KAYAKING
WATERLINE 21
Two more kayakers heading south While Tauranga kayaker Tim Taylor is heading north on his epic kayak round New Zealand, two more kayakers are heading south.
Jamie Sharp and Canadian Dave Briggs paddled through Tauranga recently on their voyage south. A ‘big trip’ has been a long time dream of Jamie’s and one he’s come back to New Zealand for. The last eight years he’s been an adventure kayak guide working in Canada, Norway, Belize and other countries. “I always wanted to do a ‘big trip’,” says Jamie. “I thought I would come back after seven years overseas and catch up with family, do the big trip and see the country at the same time.” Dave put his hand up when Jamie was discussing his plans. He also discussed the big trip with Tim Taylor, but they have different goals. Tim’s goal is to kayak round New Zealand in a single voyage. Jamie’s big trip is less goal oriented. The aim is to reach South West Cape and the bottom end of Stewart Island, but he’s also recording the trip as he goes, and meeting people along the way. “We are making a documentary and car-
rying a lot more camera gear,” says Jamie. “We are taking photos, and regularly updating the blog.” Kayakdownundernz.blogspot.com “The point of the journey is the people we meet, the connections,” says Dave. “But at the same time the sponsors of the boats want us to achieve the goal, but at the same time we don’t want to push it too much.” Jamie started paddling from the top end of 90 Mile Beach on February 6, kayaking round North Cape and heading down the North Island east coast. He was joined by Dave in Auckland. They started a month later than planned because some of the gear didn’t show up,
BATTERY WAREHOUSE
then there were unexpected family commitments, and Dave was still in Belize. “What we are doing is not really a first, it is more about he journey, the country and the people,” says Jamie. There will be 6 legs to the trip. 1- Northern end of 90 Mile Beach to Auckland 2- Auckland to Napier 3- Napier to Wellington 4- Wellington to Christchurch 5- Christchurch to Dunedin 6- Dunedin around southern tip (possible circumnavigation) of Stewart Island to Halfmoon Bay.