coromandel side, and Joy and I continued out to Waimate Island. We paddled steadily out into a fresh breeze that had sprung up. This surprised me as the forecast was for light winds, but this breeze was starting to form whitecaps which hissed ominously as we made our way further out to sea. The chop was small,

but sometimes sharp and steep. I had an internal debate with myself as I weighed up our plans. Should we continue on and face a possibly growing wind and worsening sea or should we turn back? There was an increased sense of exposure as Rat Island grew smaller behind us, and I thought, “Blow it! This is for our enjoyment!” Rafting up together, we decided to turn around and run with the wind towards Oamaru Bay where I knew there was a small island called Motupohukuo or (in keeping with the animal theme) simply Turkey Island not far offshore to explore. This would place us a little north of Long Bay and give an interesting coastline to look at as we made our way back. (With hindsight, I would still like to make the crossing, but would set out earlier before the wind comes shooting through the Waimate Channel.) Cruising back with the wind and swell it seemed effortless as our sterns were lifted and we slid forward. Despite that, it took just over an hour before we reached our next island. This too had only one landing spot so we headed in to stretch our legs and have lunch. Nestled into the bush just above the beach was a small closed bach. We had found another deserted island. Making our way back around the coast, we could see the Long Bay Campground was full with Easter campers. We arrived back on a falling tide, tractors were out in the water hauling boats ashore. Much of this Coromandel coastline has a large tidal range which makes kayaking interesting as the high and low tide vistas can be very different. We sculled our kayaks forward in about six inches of water for some distance before a hefty carry up the beach. Our hosts were keen to hear about our day as I popped my head in to let them know we were off the water. Thinking back to all the experiences of the day, it is a location that I would thoroughly recommend. One of the things I heard myself say was a reflection of the great time we had. I simply said, “We’ll be back!”

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Alderman Islands Adventure by Roger Hoebers Four-thirty am didn’t feel like time for breakfast and I was glad we had packed the previous night. Getting packed and ready for an off-shore adventure is not good early in the morning with your eyes half shut. A trip to the Alderman Islands had been a long time in the planning. The previous day’s trip had been cancelled due to excessive wind and swell so we were suitably excited to find the weather gods had favoured us this day. As the lucky six of us, Karen Knowles, Roger Crum, Richard Arlidge, Larraine Hughes, Deborah Jeyes and myself, gathered at the Bowentown Boat ramp, it was just becoming light enough to see and the dawn was as perfect as you could wish for. Although only fourteen kilometres in a direct line out from Tairua we had chosen to take the Ali J 1, skippered by Tony Prujean from Waihi Beach Boat Charter. Rog going deep into a narrow cave.

The boat had been specially fitted with kayak racks to accommodate our six craft. Once everything had been stowed and lashed on, it was off to the islands cruising at about 25 knots, blasting through a cool breeze and ominous looking swell towards the islands way in the distance.

With warm waters and a moderate sea state it was a pleasant surprise to find the winds actually easing around the exposed side of the island. We explored one of the outer islands about two kilometres away, probably the longest straight line paddle we did all day.

It takes about ninety minutes to get to the Alderman Islands, a group of five With an incredible variety of rock formations and sea caves around each main islands scattered around a four by five kilometre area, interspersed corner, few words were spoken as we marvelled at the spectacle of these with loads of rocky out-crops, spires and interesting formations. The islands unique islands. are a DOC designated nature We had heard stories reserve with no landing Farewell to Alderman Islands, looking back on the way home. about caves so deep you permitted, which is just as well need a torch to navigate since there seemed to be only them, so I had come two tiny pink shelly beaches. prepared with my little As we drew near, the size and colours of the islands, rocks and spires looked impressive rising abruptly from the blue water. Despite the barren look of the vegetation you could hear the early morning native New Zealand bird song, especially Tui. We had to pull into a sheltered area between islands, as these islands are quite far from shore in open water, exposed to the open ocean swell. When Tony announced we were anchoring in ten metres of water I had to look at the depth sounder myself to believe it. The water was so clear you could see fish swimming amongst rocks and seaweed on the seabed!

headlamp just in case it was true. What a joke, one cave we were all in at the same time (in our kayaks) was so large you would need a search light to find the ceiling. The only way I could find my way in the dark was by extending a paddle to locate the sides as I coasted silently through the passages, sometimes finding a completely different exit route. There were so many caves, holes and arches to explore around all the islands in the group that we didn’t have time to investigate them all. We were getting hungry.

With wind predicted to build to over 20 kph during the day we decided to paddle now and snorkel later. The kayaks were carefully unloaded off the back of the boat and tethered until we were ready to get in, one by one.

It was excellent to have the convenience of the boat as our base as we were able to return to the boat for lunch and prepare for snorkelling. We had heard the Alderman’s are a famous snorkelling and dive location. We were not disappointed.

The plan was to explore the exposed side of Ruamahuaiti Island first in case the weather got worse. We could then fossick around the more sheltered shorelines if the wind got stronger.

The fish certainly seemed friendly here and the visibility was better than most inshore waters. Schools of colourful fish including Blue Maomao, Red Moki, Black Angelfish, Wrasse and Demoiselle swam around us as we

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snorkelled and dived down for a closer look. It felt like we were in a large aquarium with a fancy underwater landscape to match. After snorkelling it was time for fishing! I had noticed some larger fish while kayaking earlier and I wanted some for dinner. In the deeper waters you could see the occasional glint of silver as Kingfish and Kahawai moved around us. Although catching Kingies from a sea kayak without an anchor is not recommended I decided to put the lure out to try my luck.

QK KAYAK SAIL Our sail is based on the type of sail used on a yacht, so if you are familiar with sailing, you will have no trouble using it. As well as having all the properties of a normal sail, it also has an adjustment to decrease the sail area and make it more manageable in strong winds. NORMAL SAIL LESS SAIL AREA

It wasn’t long before I spied movement near the surface chasing and nibbling my trailing lure then BANG! My poor little rod jerked violently as something big and fast pulled hard and dashed wildly around me. A small school of Kingies cruised by within metres of my cockpit, and they were probably laughing at me. I braced myself as I set the drag. The little reel was nearly stripped of line. I carefully worked my little reel as best I could, playing this thing with my light weight fishing rig. After about ten minutes of this ‘carry on’. I was no closer to getting the fish near the kayak let alone landing it. With departure time looming, I had no option but to hurry things up by winching the big fighter in. I could see a decent sized Kingie struggling below my kayak and was excitedly thinking how good it would look under my deck bungee when I returned to the others.

When the sail is no longer needed, it can be lowered to the foredeck from the cockpit.

Like so many fishing stories about ‘the one that got away’ it wasn’t to be. Something else wanted that fish more than me. There was a sudden brutal tug from the deep and the fish and half the trace were gone! Another lure lost was a small price to pay for all that excitement. Pumped and shaky with adrenalin I hurriedly paddled around the island to get back to the boat for loading. The return trip in Ali J 1 was much smoother and we were fortunate to be accompanied by dolphins for part of the journey. It was a great way to finish the day, a memorable encounter shared with friends as we headed home after a satisfying day on the water, experiencing such a beautiful part of our country by kayak. Photos by Roger Hoebers

Beautiful Turquoise waters on Middle Island.

Additional Info: How to get there: Waihi Beach Boat Charters, with Tony and Robyn Prujean, ph 07 863 5385. Tony skippers the Ali J 1 and can take up to 6 kayaks and 7 people on the boat. The trip to the Alderman Islands takes 90 minutes. Parking and departure from Bowentown Boat ramp. The return trip for the 6 of us was $100 each. Booking is essential, there is no landing permitted on the islands, they are DOC Nature Reserve.

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Navigation tips for kayaking in adventure races by Phil White

Adventure races are often won or lost on navigation rather than speed. There is no set course, just a series of checkpoints and transitions, and it is up to each team to find their way from one to the next. Thus being prepared, doing

some research, choosing a good course, following it, and being adaptable when the unexpected happens will help you to do well.

Grade Two River Certificates Ask anybody who has competed in a multisport race and they will say

One or two weekends training Is just NOT ENOUGH!!! We believe our comprehensive Grade 2 Training & Certification is the best you can get. To gain the skills to confidently paddle on white water, you need between 3 and 8 weekends on the water with an instructor.

PHONE NOW 0800 529256

OR CALL IN TO YOUR LOCAL CANOE & KAYAK CENTRE FOR MORE DETAILS AND COURSE DATES

2006 Multisport Package $795 24

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

Official Sponsor

1. Boat preparation First decision: who steers and who navigates. Perhaps the same person can do both and keep paddling. Learn to maintain your stroke rate while looking at the map, especially if you are steering, or in the front and setting the pace. A deck compass is at times essential for staying on course. On the water you can usually see where you are going, but in low visibility (e.g. in fog or at night), or where there are no obvious landmarks to aim for, it can be difficult.. Teams have been known to turn around 180 degrees in the fog, and head back to where they came from. Place the compass far enough away that you get a good sight at it, and away from anything magnetic. Remember how magnetic north relates to grid north on all of your maps and charts, or even better, mark magnetic north lines on your maps. Learn to use transit bearings to keep a straight line when the wind, waves or currents take you sideways. Line up two objects, and keep them in line while you paddle towards them. In a strong current, you may have to point 20 degrees into the current to keep a straight line. Night paddling brings a new set of challenges, and is worth practising. It is harder to read the map, and easier to miss features like channel markers and checkpoints. You will need a headlight (tied on to a helmet is best), to read the map and see things, but it will reflect back off the paddle at you with every stroke (if you have good technique). There is not much you can do about this, except get used to it (before the race), or let your technique get worse. At times visibility is better with your light turned off. You also need at least one bright light in the team, to spot important things from a distance (e.g. channel markers, rocks and checkpoints). The key navigational aids at night can be very different from the ones you used in daylight - a street light, or a house on a distant hill with lights on, that were invisible before can become significant. And learn to recognise a few constellations, the Southern Cross at least. It can make navigation a lot easier. Using a GPS while training reveals a lot about boat speed and direction (how straight do you really go with wind, current or swells from the side?). A GPS is against the rules in a race, but in training you can learn how fast you go on flat water, when it is choppy, with a head wind, a side current, or following seas. Then on race day you can estimate from the distance on the map how long it will take to paddle to each checkpoint. If it takes much longer, you have probably missed it.

2. Research prior to the event Researching the area prior to the start of the race is extremely helpful in choosing your course. Information and clues can be gained from a variety of sources. Once you have a rough idea where the race will go, it is worth looking at topographic maps, marine charts and aerial photos. These variously show channels, channel markers, navigational lights, sandbanks, rocks, islands, water depths, and possible landing sites (transition areas). You should also get local track, park and road maps, which can show

additional landing sites and short cuts. Tide charts, so you know what the best times will be for paddling, and what the direction and speed of currents you will enjoy or fight. Close to the event, check the weather and swell forecasts. The direction and magnitude of the wind and swells will affect your speed and direction. There are several good websites around, and I particularly like www.metvuw.com (for weather) and www.swellmap.com (for swells). If you can spend a few days in the area, a recce is well worth the time. I find guessing and exploring where the race might go can often be more fun and challenging than the race itself. Take a look at harbours and inlets at low tide to see the channels at their worst, but when they are best defined. Talk to the local boaties and fishermen about sand banks and currents, and take a look at boat ramps and possible transition areas. See what large objects there are (hills, bridges, buildings) to sight off for navigation, and take a look at the channel markers.

3. Once the course is known The course is usually revealed about 12 hours before the start. First accurately mark on the checkpoints (e.g. which side of a small island?) and then its time to think about how to connect them. The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but this is not necessarily the quickest. Check the forecast again for wind, waves, tides and currents, and think about shallows, rocks and islands, remembering that shallow water slows a boat down, and no water at all slows it more, so it can be worth a detour to stay in deep water. If the detour gets too big, then consider a portage. It might be faster, depending on the distance, how easy is it to get in and out, how friendly are the locals, and how hard is the terrain to walk over carrying a double kayak full of gear. Mark your preferred course on the map with a bright highlighter which doesn’t cover any important information. Write all instructions on the map so it is clearly visible to the navigator. But also laminate the instructions (papier mache is hard to read) and take those too. Write down compass bearings, and make a note of big features to aim for, especially at night. Colour code (with highlighters) the channel markers along the way (most are red or green). Make a note of the tide times - it could be worth a quick transition later to catch those channels with 1/2 hour of water still in them. And for each stage, estimate (from your vast knowledge) how long it will take, so you have the right amount of food and drink, and the support crew know when to expect you at transition.

4. Setting up your boat Attach the deck compass so it is clearly visible but not in the way, the maps so they can be seen clearly without taking hands off paddles, and perhaps the aerial photos and marine charts if they would be useful.

Designers & Constructors of Multisport & Adventure Racing Kayaks Phone/Fax 06 374 6222 E-mail:- mike@ruahinekayaks.co.nz Website:-www.ruahinekayaks.com

Team Balance Vector Southern Traverse 2005

Adventure Duet 2005 ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

New Zealand’s Best Kept Secret

The Yakity Yak

Many of the articles you are reading in this magazine are about trips organized by the Yakity Yak Club. Interested in Joining up?

treasurers. We just discuss where to go next and who is coming. These trips are viewed on www.canoeandkayak.co.nz and booked at your local Canoe & Kayak Centre

Well read on and get involved

Join the club. You will get a weekend skills course to teach you techniques and safety skills and a year’s membership. If you are keen to learn more there is a bunch of courses to teach everything from Eskimo Rolling to becoming an instructor. At no cost is the Leader’s Training Course, ten weeks part time for those who have the urge to put something back into the club.

“Too old” you say or “not fit enough” or “don’t like clubs because of the working bees and committee meetings”. Well guess what, our oldest member is 80 plus and started paddling in the last two years. Can you walk? well then you can paddle, in fact that’s not correct we have had members with a missing leg or two, but you get the picture. The only committee meetings we have are a wine and cheese evening once a month to arrange trips. There are no secretaries or

So what does joining the club cost? Only $295 for the first year including the weekend course and then only $35 per subsequent year thereafter.

NORTH SHORE

AUCKLAND

SILVERDALE

MANUKAU

WAIKATO

Unit 2/20 Constellation Drive (off Ascension Place), Mairangi Bay, Auckland

502 Sandringham Rd

DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

Sandringham

7/28 Anvil Road, Silverdale

710 Great South Road, Manukau

The corner Greenwood St & Duke St, State Highway 1 Bypass

PHONE: 09 815 2073

PHONE: 09 421 0662

PHONE: 09 262 0209

Hamilton

PHONE: 09 479 1002

PHONE: 07 847 5565

For up coming Yakity Yak trips 26

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

Kayak Club Proudly Supported by Your Local

Now you say “They must charge for each club trip”. My friend you would be wrong. There is no participation charge for club trips.

but we know you will find a bunch of like minded mates to enjoy our wonderful little paddling paradise.

The Yakity Yak Kayak Club was set up by a bunch of enthusiastic instructors. After spending much time teaching people how to paddle we found a few months later that they had not carried on with paddling. They said there was no one to paddle with, or they were a bit shy, or they did not have a boat, or they lacked confidence to go on trips where they did not know the area or the people.

So get on the phone to one of the Canoe & Kayak Centres (see advert on the back page) and join the Yakity Yak Kayak Club. You will be welcome. Welcome aboard Peter Townend One of the founding Yakers

So we said enough is enough and the Yakity Yak Kayak Club was formed. We cannot guarantee you will get on like a house on fire with every club member

BAY OF PLENTY

TAUPO

HAWKE’S BAY

TARANAKI

WELLINGTON

3/5 Mac Donald Street

38 Nukuhau Street,

15 Niven Street

Unit 6, 631 Devon Road

2 Centennial Highway

Mount Maunganui (off Hewletts Rd)

Taupo

Onekawa, Napier

Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth

Ngauranga, Wellington

PHONE: 07 574 7415

PHONE: 07 378 1003

PHONE: 06 842 1305

PHONE: 06 769 5506

PHONE: 04 477 6911

see www.canoeandkayak.co.nz ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

Star-studded Coastbusters by Ruth E. Henderson Ponder this: What makes one event stand out from another equally worthy and memorable event? In another decade or the passing of another generation, how will Coastbusters 2006 be fondly remembered, and distinguished from others? Dad used to say that the day he stopped looking at a good set of legs would be the day he was dead. Well, call me sexist, call me peculiar, call me my father’s daughter... But with a bit of luck, in twenty five years, I’ll be old - and I reckon I’ll still be able to picture and vividly remember Freya’s legs! Particularly when she was upside down, head first in a kayak and the said legs were pointing skyward. What awesome skill, antics, acrobatics and athletisim we were treated to on the edge of Lake Pupuke! And not just from the ‘Lady in Black’. Freya Hoffmeister, from Germany, was one of four ‘Greenland paddling guru’s’ we were privileged to have attend this years ‘Coastbusters’ held at Milford, Auckland for the mostly dry events and at Sullivan’s Bay for Sunday’s on the water Pod scenario’s.

It was then that I got to watch Turner Wilson in action, up close. We all had witnessed him demonstrating rolling, along with Cheri and Freya, on Lake Pupuke, while Justine Curgenven, a British film maker and our Saturday night keynote speaker, floated nearby capturing the action. In that instance he stood out , not just because of his luxuriant beard, but because unlike Freya in an Inuit kayak and Cheri in a low-slung hand crafted wooden boat, he deliberately took a European styled boat, a EuroX. He showed that rolls (with or without a paddle) and tricks such as paddling upside-down, could be done irrespective of vessel. At Sullivan’s Bay he proved not just to be a showman, but a brilliant teacher. The picture of him breathing skills into young Billy Bowman, remains etched into my mind. Both student and teacher were, so, so focused! Yes, a long, long time from now the Greenland component is how I and many others will remember Coastbusters 2006. It rocked and it most certainly rolled! To see what else Coastbusters offered and to find out about the next event take a look at www.coastbusters.org.nz

All four ‘Greenland paddling guru’s’ were astonishing and performed all weekend. On the Friday night Greg Stamer told the story of Greenland Paddling from the threat of its demise, through to its revival, popularity and the spread of ‘the movement’ throughout the world. Then on the Saturday morning, Cheri Perry, took a workshop called ‘Yoga for rollers’ teaching us not just to stretch our hamstrings but how to prepare for some of the moves in rolling such as the balance brace, by ‘opening our hearts’. In the afternoon, she and Freya gave an exclusive women’s only group, tips on how to roll. They demonstrated, that is they rolled a kayak, ON A CARPET! They called it “dry rolling”! It’s a pity that these words are now over used but those girls really were ‘Awesome’ and ‘Amazing’. Most of all they were inspiring, encouraging and very, very, very patient. After the Sunday pod scenarios, they plus their partners stood for over two hours, up to their hips or chests in water, teaching keen paddlers to roll. Over and over.

Cheri Perry - “dry-rolling” at a woman’s rolling workshop

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

Freya Hoffmeister - performs while Justine Curgenven takes pictures.

Coastal Invaders Wellington Yakity Yak 2006 by Andy Blake

The date was 9 April, the venue was Onepoto Bay/Porirua Harbour. The mission was to get wet and try things that many kayakers hadn’t tried before (to get them out of their comfort zone). As I know, many perverse, sometimes eccentric paddlers, getting ideas for this type of competition proved to be quite easy .Mild mannered David Morrison agreed to assist me with the onerous task of organizing this fun day. Events were based on both Off Water and On Water activities and as individual and teams. We started with kayak relay races, paddlefloat re enters and side draw races just to get everyone warmed up. Then we got them to perform (like seals) assisted group rescues, Eskimo rolls and kayak swapping. One man, we will call him Jason Allen of Island Bay, appeared to even walk on water. The true boundaries of human endurance was tested even further by the next two events .A first aid scenario where one member of the team suddenly became unconscious and needed to be brought to shore and have first aid administered. The next scenario demonstrated to the unsuspecting public (supporters) what 20 keen kayakers look and sound like when they act like barnyard animals. Team ‘chicken’ were definitely the most animated and vocal of the whole barnyard menagerie. I now confess to looking at these kayakers in a whole new way.

YYakers confidence completely, my secondary teacher wife, unflappable Jen, scrutinized the kayaker theory test proving some should consider returning to school to redo their college years. After all the kayaking antics had concluded we finished off with a BBQ and the prizegiving There were various categories but the top three participants were as follows; Overall winner was Neil Thompson, second place went to John deRoo with a not too shabby third place going to Cameron Farquhar. It is intended that the first two major winners team up next year to organize Coastal Invaders 2007. Who can wait!!! No kayakers or animals were injured in this competition although one little dog was left behind.

The off water events like balancing a paddle on your head , one handed hatch cover replacement and paddle javelin ( not my paddle! ) proved to be very challenging for some of the paddling fraternity. Just to shatter our

The Wellington Yakity Yakers wish to gratefully thank the following suppliers who by selflessly donating many excellent prizes made this event a truly wonderful day that was enjoyed by everyone who attended: Hutchwilco Canoe and Kayak Cobra Kayaks Perception (Wellington) New Holland Publishers Kayaking Canoe and Kayak Day Two Quality Kayaks (Distribution) Descente Paddles Brian Phillips Ltd Topline Agencies NZ Ltd Ruahine Kayaks Bodyline Rasdex

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A Paddle in the Catlins by George Lockyer Quiet as a mouse I brew up some coffee while the family send up more Z’s, wrapped snug in their sleeping bags. As I zip the tent back up the bird’s dawn chorus is in full cry. I carry my sea kayak down the concrete steps to the water’s edge, not 20 metres from the tent. The sun has recently risen above Cabbage Point and is just burning through some low cloud, turning it from pink to white. Spray skirt, life jacket and sunnies donned and I’m into it. Although it’s only an hour past high tide, the water here is very shallow. It’s actually a huge estuary fed by the Owaka and Catlins rivers. I’d always wanted to visit the Catlins region. The banjo tune from the 70’s movie Deliverance , would always enter my head like an annoying ear-worm, whenever it was mentioned. Ding a ling, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. It would go, along with visions of a land that time forgot; rather like the West Coast without the insects! The Catlins were named after Captain Cattlan who bought a stretch of coast from the Maori back in 1840. Historically the Catlins region was popular with the Maori due to the abundance of sea food and moa which inhabited the forests. My palms press into empty cockle and pipi shells as I lever us into deeper water. Gulls shriek overhead and a cormorant dives for fish, I lower my rudder and strike out in earnest towards the west and enter the gentle waters of what my map refers to as the Catlins Lake. It seems to be simply where the Catlins River widens into the estuary. On my right I pass an area of salt marsh with a large stand of virgin podocarp forest behind it. The forest of rimu, kahitatea, totara and miro forms part of the 38 hectare Pounawea Scenic Reserve, one of few remaining examples of the transition of unmodified ecosystems from estuarine, through saltmarsh to forest. I know this because my wife, back in the tent has a Masters in marine ecology. So there! I begin to wake up as the caffeine from my early coffee kicks in mixed with the familiar endorphin rush brought on by steady paddling. There’s a slight chop in the centre of the lake but nothing to trouble the Tui. I smile when I think of the kayak sitting behind our tent underneath a tree full of its namesake feathered friends. Any thoughtful dropping would have been washed off by now. Ahead of me a couple of grey herons flap their wings languidly and rise into the air as if in slow motion. I step up the pace. To my left I can see the Jacks Bay yacht club that we passed yesterday in the truck on the way to Jacks Bay. There’s a wonderful, sandy beach at Jacks Bay where we spent yesterday morning boogie boarding with the kids. I also managed a little paddle round the rocks through water thick with kelp, (in which wet suited locals dived for paua) but being on my own I didn’t venture out too far. There’s also a blowhole at Jacks Bay, which we didn’t bother to walk to as it only blows at high tide. The yacht club was built on the site of the ‘Big Mill’, which in the late 1800’s employed up to 40 men. At the height of the operation up to 11 ships a day would load their holds with timber from the native forests. I love the different perspective one gets on the water. You can look at something from the water and it will appear totally different from the thing seen from the road.

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Half an hour later I’m at the Caitlin’s river bridge where I take a short breather on the rocky shore beneath it. I take a swig of water and stretch my back muscles as a truck full of sheep shakes and rattles its way above me. On my left the Catlins River meanders through the green rounded hills of Otago from its source somewhere up in the Beresford Range. Back on the water I muck around in the whirlpools and eddies beneath the bridge before heading back. The sun occasionally peeks through the low clouds, glistening off the greenish water. I wonder what’s swimming beneath my kayak and a make a mental note to throw a lure in tonight and try to catch dinner. I’ve been told it’s a good spot for flounder. Yesterday we had visited Cannibal Bay where we walked along the deserted beach. Deserted that is except for half a dozen sea-lions basking unconcernedly in the sun. Cannibal Bay is so named by Dr Hocken, who in 1892 discovered the grizzly remains of a Maori feast, including human skulls and bones. All too soon I’m back at Hungerford Point and the Pounawea Motor Camp. I’m enjoying myself too much to stop and the troops are probably still snoozing away. I press on towards the open sea. The water gets deep enough for a decent paddle stroke instead of the flattish ones I’ve been doing for the past half hour. I can hear the booming surf now and on the far shore the small dots slowly morph into Hooker sea lions. Apparently, these are young males, some of which have travelled from their breeding grounds in the sub Antarctic Auckland Islands. A small voice is creeping into my consciousness and is getting louder. It’s the voice of reason and it’s reminding me never to paddle in the open sea alone. With a sigh of reluctance I push my right pedal down and with a few good strokes describe a nice 180 and head back. Reason has won out over valour. Anyway the tide is retreating fast and soon the area I’m paddling in will be a mudflat habitat full of wading birds and crabs. Back at the camp I haul my kayak wearily up the concrete steps and detect the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs. You beauty! The sleepy town of Owaka or ‘Place of the Canoe’ a few kms down the road (or up the river) is the commercial centre for the region. A couple of restaurants, a backpackers and supermarket make it an ideal base for exploring the Catlins. The Deliverance earworm has thankfully now been banished from my mind. When the Catlins are mentioned now I’ll conjure up memories of a stunningly beautiful wild coast, native bush, rainforest, magic wildlife and spectacular views. There is a pleasantly intangible air of differentness to the Catlins, which is most refreshing in a world rapidly becoming homogenised. I make a mental note to return here with a kayaking buddy, sans enfants. So go on. Strap your kayak on your roof rack, take the Southern Scenic Route south from Balclutha and see for yourself.

Catlins River Bridge

Near Surat Bay

Surat Bay Sea Lion

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Halong Bay - Venice on the rocks by John Banks

Five hours by road east of Hanoi, in the heart of the Gulf of Tonkin, lies one of the true Natural Wonders of the World, Halong Bay. As the local Vietnamese all know, it was formed back in pre-history when the Great Dragon descended from the place of legends and its mighty tail carved the seabed into thousands of spectacular monoliths. In 1994 Halong Bay was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Park. While occasional cruise ships may give moneyed passengers a glimpse from their staterooms, it is the kayaker who can really experience the awesome grandeur of limestone cliffs rising sheer from the sea-bed. If you are visiting Hanoi there are two ‘must do’ experiences. Forsake the modern 4 or 5 star hotels and stay in the old French quarter where you can experience Asia as it once was. Then arrange a two-day, three-day or longer trip to Halong Bay. Companies such as Handspan Tours will organize transport, accommodation, guide and good sea-worthy kayaks for less than the daily cost of living in most parts of the world. Don’t let them suggest you spend a day in Halong City. It’s a waste of time and there are better places such as Catba Island to visit when not paddling. A guide is advisable as the islands and islets number over 2,000 and it would be easy to get lost unless you speak Vietnamese or have a GPS and local chart. A mother ship is not a bad idea as sleeping on deck under the stars beats a hotel most of the time. While English is widely spoken in the cities, Halong Bay is populated mostly by fisher folk who aren’t quite so educated. However this is rapidly changing as you will see when paddling past the many floating villages which rely on the sea to provide both sustenance and an income from fishing, or more likely fish farming. There are floating schools, floating stores and even an occasional floating pub. But don’t be too hasty to tie up and climb out. Every floating structure is populated by mongrel dogs whose sole purpose seems to be to take rabid bites out of unsuspecting or foolhardy interlopers. Fortunately they haven’t taken to jumping on your kayak if you pass close by. Some of the islands are hollow with stalactites and stalagmites and well worth a side trip. The awesome beauty of the bay is however best experienced by

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meandering among the islands, rock gardens and lagoons. It is not unusual to find a lagoon that can only be entered by paddling under an archway at low tide. Legend has it that pirates found such places ideal to bury their treasure, so have a mooch around. While many of the channels were heavily mined during the American War, it is unlikely the occasional remnant will pose a threat to your kayak. The best time to see Halong Bay is May to October. While February to April is sometimes subject to mist or rain it’s still worth a visit. And after Halong Bay, head to the hills west of Hanoi for some great downhill mountain biking. Or down to the Mekong delta for more paddling.

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Cambridge to Hamilton Kayak Race 7th May 2006

Blue skies, light winds, a good flow on the river and a cracking turnout; Race organizers Su & Peter Sommerhalder couldn’t have wished for more! With a mixture of racing kayaks, outriggers, wooden, composite & plastic sea kayaks and a smattering of sit on tops, over 250 competitors

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made their way down the Waikato River. We decided that pictures speak a thousand words so here’s a photo montage - see you all again next year!! Rob Howarth

Will Henden & Neil Watson

Renton Hunger & John Leonard

Peter Van Lith & Kids

29th OCTOBER 2006

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d’Urville trip

by Kevin Andrews

For some time Greg and I had schemed to tr y a circumnavigation of d’Urville Island, eventually setting a date in March for a trip. Usually this is a time of settled weather, calm seas, sunshine and happy kayakers whose only concern would be getting the tides right for various areas. Also we both have to co-ordinate our holidays, time off work, and get the girls to believe that we will be safe. So on the 27th (Sunday) we arrived at French Pass to see from the road that the tide was in full flood and going the opposite way that we wanted. But no problem, within the hour it should be slack water. By that time we had the boats launched. We managed to paddle into a choppy southeasterly sea (with the wind strength around 30knots) from the beach finally getting the wind behind us as we rounded the corner for the Pass. The tide was slack and our trip through the Pass was a non-event. In fact this was to be the easy part of the trip. Onward we went and as soon as we got out of the lee of the mainland we were battered by a side blast from the blustery southerly, a side on chop, which caused us to work a little harder than we expected. However, we slipped through behind Hautai Island with just enough water to float us over the shallows. On round Sauvage Pt with wind and waves pushing us into relatively calm seas. This is the life, cruising along enjoying the scenery. The gannets and terns flashed brilliant white against steel grey cloud as they wheeled and swirled searching for fish to pluck from the oily waters. It was in these pleasant conditions that we cruised up through the paddock rocks and abreast of Cone Island. Once again we had the wind to contend with as we crossed the Manuhakapakapa reach to Okarewa Point. Back into the lee of d’Urville we slid sheltering from that pesky wind, marvelling at cliffs that rose sheer out of the ocean 200 metres above us, windswept and craggy, underpinned by large waterworn caverns that we could poke into and disturb myriads of insects. What an awesome

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place, there was a beach to land on for a comfort stop in the top of Sandy Bay. We extended our trip by following the coastline instead of bouncing from point to point, up round New Chums Rock, Cape Zach and on to Ragged Point. Rounding Ragged Point into Greville Harbour the going toughened up. The Southerly was blasting right on our nose and we spent the next hour punching into wind and water. The big plus was that we had the tide with us and the current through the gap in the boulder bank was racing in the direction we were going. However it was still a long hard pull up to the turn into Mill Arm and once in the arm we were totally sheltered. This gave us a lovely picturesque paddle to our overnight camp site. Six hours after leaving French Pass we were sitting in a bit of weak sunshine enjoying a well-earned tipple and wondering just what the morning would bring. Our intention was to paddle up the Island to Port Hardy. This we figured would be another big day but if the southerly persisted we should have shelter most of the way. Just after dark the first shower of rain hit the tent and this continued off and on throughout the night. Breakfast at six, weather still overcast, wind on the ridge tops increased and wind direction changed to north east. Not a good sign. Will we be able to exit Greville Harbour? Only one way to find out, so by 7am we were on the water, flat calm in Mill Arm, then round the corner into the white caps we went. Suffering snakes, there were huge combers crashing over the bar with white water creaming off the tops of them. Big greenies were rushing across the entrance and tearing up the beach. Well we decided to give it a go as the tide was with us and we figured we could ride through with it. And we did into a short steep chop on top of a big long roll. We pushed on into a sea that got bigger as we approached the entrance to Greville. I said to Greg, “I’m turning left and heading back towards French Pass, you can please yourself” “I have,” he said, “I’m heading left as well!” Looking north we could only just see Two Bay Point through the on-coming rain squalls and that was only when we were on top of the swells. No choice really as there were no obvious landing places till well into Port Hardy, and with 15-20ft rollers running we figured it best to go with them than against them.

We plugged our way down the coast, at times pushing a head wind and battling against the lumpy seas coming back off those magnificent cliffs. We struggled on down the coast past Sandy Bay, no hope of a pit stop in there today! Paddling past Hapuku Island and into a really mixed sea with the wind fair howling across the Manuhakapakapa reach, we pointed our nose into it and struggled towards the lee shore. A gust managed to lift my hat off and toss it in the tide, causing me to back up and lose some hard earned yards, so it was a quick lift of the spray skirt and jam the hat in before swamping. Onward we paddled into a sort of lee shore by Cone Island. This was as far as we could get as the rollers were turning into huge breaking combers, a surfer’s delight, and all the Paddock Rocks area was a boiling, agitated seascape. So it was either head way out to sea or head back up into Kupe Bay and hope that we could land on the beach there and camp till conditions improved. We landed ok on the beach at Kupe Bay and wandered up to the farmhouse to see if it would be ok to park in a corner of the paddock. Well the reception we got was fantastic. The owner, Bruce , was in the shed working, asked “Where did you come from?” We said, “Off the beach.” “How did you get there?” “By kayak, out of Mill Arm.” He just looked at us in disbelief. However, we were offered a shower, cup of tea or perhaps a whisky to warm us up. After a bit of discussion on what the weather was likely to do Greg suggested that we phone a water taxi. “Waste of time,” said Bruce. “No water taxi will come round in this sea.” “I have to go over the hill to pick up some fuel, so I could take you with me to Kapowai if you like. We will put the trailer on to carry the kayaks.” So that was the option we took. But Bruce and his wife Rose insisted that they give us lunch first. Two very nice and generous people. Bruce dropped us in Kapowai where we launched the kayaks and paddled across to French Pass, a journey of about 25 minutes into that blustery breeze and against the tide. So there we were back on the mainland with time, days

in fact to spare. Unfortunately I had no pictures of the wild water we had paddled as my camera would not have appreciated a soaking had I tried to use it. I suggested to Greg that Tennyson Inlet would be a nice place for a two day paddle if he was interested. And this is what we did, camping in the Harvey Bay camp site that night. We launched at Duncan Bay on Tuesday morning and paddled in overcast weather and calm seas. We were not far out when I hooked into a small Kahawhai, which I let go, and then I was into a good sized Barracouta. This gave me a bit of fun before I also lett it go. Well we cruised round the shoreline marvelling at the pristine bush and listening to the bellbirds and tui chorusing in the bush. The Rata was blooming and many of the native trees were festooned with fruit. Colourful orange, blue, red, green berries were to be seen as we paddled along. We called in at the Matai Hut in Godsiff Bay. This hut is locked! It would be good to land there in a nor’west thunderstorm soaked to the skin to find the only shelter locked. Good one DoC! This is obviously one hut that is not necessary, but it is still there, yet they take out necessary huts in the mountains. We continued to Tawa Bay, where the sun had broken through the cloud and we were sheltered from the wind. We found a nice wee grassy flat on which to pitch camp for the night and had a wander in the bush here and found some lovely big Rimu, Tawa and Kahikatea trees. The usual weka provided the entertainment and morepork kept the night watch. After seeing three satellites pass overhead we retired for the evening. This day was just neat, one to remember. Wednesday saw us paddle over to Elaine Bay via Tawhitinui Island and back into Duncan Bay. We loaded the kayaks on to the car and headed for home, via the Clansman where a great lunch of Guinness and a pie brought a close to our trip.

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Kayaking the Kawhia Harbour September 2005

by Mark Robbins

On several occasions, while taking a break from helping to build our new family holiday home at Kawhia (the old one my mother grew up in was kind of sagging in places it wasn’t supposed to, so unfortunately had to be demolished), I would look out over the harbour and think “One day, wouldn’t it be great to hop in a kayak and go exploring over the other side of the harbour”. This was a couple of years ago in my pre-sea kayaking days. I had little idea what was involved, but I’m sure it did help inspire me to take the sport up when I had the chance earlier last year. So at a planning meeting, when asked for suggestions for possible kayaking trips to add to the north Taranaki Yakity Yak calendar, I tentatively suggested Kawhia Harbour “I’ll organise it but really don’t want to lead it...”. This was duly set in stone. A brief meeting with Peter van Lith from Canoe & Kayak sorted out an itinerary and date to suit the tides. Up until the last few days I hoped for an experienced kayaker to lead the trip but, in the end, I was it. Seven of us headed up to Kawhia Friday evening in two vehicles, one towing the boat trailer. Accommodation was at the new still not finished house, which was designed with groups of people in mind. We brought tea with us to save time & money, so rather late that night. The plan was to get going as soon as possible in the morning to catch the last of the out-going tide towards the harbour mouth. I was quite impressed that we were all on the water by just after 8am - not bad going for a bunch of weekend paddlers (although we cheated by not having breakfast!). Launch point was by the Kawhia wharf, from where we headed south along the shoreline. Weather was good - overcast but not much wind. We made good time to Makatu Point, which is one of the two locations in the harbour I was

a bit worried about sea conditions. Two major channels meet here, and like the proverbial washing machine on the out-going tide it tends to get quite choppy . The other problem area is at the harbour mouth (especially the north side) where harbour chop, sea swells and strong tidal currents can meet to form rather challenging conditions for smaller craft, especially if a stiff sou’westerly is blowing. Coming around Makatu point will give you a fair idea of two conditions you are likely to face as you head south - head wind and sea swell. I was somewhat relieved to find that neither was very significant, and so it proved for the rest of the paddle to Te Maika, on the southern side of the harbour entrance. We made one stop, on a sandy beach just inside the harbour on the north side of the entrance. Crossing the mouth went without a hitch, with a lazy swell from the north giving us a bit of assistance as we got closer to our destination. On the beach at Te Maika, we unloaded overnight gear and opened up the old bach just above the beach. This also is a family asset, although is very basic! No power or heating, it can sleep ten people if you don’t mind bedding down side-by-side on the floor. We had a late breakfast and a quick look around, before getting back into the kayaks and heading due west with the current. Our destination was Te Waitere, but as it looked such a long way, I thought a slight diversion to Totara Point might make the trip more interesting. Having reached this, I set a straight line to our destination - only to notice that the seabed quite quickly appeared underneath the boat. “Oh bugga”,

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I thought - “Forgot about the mudflats”. Sure enough, I was soon out of my boat pulling it, trying to find the deepest parts for the rest to get through. Have to remember that for next time. We regained the channel, and paddled on up the inlet to Te Waitere where we stopped to have a look around. Te Waitere is named after the Rev Whitey who lived here for a number of years in the 19th century, until he was moved down to north Taranaki. The locals at the boat club seemed quite unperturbed by the arrival of bunch of sea kayaks on their front beach, they were busy making preparations for a party that night. Back on the water we headed back out to the main harbour, following the shore around to the north. It was getting quite windy, so we stopped in a sheltered bay, amongst the limestone formations, and enjoyed our lunch. By this time, Te Maika looked a long way off, and close to the direction of the wind. We decided to call it a day and head back via Rabbit (Te Motu) Island - a large tidal island in the southern harbour. It was a bit of a slog heading into the wind, and we needed the break on the island. On the other side of the island (we pulled our kayaks through some shallow water) the wind seemed even keener, but at least our destination was getting closer. A sand bar extends from the island towards the sea almost as far as Te Maika which we had to negotiate a safe path around, but it caused no problems. We were all glad to be at the end of a really good day’s paddle. Time for a bit of relaxing, exploring and sorting out beds. We hunted down some driftwood and lit a small bonfire at the sheltered end of the beach. We cooked sausages, baked potatoes and roasted marshmallows, accompanied by a few beers and glasses of wine. What a life! Sunday dawned overcast, but quite mild and not much wind. We planned to catch the incoming tide and head up one of the main channels to explore the east side of the harbour. This gave us plenty of time to do an excursion (on foot) around the Te Maika peninsular before we left. It is a very interesting area, steeped in Maori history with several archaeological sites accessible, and equally important in terms of its geology. It is dotted with baches - but quite desolate and wind-blown. Vegetation and farm stock have to be tough to survive here! Coming back to the bach, we finished packing up, loaded the kayaks and headed back up the harbour. We went around the north side of Rabbit Island this time, and with wind and tide in our favour, made very good time to the limestone coast to the east. There are two main inlets along here, Kaitawa Inlet, which we passed by, and the much larger Rakaunui Inlet. This is a fascinating area to visit by sea, with its towering limestone bluffs and white shell beaches. We stopped on one of these for lunch, before heading up the inlet to explore. The inlet actually continues for several kilometres (passing near the main road at one point), but we decided not to continue to the end. Turning around we headed straight into a headwind, so were all getting a bit tired by the time we made it back to the main harbour. The group was split in two by this stage, with three of the ladies not in any particular hurry! I particularly wanted to get to Meurant Island, a small, very tidal island about 1 km from Rakaunui Inlet. My group headed there with the view to having a break and looking for fossils. But the other group was having none of it - they headed straight across the harbour in the direction of Kawhia. It is a distance of about 5 km directly, so quite a long paddle without any breaks. The tide was going out by this time, and I was a little concerned about my group having to go around sandbanks. As it happened, our timing was good. We paddled over some very shallow water at times (in the middle of the harbour), but did not get stuck. Returning to Kawhia, we brought the trailer down, loaded up the kayaks and headed back to the house to have a cuppa and to get changed. Then it was back to Te Kuiti for some tea and on to New Plymouth. All-in-all, a very successful trip which everyone enjoyed. Thanks to Walt and Ruth, Karen, Jaqui, Emmy and Warwick for coming along. That GPS was certainly handy for recording distances and speeds, and even checking our location (you need a good map that shows the sandbanks accurately). I’ll be taking another trip in June this year, extending it to 3 days to have a look around Aotea Harbour as well, if anyone is interested. The house at Kawhia is usually available for club members who want to organize their own trip.

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Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere by Moi Just south of the Banks Peninsula and a pleasant 30 minute drive from Christchurch lies Lake Ellesmere, New Zealand’s largest coastal lake. The lake is only 5,000 years old which in geological terms means it’s something of a youngster. It isn’t your typical deep, blue New Zealand lake and in winter the snow covered Alps are too distant to be reflected in its salty, brackish waters. It does however have a character all its own as many anglers, duck shooters, picnickers and boaties will attest to. I reach the Lake on a sunny Saturday morning via the Selwyn River at Lower Selwyn huts; a quaint collection of old batches. With its bilge pump and paddle float, my Tui looks a trifle over dressed sitting on the concrete boat ramp with the water as flat as a pancake. Lake Elsmere’s Maori name is Te Waihora, which means “the spreading water,” and as I emerge from the mouth of the Selwyn and paddle into the Lake proper I realise how aptly named it is! The Lake is completely open to the wind, of which, fortunately for me there is none. There is not even a Zephyr of the stuff to ruffle the green waters. In the distance the slight haze makes the water merge with the sky. On my left I can see the volcanic hills of the Banks Peninsula where I live and on my right, in the distance I can make out the great Southern Alps. I paddle up to a duck hide where in duck season, fearless men in camouflage

Moi on Lake Elsmere

Lake and Port Hills

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attire blast away in an un-even contest with nature. A grey heron takes flight as I’m adjusting my sunnies. I head due south where, in the distance some 10 kms or so away, I can make out the Kaitorete Spit. I soon get into a rhythm. The swoosh of my paddle as it enters the still water and the slight lurch of the Kayak is cathartic and my mind wanders. After a while I feel myself really in ‘the zone’ and put on a burst of speed. Half way across I take a breather and a drink of water. The water gently lapping my kayak is murky as befits a shallow, catchment lake teaming with invertebrate life. It’s only two metres deep here in the middle. Over a century of wastewater run-off has altered the shallow lake’s ecology. The eel population has been devastated by over fishing and changes in vegetation. Eels and flounder are still caught by commercial fishermen but not in large numbers. It’s easy to underestimate the size of Lake Elsmere. Flashing past at speed in the car, it looks small but paddling it is something else! It is in fact, 181 square kms or18,000 hectares. A boat towing a water skier scythes by about 100 metres away and smiling, I slice through the chop they’ve created. It’s amazing to me that more water skiers are not taking advantage of these perfect conditions. I arrive at the spit and have a breather. The conditions are so calm that I pour a coffee from my flask (which I stowed by my seat) and drink it on the water, which is a first for me! The silence is deafening and I just rest for a bit, soaking it up. I drift towards some black swans who gracefully take flight.

The Wahine storm of 1968 decimated the black swan population which once numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Since the storm ripped out the weed beds which were their main source of food, the population never fully recovered. Ellesmere is well renowned in the bird watching fraternity, with 160 species having been recorded. Up to 98,000 wetland birds use the lake at any one time. Its prolific bird life earned the lake a National Water Conservation Order in 1990. Before turning to the West and Fisherman’s Point I pull my redundant spray skirt off the cowling, but soon put it back on as the unfamiliar sight of my open cockpit is somehow unsettling. At the end of Kaitorete Spit is an artificial cut which can be opened when the lake level gets too high. On the other side is the wide Pacific Ocean. I have a quick look, before turning north to follow the shore round. I paddle between two small islands at Timber Yard Point then find a tiny area of grass to get out and stretch my legs. After lunch I’m back into it, attempting to find the rhythm I had earlier. Maybe its middle age but that ‘in the zone’ feeling refuses to come. Not to worry. All there is to do is paddle. I parallel the western shore and notice the odd bach. For a lake this size on a sunny windless weekend, it seems amazingly under utilized and empty. The water skier has disappeared and it seems the birds and I have the place to ourselves. The day wears on. Some serious paddling and another coffee break later I approach the northern shore again and soon spot the mouth of the Selwyn. Back on the boat ramp, heaving myself out of the kayak I realise that I am completely dry. Another first! Back in the truck with everything packed and stowed, I Iook at my watch to discover that five hours have gone by and realise why I feel so tired. I’ll leave the Eastern end of the lake for another trip! I’d heard people describe Te Waihoru as “dead” or “dying” and while it would be unrealistic to think it could be restored to its former glory, the Department of Conservation, Environment Canterbury, and Ngai Tahu are determined to protect the lake and its surroundings from further degradation. The quality of the water flowing into the lake is gradually improving, thanks to ECan’s, Living Rivers progammes. DOC is in the process of purchasing properties around the lake edge, while along the eastern edge, the Rail Trail is slowly being developed. This will hopefully be enjoyed by trampers and cyclists in the future.

Duck Hide

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

The Contour 480

by Mike O’Donnell

A rifle will fit into the storage area of the Contour 480 but it will pay to store it in a waterproof bag (Unless it’s one of those fancy stainless steel plastic stock type). So why would you want to carry a rifle? Well you could take it to shoot goats or possums on your next river trip, or coastal trip on the Coromandel. Mind you, you should check it’s legal first.... Perhaps you’d better just take a fishing rod, because you can definitely fit that in, but then you probably need a permit. Oh well, if that’s a problem just settle for taking food and drink, lots of it! Fortunately the Contour 480 can take a lot of stuff, and still paddle well. The biggest problem is deciding where to draw the line - because even though you can get it in - you may regret the load in a head wind or skimming over river shallows. The Contour 480 was designed for touring and sea kayaking and so is a real work horse when it comes to loading up. The big oval hatches, with long internal lengths mean you can get in the rifles mentioned above, and if you want to carry even more baggage then there is loads more space to pack it under and around the seat. Just make sure it’s all tidy and secure. It’s good safety practice not to tangle your feet up in loose equipment in case you need to exit in a hurry. When you are packing the gear into the boat, it’s always sensible to put the heaviest things as close to the middle as possible. Stoves, rifles, tent poles, frozen food, food tins, water or wine, are all examples of dense cargo, these should be packed at the front of the rear storage area. By putting the heavy stuff near the kayak’s centre of gravity, you are keeping the ends light, so the kayak will rise to waves the way it is designed to rather than imitating a submarine. Did you know that Earthrace, the bio diesel powered super trimaran that is about to circumnavigate the globe, can actually pump water ballast into a nose compartment, so that it will submarine through the waves? It has a wave-piercing bow and is really a semi-submersible. Anyway you don’t want your Contour 480 to behave like that, so keep the weight in the middle as much as you can, using your common sense regarding securing everything. We are often asked, what’s the difference between the old Contour 450 and Contour 480? The answer is of course, 300mm! and then the question is “Well, that’s not much is, it?” It may only be 300 mm difference, but it makes a huge difference in speed, and no we haven’t quantified it,, but it’s noticeable, especially in the open sea. That extra bit of length gives a lot more speed and a bit more leverage allowing the bow to rise more responsively to the swells, and stopping you

digging in when running downhill. If you are a bigger paddler, the difference is even more pronounced. To make your Contour 480, or any other kayak for that matter, go even faster try minimizing your use of the rudder. First of all consider using the up haul and park it on the deck, except when you really need it, usually only when you have a wind from the side and especially from the side and behind you. Here you will find the rudder a big help in controlling your course. The rest of the time the Contour 480 is easy to control with basic paddle skills without the rudder. So why have it dragging in the water slowing you down? Secondly when you do have that rudder down, don’t ‘pedal’ it. The rudder pedal system is called ‘Tiptoes’ for a good reason. You are supposed to work the pedal with the tips of your toes to steer the kayak. Push on the solid part (Foot stops) with the ball of your foot, transmitting the drive from you the paddler to the boat though the Foot Stops. The temptation is to ‘work’ the pedal with your toes. So every time you pull back on the paddle the rotation of your body pushes a foot against the Foot Stop. If that push hits the steering flap instead, then the rudder will waggle from side to side, causing the kayak to turn from side to side, slowing the boat down big time. Although this loss of speed is not obvious to the paddler it often shows up with people struggling to keep up with the group or finding the going tough. But relax a little, the Contour 480 is fast enough even if your technique needs polishing, not to leave you at the back of the pack. So if you find yourself constantly working the pedals, adjust the tension on the lines

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

(loosen it a bit) so that you have a bit more clearance and practice pushing on the foot stops not the toe flaps. Happy and easy paddling, and watch how you pack that gear.

Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers N.Z. Inc. (KASK) KASK is a network of sea kayakers throughout New Zealand KASK publishes a 146 page sea kayaking handbook which is free 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.

Website: www.kask.co.nz

Annual subscription is $35.00.

Kask PO Box 23, Runanga 7854, West Coast

Directory: Things To Do

TAUPO Maori Carvings

Waikato River Discovery

Mohaka

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

2 hour guided kayak trip. Experience the magnificent upper reaches of the mighty Waikato River - soak in the geothermal hotsprings - take in the stunning environment... a perfect trip for all the family...

Need some excitement? Take a kayak down this wicked Grade II river run... this is a whole day of thrills and fantastic scenery down the Mohaka River.

$85 per person (bookings essential). Call freephone 0800 KAYAKN for details.

Whanganui River Trips Interested in a great adventure on this Magnificent River? Give us a call and we will give you a memory of a lifetime. Canoe & Kayak Taupo

Price: $40 adult $25 children Special group and family rates. Call freephone 0800 KAYAKN for details.

Price: $100 per person. Call freephone 0800 KAYAKN for details. Phone: Taupo 07 378 1003, Hawke’s Bay 06 842 1305

TAUPO Accommodation

Waitara River Tours

Mokau River

Sugar Loaf Island

Accommodation available to Yakity Yak club members and their families... Ideal for sport and school groups... Situated on the banks of the Waikato River our Kayakers Lodge accommodates up to 12 people, is fully furnished, with plenty of parking and a quiet location.

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 Rd Bridge where we will stop for a snack.

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

Allow 2 hours paddle only. Priced at $50. Phone: 06 769 5506

Two day trips $220.00 or one day $70.00. Phone 06 769 5506

From Ngamutu Beach harbour we head out to the open sea to Nga Motu/Sugar Loaf Island Marine Reserve. View the Taranaki scenic, rugged coastline as we draw closer to the Sugar Loaf Islands. Enjoy the seal colony and experience the thrill of close up views of these fascinating marine mammals.

$25 per person per night. Phone: 0800 529256 for details

Hawkes Bay Harbour Cruise

Okura River Tours

A guided kayak trip round the safe waters of the Inner Harbour, while learning about the history of the area. During this stunning trip around the beautiful Napier Inner Harbour of Ahuriri, we stop to share a glass of fresh orange juice, local fruits and cheese platter.

Exploring Karepiro Bay and the Okura Marine Reserve. Enjoy this scenic trip with abundant wildlife and a stop at Dacre Cottage, the historic 1860 settlers’ house, which is only accessible by boat or a long walk.

Taupo - Open for the summer and by appointment. Long Bay, Auckland - by appointment only. Have some paddling fun on the beach or let us run a Tour for you and your friends and explore these beautiful areas.

All this for $40 per person. Phone 06 842 1305

Okura River Kayak Hire Company Phone: 09 473 0036

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 KAYAKNZ for details

Price on application.

0800 529256

Allow 3 hours subject to weather. $50.00 per person. Phone 06 769 5506

Kayak Hire New Zealand Kayaking Instructors Award Scheme Become a kayaking Instructor and Guide. Get into gear and get qualified! It’s fun and easy to do.

Don’t delay phone 0508 5292569 now

Paddle to the Pub

Twilight Tours

Customized Tours

Join the Yakity Yak Club

Kayaking to a local pub is a unique way of spending an evening, bringing your group of friends together by completing a fun activity before dinner and making a memorable experience. These trips are available to Riverhead, Browns Bay and Devonport Pubs. COST: $59.00 each • GROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!

Departs from one of The East Coast Bays beautiful beaches. Enjoy the scenic trip with the sun setting over the cliff tops as you paddle along the coast line. COST: $49.00 • Group discounts available!

• Work Functions • Schools • Clubs • Tourist groups

Want to have fun, meet new people, have challenging and enjoyable trips, and learn new skills? PLUS get a regular email newsletter and this magazine! Also, get a discount on kayaking courses and purchases from Canoe & Kayak stores. Then, join us!

Okura River Kayak Hire Company Phone: 09 473 0036

Okura River Kayak Hire Company Phone: 09 473 0036 Mobile: 025 529 255

Whether it’s an afternoon amble, a full days frolic or a wicked weekend adventure we can take you there. If there’s somewhere you’d like to paddle we can provide you with experienced guides, local knowledge, safe up to date equipment and a lot of fun.

Contact your local store on 0508 KAYAKNZ

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 KAYAKNZ to find out more

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Learn To Kayak PHONE 0508 529 2569 TO BOOK Stage 2

Stage 1

INTRO TO WHITE WATER

SKILLS COURSE

ESKIMO ROLLING

A comprehensive course designed to cover the skills required to become a technically correct and safe paddler. The course progresses so you develop techniques and confidence at an enjoyable pace with great end results. This course is run over a weekend or by request in the evenings.

This course covers the skills required to become a technically correct Eskimo Roller. You increase your confidence, allowing you to paddle in more challenging conditions. Being able to eskimo roll will make you a more competent, safe and capable paddler.

A comprehensive course designed to cover the skills required to become a technically correct paddler. Starting off in a heated pool and progressing through flat water to moving water, it allows you to develop techniques and confidence at an enjoyable pace with great end results.

Course: 4 evening sessions COST $200

Course: Weekend COST $349

COST $295

Stage 3

Stage 2

Stage 4

ESKIMO ROLLING This course covers the skills required to become a technically correct Eskimo Roller. This will increase your confidence, allowing you to paddle in more challenging conditions.

Course: 4 evening sessions COST $200

Stage 3

Stage 4

MULTISPORT On this course we continue to build on the skills gained on Stage One and Two Courses. Developing your skills, technique and confidence on the faster moving white water of the Waikato River and progressing on to a Sunday day trip on the Mohaka River. Includes, eddie turns, ferry gliding, rolling, surfing and building new skills in River Rescue techniques and River Reading.

During this course we build on the skills gained on the Stage One to Three Courses. Developing your moving water skills, technique and confidence in your Multi Sport Kayak. We start on the Mohaka River on Saturday and progress to the Whanganui on Sunday for some big water paddling. River racing competency letters are awarded to those who meet the standard and criteria as outlined on the Grade Two Competency Certificate. A copy is available from Canoe & Kayak Centres.

Course: Weekend • COST $349

RIVER SKILLS WEATHER & NAVIGATION

OCEANS COURSE

Understanding the weather and ability to navigate in adverse conditions is vital when venturing into the outdoors. Learn to use charts and compasses and forecast the weather using maps and the clouds.

An advanced course designed to build on your skills. Covering paddling technique, kayak control, rescues, preparation, planning and decision making.

Course: 4 evening sessions COST $150

Course: Weekend/overnight. COST $350

Stage 6

Stage 5

Stage 5 KAYAKING SURF COURSE Surfing is heaps of fun when you know how. We will spend the evenings starting off in small surf and building up to one and a half metre waves. We will use a range of sit-on-tops and kayaks to make it fun and easy to learn. Skills to be taught include surfing protocol, paddling out, direction control, tricks and safety

RESCUE COURSE

Course: 4 evening sessions COST $349

Programme One Evening Cost $60

You need rescue skills to look after yourself and your paddling buddies in adverse conditions. This course covers towing systems, capsized kayaks, T Rescues, paddle floats, stern deck carries, re-enter and roll.

New Thule Products The Ski season is here! Your local Kayak retailer can assist with Ski Racks from Thule!

THULE ATLANTIS ROOF BOX RANGE Generous loading space and a series of smart functions in a new exciting design. This is a roof box with bold lines and a slender silhouette, yet very generous loading space. The lowered front and rear, the base and the spoiler on the lid are all designed for good aerodynamic properties. The new, patented Power-Grip mounting system makes mounting the box easier than ever before. Dual-Side, Dual-Force and central locking are other user-friendly features. You can choose between four different sizes, all available in the elegant silver glossy colour. From $999.00 retail. Available from Thule Roof Rack Centres nationwide.

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ADVANCED WHITEWATER

RIVER RESCUE

This course is designed to sharpen your whitewater skills and start learning simple rodeo moves. We will focus on skills such as river reading, body position and rotation, advanced paddle technique, playing in holes and negotiating higher Grade 3 rapids. We recommend you are feeling comfortable on Grade 2+ rapids. Ideally you should already be paddling the mid section of Rangitaiki or equivalent.

This course is designed to cover likely scenarios on white water rivers. The course is suitable for paddlers who feel comfortable on Grade One to Two rivers. The areas covered are rope skills, muscle techniques, team control, heads up, risk management and combat swimming. Also covering skills required in the following situations: entrapments, kayak wraps, swimming kayakers and their equipment.

Course: Weekend • COST $349

Course: Weekend • COST P.O.A.

THULE DELUXE SKI CARRIERS Everything about this ski carrier is “de luxe”. This ski carrier is perfect for anyone who wants the very best. An elegant, aerodynamically designed, aluminium ski carrier, with smart details such as that it can be adjusted in height to avoid the bindings touching the car roof. The Thule Deluxe comes in three sizes carrying three to six pairs of skis or two to four snowboards. From $199.95 RRP, Available from Thule Roof Rack Centres nationwide.

THULE SNOWLINER SKI CARRIERS A price worthy, quickly mounted and reliable ski carrier. A functional, flexible ski carrier that is just as easy to mount on the car as it is to load. Two sizes holds four to six pairs of skis or two to four snowboards. From $139.95 RRP, Available from Thule Roof Rack Centres nationwide.

NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers Guide

SQUIRT SHEARWATER A comfortable performance orientated sea kayak which will suit all sizes of paddlers with plenty of foot room for the bigger ones. Handles well in rough conditions, a fun boat to paddle.

A Sit-on-Top for the family. Able to seat an adult and a small child. It is easy to paddle and is very stable. Easily carried by one adult or two kids.

Prices start at $2300

Prices start at $504

Length: 4.80 m, Weight: 26.5 kg std, 23kg lite, Width: 610 mm

Length: 2.7m, Weight: 15 kg, Width: 780 mm

ACADIA 280 A light easy to use family kayak. Enjoyable paddling for the whole family in sheltered waters.

Prices start at $885 Length: 2.8 m , Weight: 17 kg, Width: 680 mm

ESCAPADE Great general purpose kayak for fishing, diving and having fun in the sun.

Prices start at $950 Length: 3.46 m, Weight: 27 kg, Width: 750 mm

THE EXPLORER THE PLAY is great for the paddler who wants a fun fast surf and flat water kayak. Kids love this Sit-on as it is not too wide for them to paddle and yet very stable.

is ideal for fishing, surfing and exploring and one of the driest ‘Sit-ons’ you will find. Great hatches for storing your goodies

Prices start at $895

Prices start at $649 Length: 3.10 m, Weight: 17.27 kg, Width: 710 mm

Length: 3.43 m, Weight: 18.18 kg, Width: 790 mm

The price advertised is for the kayak only, it does not necessarily include any of the accessories or hatches shown in the photos.

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers Guide

FISH N’ DIVE THE TANDEM

The ultimate fishing/diving kayak. A large well is located in the stern and holds up to three tanks. There is one centrally located seat and a smaller companion seat near the bow. It can also be fitted with an optional motor bracket for an electric trolling or small outboard engine.

‘two person’ is ideal for fishing, surfing and exploring. It has great hatches for storing your adventure equipment. Now available with three person option. It is often used by one person.

Prices start at $995

Prices start at $1095

Length: 3.81 m, Weight: 25.85 kg, Width: 914 mm (hatches & accessories not included)

Length: 3.81 m, Weight: 25.90 kg, Width: 915 mm

SWING 400 PLUS Fishing, cruising, well appointed with gear storage inside. Also includes an optional extra pod that detaches, which is great for carrying your fishing gear to your favourite spot. The pod can also be used as a seat.

ESCAPEE Probably the closest you will come to finding one kayak that does it all. Surfing, fishing, snorkelling.

Prices start at $1199

Prices start at $790

Length: 4.01 m, Weight: 25 kg, Width: 780 mm

Length: 3.3 m, Weight: 23 kg , Width: 750 mm

SEQUEL

PENGUIN

Fast, light, touring kayak suits beginners through to advanced paddlers. The hull design allows for great handling in rough water. Well appointed and ideally suitable for multisport training.

Has all the features for multi-day kayaking with ease of handling in all weather conditions. With great manoeuvrability this kayak is suitable for paddlers from beginner to advanced.

Prices start at $2295

Prices start at $2250

Length: 4.93 m , Weight: 26kg, Width: 580 mm

Length: 4.8 m, Weight: 25 kg, Width: 610 mm

The price advertised is for the kayak only, it does not necessarily include any of the accessories or hatches shown in the photos.

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers Guide

TASMAN EXPRESS ECOBEZHIG 540 An enjoyable sea kayak, fast and nimble with huge storage, great features and the most comfortable seat your butt will ever meet.

Responds to rough conditions. Its low profile and flared bow enable it to perform well in adverse conditions. It is designed to give the paddler maximum comfort, with adjustable footrests, backrest, side seat supports and optional thigh brace.

Prices start at $2549 Prices start at $2780 Length: 5.4 m, Weight: Std 26 kg, Width: 590 mm

Length: 5.3 m, Std. Weight: 29 kg, Lightweight: 27 kg, Width: 610 mm

FLOW

CONTOUR 480 Is a roomy, manoeuvrable, easy to handle boat. A channelled hull provides outstanding tracking which helps keep you on course. Its upswept, flared bow makes crossing rough water a breeze.

Prices start at $2265 Length: 4.8m, Weight: 27 kg, Width: 620 mm

Stable and easy to paddle and it handles surf with ease. Simple to use for the beginner, yet exciting for the more experienced paddler. The flow handles the heavier paddler well. We tested it with 115kg. It was stable and comfortable to paddle and the little ones enjoyed it to. This is an excellent family kayak that will get you and the kids out on the water exploring, fishing, surfing and anything else you can imagine to do on a kayak.

Prices start at $772 Length: 2.95m, Weight: 19kg, Width: 750 mm

ACADIA 370 TUI EXCEL A versatile touring kayak for lake, river and sea. Stability, speed and easy tracking make for an enjoyable day’s paddling. A larger cockpit allows for easier entry and exit.

Flat water cruising, well appointed, a nifty adjustable backrest, an access hatch in the back which is great for carrying your extra gear.

Prices start at $1328

Prices start at $1770 Length: 4.4 m, Weight: Std 22kg, Width: 610 mm

Length: 3.7 m, Weight: 20 kg, Width: 7675 mm

The price advertised is for the kayak only, it does not necessarily include any of the accessories or hatches shown in the photos.

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers Guide KAYAKS

SPECIFICATION Weight: Width: Length: Price (Kev):

12 kg 455mm 5.9m $3220

FIREBOLT This new, very user friendly kayak with its excellent combination of speed and stability supercedes our very popular Opus. It is suitable not only for the intermediate / advanced paddler, but also for the busy, but keen ‘Weekend Warrior’. Weight: Width: Length: Price (Fg): Kev:

KAYAKS

12 kg 480mm 5.4 m $2710 $2940

SPECIFICATION Weight: Width: Length: Price (Fg): Kev:

14.5 kg 540 mm 4.94m $2460 $2740

INTRIGUE This kayak is ideal for the beginner/entry level kayaker who is looking for a quick, light kayak with great stability. Very suitable for first time Coast to Coasters. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

19.09 kg 585 mm 5.03 m $1495

THE ELIMINATOR is a fast stable racing and training ‘Sit -on’. It has an adjustable dry seat and a cool draining system. Ideal for the paddler wanting a good fitness work out.

SWALLOW The next step up from the entry level kayaks. Fast with good stability. Medium skill ability is required to enjoy racing this kayak. A very popular Coast to Coast kayak. Weight: 16.5 kg to 19 kg depending on construction Width: 510 mm Length: 6.43 m Price: $2980 - $3330 depending on construction

Weight: 21 kg Width: 510 mm Length: 5.29 m Price: $1595 Includes rudder foot plate and pedals as standard.

SURF SKI An excellent training and competition surf ski, can be used with under-slung rudder or rear mounted rudder. Weight: 22 kg Width: 550mm Length: 5.15 m Price: $1495 Includes multisport rudder and Ozo foot pedals and foam pillars fitted as standard.

MAXIMUS Fast ocean going Racing Sea Kayak. The broad bow allows this kayak to ride over waves like a surf ski without losing any speed and is easy to control while surfing. A low profile reduces buffeting by the wind in adverse conditions. Weight:

26 kg Glass 24kg Kevlar Width: 550 mm Length: 7m Price (Fg): $5260 Kev: $5760 depending on construction

VIPER This boat is designed as an entry level alternative to expensive composite crafts, has good stability and speed. Colours: Stone grey, Mango, White granite, Lime, Yellow. Weight: 22 kg Width: 590mm Length: 5m Price (Fg): From $3310 (Freight charges may apply)

ADVENTURE DUET This lightweight, very fast and recently updated Adventure Racing double kayak continues to dominate adventure racing in NZ and is very suitable as a recreational double. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

23kg kevlar carbon 600 mm 5.6 m From $4110

CHALLENGE 5 Slightly larger volume than the Sequel and lighter at 22kg. A fast and stable touring sea kayak well appointed and featuring a great rudder/steering system. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

TORRES A fast and stable sea kayak capable of handling extreme expeditions. Huge storage and lots of leg room. Weight: Weight: Width: Width: Length: Length: Price: Price:

2622.68 kg kg Kevlar/Carbon 711mm 550mm 4.55 m 7mFrom $1195 $4995 Glass $5495 TOURER The low profile hull of the Cobra Tourer cuts down on windage, Kevlar/Carbon

ECO NIIZH 565 XLT This upgraded model is proving a hit with its new lighter weight and some excellent features. We now have a plastic double sea kayak that is great to use for all those amazing expeditions and adventures.

enabling paddlers to maintain high speed and straight tracking with easy handling in all conditions.

The price advertised is for the kayak only, it does not necessarily include any of the accessories or hatches shown in the photos.

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

45 kg 760mm 5.64 m From $3599

NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers Guide KAYAKS

SPECIFICATION Weight: Width: Length: Price (Kev):

SPECIFICATION

11kg 450mm 5.65m $3150

REBEL This new fast funky Ruahine Kayak is designed for paddlers of both genders up to 75kgs. At 5.65 metres long, the Rebel is half way between the length of the Swallow and the Opus or Firebolt and is faster than them all. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

KAYAKS

Weight: Width: Length: Price:

16.5 kg 500mm 6.4 m $3700 kevlar $3200 fibreglass

OCEAN X This Racing Sea Kayak was designed specifically for the ‘Length of New Zealand Race’ and built around the safety criteria drawn up for that race. The Ocean X is also very suitable for kayak racing in the many harbours, estuaries and lakes of New Zealand and lends itself well to the kayak sections of many multisport races.

34 kg 280mm 4.5 m From $1790

Weight: Width: Length: Price:

35kg 800mm 4.87 m From $2833

WANDERER EXCEL A stable fun kayak which is easy to handle. This is CONTOUR 490 This double Sea Kayak is an ideal day tourer with the

an enjoyable kayak for all the family. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

22 kg 610mm 5.3 m From $3979

easy ability to do those weekend camping expeditions. It handles well, is fun to paddle and has well appointed accessories. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

21 kg 770mm 2.5 m From $630

TASMAN EXPRESS KEVLAR As per the plastic model, the kevlar Tasman Express responds to rough conditions but its decreased weight, and increased stiffness, gives even better performance.

WHIZZ A great multi-purpose family boat for big kids and small kids alike. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

32 kg 830mm 4.2 m From $1180

DELTA DOUBLE Fun for the whole family at the beach or lake.

Weight: Width: Length: Price:

34 kg 830mm 4.7 m From $1472

ACADIA 470 A great fun family boat with plenty of freeboard allowing for a heavy load. Excellent for sheltered water exploring. Paddles quickly and has excellent stability. Dry storage compartment.

Plenty of room and great stability. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

Lots of fun this summer at the beach. (Hot surfer!)

22.7 kg 810mm 3.12 m From $968

Weight: Width: Length: Price:

34 kg 840mm 4.75 m From $1647

TORENT FREEDOM Great for the surf and the river with awesome manoeuvrability. Excellent finish.

SWING 470 PLUS A fantastic two person cruising kayak which is stable and fast. It has plenty of storage and great features to make your adventures fun. Weight: Width: Length: Price:

16kg 685mm 2.92 m From $999

COBRA STRIKE A Wave Ski which the whole family can enjoy. Fantastic in the surf, it‘s a fast and manoeuvrable sit-on-top.

Weight: Width: Length: Price:

26 kg 640mm 4.5 m From $2059

CONTOUR 450 This kayak is designed for day tripping and light overnight expeditions. It’s great fun to paddle and handles easily.

The price advertised is for the kayak only, it does not necessarily include any of the accessories or hatches shown in the photos.

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

From the USA - Seattle Sports Paddling Accessories

Dry Bag Technology moves forward

Basic Trolley If you could not afford a trolley before, you can now. Clear anodised aluminium frame Stainless steal needle bearing and hardware Pneumatic wheels Simple design

Folding Camp Sink Why carry a cumbersome plastic bowl

Super Latitude Dry Bags

3.5 gallon capacity folds flat for easy storage Top stiffeners Rugged vinyl Construction, RF welded seams and webbed carrying handles.

Opens along the length of the bag - no more losing things in the bottom of the bag Hands-free autopurge valve automatically purges the air as the bag is compressed or stuffed into tight spaces Light weight urethane coated diamond rip-stop allows these bags to slide easily into kayak hatches. A full width window makes it easy to see your gear. THESE ARE THE BEST Available in 10, 21 & 51 Litre Sizes

Showing the way forward in strength and ease of use

Paddle Float Two chamber float for added safety A 2nd chamber for use when you need extra buoyancy or if one chamber is accidentally punctured Clip on safety tether to eliminate loss in windy conditions

Solar Shower

Latitude Dry Bags

No more cold showers at the end of a day’s paddling

Length opening dry bags at a competitive price Opens along the length of the bag - no more losing things at the bottom of the bag Polyester body and heavy-duty vinyl ends. WHY PUT UP WITH A TOP OPENING DRY BAG? Sizes available in 10, 21 & 51 Litre

The 5-gallon capacity for 8 minute shower Constructed of durable PVC Separate fill cap, on/off valve and a hanging/carrying handle.

Foam Paddle Float No need to worry about blowing up your paddle float - use immediately Unidirectional trapezoidal shaped foam block enhances Reflective webbing trim and metallic chrome stability front panel Large pocket for paddle blade Wide adjustable leash to secure the paddle shaft.

Bilge Pump Solid, simple & effective pump 8 gallon per minute Easy-grab handle Super-strong pump shaft and heavy-duty impact resistant plastic.

Paddle Leash Unique quick release paddle leash

Deck Bag

Streamlined, low-profile retractile cord 8' expansion Heavy-duty snaphook Internal Kevlar cord filament

A place to put your nibbles, camera, and extra clothing providing easy access while on the move Entire bag is RF welded to keep water out. Splash proof HydroKissTM zipper is sealed in with no holes for water to find. Internal plastic stiffener to keep the bag in shape A universal anchoring system

Available at all good Kayak stores

email: greatstuff@woosh.co.nz

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

H2Zero Dry Bags

Tough traditional design

The price leader

Frequency welded seams A three roll closure system Tough, waterproof, abrasion resistant fabric Sizes available in 10, 21 & 41 Litre

Heavy weight clear plastic Frequency welded seams A three roll closure system Tough, waterproof, abrasion resistant base fabric Sizes available in 10, 21 & 41 Litre

Grand Adventure When size matters Tough, waterproof, abrasion resistant fabric Shoulder strap & grab handle Carry all your gear in one bag Keep your car dry by keeping all your wet gear in one bag Size 99 Litre

Available at all good Kayak stores

email: greatstuff@woosh.co.nz

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

DISCOVER ANOTHER WORLD ST LUKES RD

OAD

NORTH

R VON

LAKE TERRACE

Arenel Ltd T/A Canoe & Kayak Auckland

Rees and Partners Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak Taupo

Peter & Bronnie van Lith Trading as Canoe and Kayak Taranaki

NORTH SHORE

SILVERDALE

MANUKAU

7/28 Anvil Road, Silverdale Please phone for opening hours Telephone: 09 421 0662

Flood Howarth & Partners Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak North Shore

Canoe & Kayak Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak Distribution

WAIKATO

WELLINGTON

KILLARNEY ROAD

STA TE

DUKE STREET

HIK

ATEA D RIVE

The Corner Greenwood St & Duke St, State Highway 1 bypass Hamilton Telephone: 07 847 5565

N TEN CEN

H IAL

NG NGAURA

Jenanne Investment Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak Bay of Plenty

JOIN THE

Easy finance available.

PHONE YOUR NEAREST CANOE & KAYAK CENTRE

Conditions and booking fee apply

www.canoeandkayak.co.nz 52

ISSUE THIRTYsix • 2006

KFC

J. K. Marine Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak Manukau

2 Centennial Highway, Ngauranga, Wellington Telephone: 04 477 6911

LIQUORLAND

MAUNGANUI ROAD

3/5 Mac Donald Street Mount Maunganui (off Hewletts Rd) Telephone: 07 574 7415

G E RD

WA Y GH

MACDONALD STREET

710 Great South Road, Manukau Telephone: 09 262 0209

L V MARTIN NORTH

KAHIKATEA DRIVE

NORTH

WIRI STATION ROAD

TO TAURANGA BRIDGE

NORTH

GREENWOOD ST SH1 BYPASS

DUKE STREET

CSJ Limited Trading as Canoe and Kayak Hawke’s Bay

BAY OF PLENTY

RN VE AL M

HW HIG AY 1

Unit 2/20 Constellation Drive, (Off Ascension Drive), Mairangi Bay, Auckland - Telephone: 09 479 1002

BRONCOS

SOUTHERN MOTORAWAY

VIL AN

NORTH

FIRST DRIVEWAY

GREAT SOUTH RD

OA D TR

ROAD TAVERN FOU NDR Y

CO AS

CONSTELLATION DRIVE

15 Niven Street Onekawa, Napier Telephone: 06 842 1305

TOYOYA

WAY RTH HIGH MAIN NO

UPPER HIGHWAY (16)

NORTH

ASCENSION PL

Unit 6, 631 Devon Road Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth Telephone: 06 769 5506

NORTHERN MOTORWAY

502 Sandringham Rd Telephone: 09 815 2073

38 Nukuhau Street, Taupo Telephone: 07 378 1003

NORTH

NIVEN STREET

HEWLETTS ROAD

SANDRINGHAM ROAD

ROAD DOMINION

TAUPO

ST ARIRO TONG

NORTH

HAWKE’S BAY

RIVER WAIWHAKAIHO

TARADALE ROAD

CITY

A SP

AD RO

SMART ROAD

U HA

S.H

SOUTH

BALMORAL ROAD

TARANAKI

AUCKLAND