Issue 67 by Canoe & Kayak

Issue 67

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Contents Multisport

Argentina, China, France, The Mediterranean and New Zealand, Nathan Fa’avae shares his experiences.

Sea Kayaking

Fishing from your kayak - A well laid out kayak makes things much easier to manage and enjoy on the water.

Technical

Paddling with a touch of class.

Photography tips – Perspective - More tips on

Marlborough Sounds - Wellington Yakity Yakers

What do you need to know to be safe on the water this summer?

The 2013 KASK Sea Kayak Forum.

18 24 30 31 46 4

Adventure Race Paddling - Racing in

Fishing

Josh Sullivan shows that there’s no need to rough it when paddling Dusky Sound.

spend six days paddling over Labour Weekend.

- Less than 2.5 hours from Auckland, the KASK Forum will be a great event.

The Kiwi Quest - Paddling Paterson Part Two.

- Ruth E. Henderson & her pals continue their journey.

Sea kayak trips from Christchurch:

- A few ideas for paddling in Christchurch.

Trip Card - Pautahanui Inlet. Trip Card - Abel Tasman - Marahau Return.

White Water Kayaking

Lost in Upper Cherry - Josh Neilson learns

5 23 32 33 38 41 42 44

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

- Don’t become a statistic this summer.

Tying a Truckers Hitch.

Regulars Editorial. Canoe & Kayak are now in Christchurch! Health - Take Me to the River… Quick Crossword. First Aid - Burns - Summer is here and it’s

burn season.

Quick Crossword Solution. What’s new in-store. Kayak listing. - Over 90 kayaks listed.

some valuable lessons.

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Editorial

Issue 67

Breaking news! Whether you are a novice or an expert the NZ Kayak Magazine’s web site www.kayaknz.co.nz is now at your service. Through it and the new canoeandkayak.co.nz and yakityyak.co.nz you are sure to find what you need to know. Have a play with the search function and it will search all three sites from equipment to trips. In the last month the 2013 Canoe & Kayak Catalogue has been published. But a caution, open it and you’ll start dreaming! Kayaking is an inexpensive pursuit but there are ‘I must have’ things. The catalogue is available on line, or call your Canoe & Kayak Centre and we’ll pop one in the mail to you. In this issue you’ll find a few new regular column writers: Dr Theresa Dobson writes on the importance of looking after your body. After nearly 50 years, mine hints that I am not twenty anymore! Johanna Verheijen from First Training Ltd will be writing on first aid along with a question/answer section. Jason Walker will be writing on his passion, fishing. He will keep us all up to date on how to catch your dinner. I have been dreaming of the summer and the prospect of adventures ahead. Warm days and clear water, yahoo! But I need to get myself organised. It could be a coastal cruise from home to Tauranga or a week on the central North Island Rivers this summer (many young ones want me to do this). A trip to Northland is always stunning. So by the end of November the plan will be made, the dates confirmed. Then before I know it those dates will be here and the adventuring will start. When winter rolls

up I’ll have heaps of memories to cheer me through colder paddling trips and office bound winter jobs. I know that as a busy person if I fail to get the dates booked there’ll be no family adventure. Especially if you are busy, make the call, book the dates and let the fun begin. Heaps of exciting adventures are revealed in the Yakity Yak Kayak Club website, in this magazine and the www.kayaknz.co.nz website. It’s easy to start planning here! Cheers and a happy Christmas and New Year. Peter Townend

Copyright: The opinions expressed by contributors and the information stated in advertisements/articles are not necessarily agreed to by the editors or publisher of New Zealand Kayak Magazine. Pricing: At the time of printing the prices in this magazine were accurate. However they may change at any time. EDITOR: Peter Townend Ph: 0274 529 255 / (09) 476 7066 Email: pete@canoeandkayak.co.nz PUBLISHER: New Zealand Kayak Magazine is published five times per year by Canoe & Kayak Ltd. PRINTING: MHP Print DISTRIBUTION: MagMag SUBSCRIPTIONS: (see page 41) New Zealand – 6 Issues = $40 Overseas – 6 Issues = $60

CONTRIBUTORS: We welcome contributors’ articles and photos. Refer to www.canoeandkayak.co.nz/guide New Zealand Kayak Magazine ‘Contributors Guidelines’ for more details. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO: James Fitness Email: james@canoeandkayak.co.nz New Zealand Kayak Magazine Front Cover: Upper Cherry - California Photo by: Josh Neilson Contents page: Paddling Dusky Sound. Photo by: Josh Sullivan

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

Adventure Race Paddling By Nathan Faâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;avae

Patagonian Lakes in Argentina, the Yellow River and Hydro Dams in China, steep white water descents in France, the hot Mediterranean Sea, Milford Sound in early morning dark, Lake Wakatipu at night into the glowing lights of Queenstown – these are some of the paddling experiences from my 2012 Adventure Racing season with Team Seagate, NZ Adventure Racing team. (Sophie Hart, Chris Forne, Trevor Voyce). Kayaking is one of the three core disciplines in adventure racing, joining hiking and mountain biking. The paddling within an adventure race is dynamic and always presents new challenges. For starters, navigation is required so waterproof maps and a deck compass are needed to make sure checkpoints are reached. The paddling sections are more often than not, ‘dark zones’, which means during the darkness hours, progress on the water is forbidden forcing teams to camp out, either comfortably or miserably, often a result of how much gear a team

is prepared to carry. These dark zones can be very strategic and can have a big outcome on the racing. In the 2002 Southern Traverse our team were forced to stop for nine hours on the Wairau River bank in Marlborough, right beside the road. With only 10 km to paddle the next morning and a big lead already, the race win was ours but we needed to wait until daylight to complete the paddle. We’d just got off the river wondering what we’d do when a passing car spotted us and stopped, it turned out it was a cycling mate of mine who lived locally. He asked if we needed anything. An hour later, we were sitting around a fire, on mattresses, with blankets, drinks and scoffing hot fish and chips. For me the biggest challenge with the paddling in the sport is we nearly always get different boats to paddle. Here at home we all have our favoured craft and equipment, the stuff we like and are used to. However, racing around the world we have to adapt to different craft for every race and sometimes paddles too. Most of the time they are doubles either inflatable or plastic. Some have rudders, some don’t. Some are okay, some aren’t, I’ve never yet raced in a boat I’ve decided to buy. In the 23 years adventure racing has been going, Kiwi teams have built a legacy on being exceptional boaters, with only South African and Australian teams ever threatening to topple that title. There have been a great number of international events won by New Zealand teams who have forged leads with paddle in hand. From my observation, it’s the Kiwis ability to quickly learn the behaviour and performance of the different vessels supplied. Every race I see ultra fit and conditioned paddlers not being able to utilise their power because the skill needed to steer and manoeuvre the boat is lacking, resulting in more energy going into basic steering and minimal energy going into forward gain.

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

Grade Two certification and brush up courses run through out the year. Contact your nearest Canoe & Kayak Centre for details.

Will you be there? 8

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In August 2012 our team raced the Ordos Adventure Challenge held in Inner Mongolia, China. They had brand new plastic double sea kayaks for the event but they had not been assembled correctly. Some teams managed to get them sorted before the race started, some didn’t. The other issue was the steerage system for the rudders was designed to fit the average Asian, meaning anyone taller than five foot could not get enough rudder adjustment to steer. For many teams this meant the taller paddlers had to go in the front, often leaving the less experienced partner in the back to steer without being able to see clearly. It’d be fair to say it created some drama within teams and on the water. It was a great surprise for many teams to see me (six foot +), steering the boat. I’d found a way of reversing the steering pedals allowing tall people to steer, but I’d kept that classified, subsequently, our team posted the fastest paddle time. With all the rudder issues, the Race Organisers decided for the next paddle stage the rudders would be banned. They took the rudders out and put them in the rear hatch, cables still attached. On the final paddle stage because the rear hatch was not sealed properly due to the cables and rudder being stuffed in, over time waves filled the rear compartment with water, taking on at least 50 litres. For the final 3 km of the race, it was the hardest I have ever had to work to keep a boat going straight and I’m sure Sophie who was in the front was starting to think she’d paired up with a muppet. I have been asked often how come the New Zealand teams are always so strong in the kayaks. The obvious answer is that most of the top adventure racers have all raced a number of Speight’s Coast to Coasts, so they know how to paddle a long thin kayak 67 km down a Grade Two river for over three hours, after a few bikes rides and a mountain run. The skills required to do this demand a huge amount of time invested in mastering paddling. That’s the easy answer. If I were to delve a bit further, the athletes with a white water kayaking background raise the bar another level. They have an additional range of paddle strokes specific for a rudderless kayak that can give a handy advantage. In the 2005 Adventure Racing World Champs in NZ, our team was paddling to victory when a rudder was snapped off a racing double in the Inangahua River, making it really difficult to steer. Trying to beat a dark zone it was decided I should have a try in it. Although it wasn’t easy, some basic white water strokes were enough to keep going forward and we made it off the river in time. The point I’m making is that to be a complete paddler in an adventure race, you really need to have a wide range of skills and experience: playing in river boats, racing boats and sea experience, which will all merge together to form the experience required. Within one race, teams can find themselves in action pumping white water, in ocean swells and on lakes, in sheltered and exposed water, in daylight or at night, in tropical heat or chilling cold. As a passionate paddler, I’m most excited about the water stages of any adventure race and that’s part of the reason I keep going back for more. Keep on paddling NZ!

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Paddling with a touch of class By Josh Sullivan

Over the years I’ve been lucky to be able to explore ‘a few areas’ that make up the 1.2 million hectares of Fiordland National Park. Probing over the map I ticked off places already explored while noting the areas I still needed to discover - one of these was Dusky Sound. With over three hundred islands and untold epic adventures to be had there, it has been high on my kayaking list of places to go. My mind buzzed with thoughts of long paddles exploring the labyrinth of the many islands that lay within the interior of this Fiord and retracing some of Captain Cook’s footsteps. Dreaming up an adventure is easy - many people can do that - but turning it into something achievable is a very different story. Celebrating my recent 30th birthday

was good motivation to work on turning this dream into reality. After a few chats with fellow sea kayakers I began planning. Weighing up the options I realized that hiring a boat and skipper would be the best way into Dusky Sound, and it would allow best use of time in such a large place. I negotiated with Fiordland Expeditions to hire their boat, Tutuko I, and crew for a week. Like many of my trips I picked winter when large anti-cyclones lie lazily over the west coast. They provide ideal paddling conditions - mirror calm days, often with beautiful reflections. All it then required was to convince friends to join this mission - and of course to help cover the boat’s expenses. Before long nine keen people were arranging time off

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven â&#x20AC;˘ Christmas 2012

work and paying in advance to secure the booking. We spent the next few months brushing up rescue techniques, building kayak fitness and generally getting more excited as days passed. It wasn’t long before we were standing on the shores of Lake Manapouri’s Pearl Harbour. It was 6.45 am on June 15th 2012. Spirits were high as in light rain and mist we rapidly loaded the mountain of gear onto the Real Journeys boat to cross the Lake. I couldn’t wipe the big grin off my face. With this on my ‘bucket list’ for years here we were on our way. The hard work of planning behind us, this was our time to relax and enjoy all that Fiordland had to offer. Though most of the group had spent time in Fiordland all were glued to the boat’s windows like school children on their first out-of-class trip. In a blur we were standing on the misty shores of Doubtful Sound and within a heartbeat the gear was reloaded onto our boat and we were cruising down the 45 km Sound with mountains towering above. The excitement was palpable. Our first port of call was the calm waters of Blanket Bay – a one-stop shop for fishermen. Fishing buoys hung from trees around this bay like giant Christmas baubles. The haul-out area provided perfect shelter from the south-west wind that was blowing 10 -15 knots inland and creating 5 - 7 metre swells on the coast. With a half grin/half smirk our captain informed us that the wind was too strong to travel down the coast; Doubtful Sound would be our home for the next couple of days. For a few minutes doom took over! Picturesque as Doubtful Sound is, it wasn’t our intended destination and in earlier years I had spent a lot of time here. Not to be put off by the irrational weather, our Skipper said we had ample time to dive for Fiordland’s delicacies. Forty minutes later cold bodies

emerged victorious with enough crayfish to keep us going for two nights. The next day in flat calm on a seamless glassy surface we paddled Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds. The bowling alley like fiord provided almost perfect peace as distant ‘white stallions’ roared ever louder on the coast. We were glad to be in the long gnarly fingers of this ancient landscape hiding under snow capped peaks which dropped to rich green foliage and seemed to melt into the abyss of the water under us. It was a fantastic setting for the start of our adventure. Back onboard the news was good - the swell had dropped in the Tasman and we could get underway. The trip down the coast was, as you might expect, like sitting inside a floating bottle. Waves crashed over the bow, tossing us around violently for three hours. Conversations ended and faces were pale. Then we were tucked into the shelter of Breaksea Sound, moored in the tiny Third Cove. On our third day we paddled Vancouver Arm in the heart of Fiordland – a land lost in time. As if a gift from God there was no sound, no ripple, the air was crisp, the blue sky clear - the beginning of a week long weather window unprecedented for the area! The commercialism of the previous fiords gone, we were alone apart from an occasional fishing boat hidden deep within the coves like a crayfish not wanting to be seen. We reached Dusky Sound at nightfall and sneaked into one of Duskys many hidden treasures – the sheltered little Luncheon Cove. Sleep was far from our minds, the Cove was tiny and alive. Eerie darkness was punctuated by the distinctive calls of fur seal pups playing well into the night. We couldn’t see them but guessed that the morning would reveal what the night had kept secret, the magic of the cove and the faces of mischievous, inquisitive pups. Sure enough they

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checked us out - even climbing onto our kayaks! With the numerous options available, we split into two groups for the next day’s kayaking. One group sought the peacefulness of the sheltered interior shoreline, the more hardy bunch sought action and tackled Anchor Island’s outer coastline. Leaving the safety of Luncheon Cove we met a stiff head wind which, thankfully, changed to a perfect tail breeze as we rounded the corner into Dusky. It had been a challenging journey well rewarded by spectacular views towards Five Fingers Point – an outcrop of sea cliffs marking the entrance to Dusky Sound named by Captain Cook. While kayaking was our main motivation, history held appeal. So did daily fishing and diving which occupied spare hours, revealed marvels and reaped Fiordland’s finest harvest, paua, blue cod, mussels and crayfish. Cooked in tantalizing ways by our two crew, Sean and Jen to satisfy any five star restaurant in downtown Auckland: meals were a delight. Sean and Jen also did a fantastic job of showing us the great spots, filling us in on the area’s facts and figures and of course yarning - a way to entertain sailors in an idle hour practised for hundreds of years. As a group we gelled together like a tight-knit family. In evenings we recalled stories from kayak adventures, our form of yarning, and shared elusive dreams of trips yet to come. Time flew past and with kayaks stored securely on the top deck

and our gear packed away we began our journey home. The last day was a perfect send off to what will become one of our most memorable trips. Motoring out of Dusky Sound, the dolphins came out to bid us farewell and the sun, setting over the surrounding peaks and glassy sea, cast golden reflections. The entire group stood in awe trying to store these last precious moments in memory. The rest of the trip up the coast and back towards Manapouri was like rewinding the clock. We worked on auto-pilot to get all the jobs done and the boat cleaned up, but our minds were still in Dusky, retaining a w e s o m e experiences and the camaraderie that had made this truly a once in a life time adventure...

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Marlborough Sounds - six days over Labour Weekend By Chris Mercer

The Marlborough Sounds has a lot to offer sea kayakers with fine scenery, sheltered water and many campsites. Thirteen members of the Wellington Branch of the Yakity Yak Kayak Club set out to paddle from the far west of the Sounds back to the ferry over a week bracketing Labour Weekend 2012. The composition of the group was as curious as Curious Cove; we had two cops and two others associated with the Force, two builders, two senior teachers, a weather forecaster and the balance civil servants well it is the Wellington branch! I love the ferry trips on these sorties to the South Island. It’s fun to trolley the kayaks up and down the railway tracks and to see the lowest deck where most travellers never get to. Of course, as we approach Picton, we always have a good look at what the conditions are like on the water! Nicole showed us how professionals read the weather signs. This time, leader Neil Thompson didn’t have us load up on the Picton beach but transported us west through Havelock, Rai Valley, then north to Duncan Bay in Tennyson Inlet. Eight kms of paddling further north we found Elaine Bay after a challenging push into the wind at the finish. Our Elaine liked the bay name!

We found that the Elaine Bay campsite was under construction and we looked forward to moving on to another one the following day but this wasn’t to be. The first of our two southerlies blew through in the morning and using Rachael’s binoculars we could see huge waves and their whitecaps in distant open water. At 2 pm, we accepted that there

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wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough time to reach our destination even if the wind did drop to safe levels. So, we unpacked our kayaks and some hardies set up camp again while some softies rented a bach next door - oh the luxury! Determined to paddle every day, most of us went for a trip past Piwakawaka Bay and enjoyed the exercise in the sheltered waters. Ashore, John chased a weka we saw them at each campsite. The third day was our longest at 24 km and gave us a great range of scenery from bush to farmland to mussel farms! The Jacobs Bay campsite nestles in the bush and looked sheltered but this turned out to be misleading! The wind and rain hammered us most of the night allowing little sleep. Further drama was added by one of our number needing evacuation by police launch Lady Elizabeth as back spasms caused extreme pain. We had a late start as we had to wait until our stretcher

bearers were returned to the campsite by the police launch but still made good time in a 22 km leg down Pelorus Sound and east up Keneperu Sound to Ferndale Reserve campsite. Our fisherman Bruce, distinguished himself by catching two kahawai then serving them up that evening in a fish-and-lentil curry. The Ferndale Reserve campsite is really small and most of us pitched tents on old storm debris taking care to avoid the bits of gorse! Marty and Paul, our tallest people, had the smallest tents and squeezed into the tight spots. The water must have come from a swamp as it smelt strongly of sulphur: we had to treat it before using it!

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On ourfifth day, we paddled up the Keneperu Sound, nearly to the top. Lunch included oysters gathered off the beach, scrummy. At Nikau Cove, we enjoyed our roomy camp but missed being able to sit at a picnic table. Chris, Elaine and Gill found the missing furniture at a ‘private’ campsite in Black Rock Bay nearby, a campsite made illegally in a roadside reserve. We spotted the table on our daily walk - these regular strolls became a feature of the trip bringing some challenge to the paddlers’ little-used legs! That was a cold night but daybreak was clear and calm - we set off on flat reflecting water heading west past our afternoon’s destination to a lovely shelly beach near Te Mahia Bay. As we returned east to Portage Lodge, there were some hijinks when we rafted up to allow Jim to walk around the kayaks; he skilfully kept his feet dry in spite of the wobbling boats. That night, we luxuriated with showers, bunks, a fireside TV and a restaurant meal. We toasted the anniversary of the United Nations! (This refers to Chris’s birthday!). On our last day, we started with the resort’s super breakfast then loaded a hired van and trailer for the portage to Torea Bay in Queen Charlotte Sound. Some of us walked over the hill to the put in and were rewarded with views of snow-covered Mt. Tapuae-O-Uenuku visible behind Picton to the south. We paddled round the corner to the Lochmara Lodge for lunch, another luxury resort meal - Oh this wilderness travel is so demanding! Following winds pushed us to Picton allowing use of Jim and Alan’s sails and a big raft-up so we could show off to passing boats. The trip introduced us to new territory, taught us much about the weather, and after 109 kms gave us a real sense of achievement!

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The 2013 KASK Sea Kayak Forum By Evan Pugh In March 2013 the Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers (KASK ) will hold their annual forum at Raglan based at the Raglan Kopua Holiday Park. Located right on the waters edge what better place to go for an event such as this. Less than 2.5 hours from Auckland we expect this event to fill up as the Ohope forum did in 2008. Since then KASK have held forums at Anakiwa, Whangarei and Christchurch, again with great enjoyment and learning for all persons present. On Friday evening we will have a flare demo and Sean Smith, AKA the Fat Paddler will be giving an entertaining presentation on Saturday evening. Other activities include paddles on the harbour, training sessions, a Coastguard speaker and more. Your registration will cover meals, camping / bunkrooms and any sessions you may choose to go on. All you need to do is register to attend and turn up with your sea kayak and all your paddle gear. Just being amongst the 100 paddlers is great fun for novices through to advanced paddlers. You can participate, watch, and learn, whatever.

It is your choice to take advantage of learning new skills or increasing your paddling safety. This is the first time that we have held a forum at Raglan; we are all looking forward to this different venue. Most KASK forum’s have a bunch of regulars but attendees new to the forums will go away satisfied, having attended a great weekend. So dust off your kayak, get the creases out of your spray deck, clean your paddle boots, find your paddle, download the registration form ( see the details in the ad on this page ). Don’t miss out on this great event. KASK is a non profit organization that organises forums throughout the country. Members get a bi-monthly newsletter with kayak related trip reports and safety information etc

KASK National Sea Kayak Forum Raglan 8 - 10 March 2013

Local harbour touring Evening speakers Photo competition Instruction sessions

Where: Raglan Kopua Holiday Park, West Coast, North Island When: Friday 8 - Sunday 10 March 2013 For more info see: www.kask.org.nz and go to the events page or contact Evan Pugh: sheepskinsnstuff@xtra.co.nz

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

The Kiwi Quest Paddling Paterson Part 2 By Ruth E. Henderson

We left Ruth, Charlie, Dave Jim and Noreen camping at Millers Beach, that they used as base camp while paddling at Paterson Island.continues We stayed at Millers beach a week; we saw one couple in a double hire kayak, but no one else turned up to camp or even use the Stewart Island Experience shelter. However, the jetty was well used by tourist boats depositing folk, to walk to Whalers Base. On the first night, I did just that for a feed of mussels. Allowed 50, it was easy to harvest the limit as they grew not just on the rocks but on the old machinery and slipway that remained of the Norwegian shipyard. Whalers Base was not a whaling station but repaired chaser boats that serviced the factory ships operating in the Antarctic waters and Southern Ocean. Apparently at its peak in 1930 – 31, the Norwegian company had 41 factory ships, 231 chaser boats and processed 40,000 whales. Different times!

The next day we wanted to get around the corner and across the inlet to South West Arm where there is a DOC hut called Fred’s Camp that sleeps 10. It could offer alternative accommodation, at $15 per night. On this day, it offered adventure and put our navigational skills to the test, as it was a ‘white-out’. As we entered the arm, the mist lifted sufficiently, for us to spot the hut. The sun came out and Noreen and I wandered off for a two hour taste of the Southern Circuit track. Compared to the Rakiura track it was more of a scramble on a route than a track - no packed metal pathways, board walks, or bridges. And although quite isolated and at one stage sitting quietly for 10 minutes, we were hard pressed to hear any birds. Unfortunately we met another form of life – wasps, and I was stung. I immediately took antihistamine tablets. The instant swelling to my left arm alarmed the others, and pained me! Although I managed to paddle ‘home’, I needed help to rehydrate and cook my dinner, and gave up trying to undress and slept in my clothes. Luckily things were not worse. Our only communication with the outside world was via VHF. (Phones only worked at Oban and then only if with Telecom.) Each day, by kayaking out or by wading out at low tide we could get a weather report at either 0925 or 1925 on Channel 65 from Halfmoon Bay so knew we could get a Pan Pan or Mayday call out if necessary. It wasn’t. After the excitement of finding kiwi footprints in the damp sand around our kayaks the next morning, I rested up till the afternoon’s high tide then explored solo, Prices Inlet through to Kaipipi Bay, whilst Charlie and Noreen returned to Ulva. They returned with the story of someone having a kiwi stroll out across their path at the junction of the Flagstaff Point and West End Beach! At camp we saw huge dolphins in feeding mode, and Charlie caught a blue cod for dinner. The next day we switched itineraries; the others pottered about close to camp and I went back to Ulva in quest of a kiwi. Hugging the coast, circumnavigating the island, there was a lot of bird song, but when I went walking and sat at the junction – not a sausage! Think people tell

porky’s! Checking in with those at camp on Channel six, I headed home, to stories of yellow-eyed penguins. The forecast rain arrived and unanimously we retreated to the shelter for the day. Up till then we had all crouched around our cookers, and ignored the barn sized building. It was the perfect place for spinning yarns, reading and filling in an otherwise grotty day. Cabin fever inevitably had me bush crashing through supplejack, crown fern and fallen rimu trees to Swains Beach, past Whalers Base in time to dig for cockles. They were plump and a nice addition to a dehydrated curry dinner. I was woken at five by kiwi. Counting the calls, I got to 26, the same as the morning before, but peering out of my tent – there was nothing! The rain had stopped, it was still freezing cold, and so sitting out in the bush was not a consideration! Kayaking was, and by mid-morning we were on the water heading for Bravo Island. This is at the entrance to Big Glory Bay, where these days the only farming on the island is carried out; Aquaculture of salmon, mussels and oysters. It wasn’t a day for loitering, territorial pied oyster catchers shrieked at us, it was bleak, and the only colour was in the trees – the lush green of the ancient rimu alongside Southern rata showing a flush

Pictured: Top left - Millers Beach, arrival at our base camp. Bottom left - Bravo and surrounding islands were bleak. Above - Boulder Beach, Ulva Island Below - Kiwi tracks in the sand.

Join Us For A Kayaking Adventure - Specialty Tours

Taupo Maori Carvings Half day guided trip to the rock carvings, Lake Taupo... only accessible by boat. A leisurely paddle of about 3 km to the rock carvings. The largest is over 10 m high and from below in a kayak it is imposing.

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

Waikato River Discovery Glow Worm Kayak Tour

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

Adult $45, Children $25 Special group and family rates. Call 0800 KAYAKN for details.

Join us for a picturesque paddle on Lake McLaren to view glow worms by night or beautiful waterfalls by day. This trip takes about 1.5-2hours and is suitable for paddlers with no experience. All gear, hot drinks and nibbles are supplied. Price $75 per person.

Phone Canoe & Kayak BOP for bookings 07 574 7415

Sugar Loaf Island From Ngamutu Beach harbour we head out on the open sea to Sugar Loaf Island Marine Reserve. View the scenic & rugged Taranaki coastline as we draw closer to the Islands. Enjoy the seal colony and experience the thrill of close up views of these fascinating marine mammals. Allow 3 hours subject to weather. $70.00 per person. Phone 06 769 5506

of pink new growth, kamahi with fading pink flowers, manuka with its white ones and the leathery mutton bird shrub. On the homeward leg we hugged the coastline towards Abrahams Bay looking for future alternative campsites; the criteria being water, space for two or three tents, and easy launching and landings. We spied a few possibilities, but hammocks are definitely a good idea here. The best bet was the Hapuatuna Bay hunter’s hut. DOC is encouraging the 3,000 annual hunters who come to island for the red and white tail deer to build and use these instead of shanties. Non-hunters can stay, for $15 for the duration of their stay. But be prepared to move out, as hunters have priority.

Helpful Hints • It is cold and damp, be warned! • No Vodafone reception. • No bank or ATM, but the store and pub do take credit cards. • BYO cookers; if flying, buy gas at Invercargill. • Bring sleeping eye-shades, it is light till late and ear plugs. • Tape up your rudder and cables to avoid damage when loading/unloading on ferry.

On our final day, in an effort to beat the forecast 20 knots and with latte’s calling, we were on the water by 0730. At Ackers Point sooty shearwaters were gathered en masse rising in great clouds only to resettle ahead of us; at Oban, the beach was deserted. Wanting a group picture, Noreen went across the road and snaffled a shop-keeper to do the honours. What a place! Must go back in the summer! J

Left: The team – Charlie, Dave, Noreen, Ruth and Jim Below: Gorgeous reflections

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Photography tips – By Ruth E. Henderson perspective What do I mean by perspective? It’s a wonderful word with many slants and angles and dimensions. It covers a range of aspects: proportion, scale, ratio, or the relationship of one thing with another; and viewpoints from vistas to points of view. So, to put perspective into perspective let’s look at some different pictures.

The big picture The scenery is stunning, and a photo of the view is a must… it can help to have someone not looking at the camera in the photo, at the edge of the photo, even pointing at the distant island to aid composition and add interest. It is also often useful and

pleasing to add a person or a kayak to give an idea of scale, to show how huge a rock face or surf break is – or how tiny…

Or as Frank Worsley, Captain of the Endeavour said in 1915 “ In the afternoon Hurley and I do a six mile round with the camera…I dispose my manly figure in a more or less graceful pose as an accessory to the surrounding scenery – a kind of human metre to gauge the sublimity of nature.” But don’t make having a human metre or a kayak measuring stick the excuse for not getting in closer and having a neither here nor there photo and missing the point of the picture.

A half or a whole Often less than the whole of a subject is good. Three quarters or half of a kayak, leading the eye into the scene can tell the story better; give emphasis, perhaps convey a sense of speed, exploration or discovery.

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

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Only $699 RRP from your Canoe and Kayak shop Your position is transmitted to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre within a few minutes and the search area is narrowed down to a few square metres. Peace of mind for loved ones and so small it fits in a pocket!

But watch out you don’t accidentally amputate! In a family line up, there is nothing worse than the unintentional chopping off of feet, or hands. Make sure all the limb’s extremities are in or out. You choose: head to toe, or head and shoulders or full face portrait. On dry, firm ground there are really no excuses. On the water it can be tricky as unless you have a remote controlled helmet or bow camera, sometimes you have to “keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.” But oophs, half a face shot or the oophs no tip of the bow photos should be deleted! Be clear - either you are taking a whole person or a whole kayak or a top half or midsection…

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

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

On the nose It’s quite ok to use just the bow of somebody else’s boat, to add colour to an otherwise grey picture, or to use one or more to be creative – when you see a ‘picture’.

In your face A lot of photos are ordinary and disappointing because everything is too distant or too small – get in there, get closer, narrow your focus, look for detail. Unless taking photos to set the scene, to tell a story of the camping or kayaking experience, move in or zoom in, and get ‘in the face’ of your subject. Ask yourself - what is your subject, the whole river or the reflections? The flotilla or the face of your friend? What’s important? Of course, that will depend on your point of view or perspective!

7 You can use your own bow to point the way, but try to remember the rule of thirds and the left to right direction ‘rule’. Avoid having it dead centre or too prominent or it will dominate and become the subject of the picture. But sometimes if paddling solo, a bow shot can be a way to tell your story. My screen saver is a bow shot…it puts me in the cockpit and reminds me to get off my butt and get on the water! However most bow shots exist because the photographer is lazy and they ruin an otherwise perfect picture.

7 www.rhinorack.co.nz Ph: 0800 866322

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

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

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Canoe & Kayak are now in Christchurch!

It’s been a long time coming, but we now have a representative on the ground, and on the water, looking after your kayaking needs. In Christchurch the agency will not be operating from a retail premises, but our staff can be contacted either by email: chch@canoeandkayak.co.nz or by phone: 03-3766161 or 027-377616. We have a number of demonstration kayaks available for you to try, and our demo nights will be held regularly at popular locations to give you not only a variety of kayaks to paddle, but also different conditions. If you are not sure what kayak you are looking to purchase, come along to one of our demo nights and paddle a few different models. We shall have recreational kayaks for all the family, and sea kayaks for those looking for freedom on the water. If you want to try a particular kayak under more demanding conditions, please give us a call to discuss this. Our demonstration kayaks will also be available for rent at competitive rates. Again, please give us a call. On-line, we have the complete range of products stocked by Canoe & Kayak, but if there is something you are after and it is not shown on-line; please contact us as we may be able to source it from elsewhere for you. Beginning in November, we started running our Sea Kayak Skills Course. This two day course is suitable for those new to sea kayaking and covers the need to know points for a safe and enjoyable sea kayak trip. Our qualified instructor has nearly twenty years sea kayaking experience and will give you plenty of ideas on how to get the most from your kayaking. We look forward to seeing you on the water soon!

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Our man on the water in Christchurch is David Welch. David began sea kayaking in Auckland nearly and had paddled extensively around the Auckland and Coromandel areas before moving to Nelson where he worked for eight seasons in the Abel Tasman National Park as a sea kayak guide with Ocean River Adventure Company, four seasons as the operations manager and senior guide. He is now living in Christchurch and is actively involved with the Canterbury Sea Kayak Network, and holds both SKOANZ Guide and NZOIA Sea Kayak Instructor qualifications. He has paddled extensively within the South Island’s most popular destinations, and some not so well known. His kayaking interests also include Greenland style paddling/rolling and building wood-strip kayaks. “I am passionate about my sea kayaking, and am eager to see more people involved and enjoying the sport as much as I do. I look forward to introducing you to sea kayaking, or raising your skill level through further instruction.”

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

Sea kayak trips from Christchurch: - there’s plenty to choose from, so here are a few.

Rock Gardening at Okains Bay Heads

Okains Bay This bay faces the open Pacific and can be a wonderful destination for those wanting to surf. On a quieter day, departing from the beach and heading either north or south of the bay, you will find great examples of our local coast line. Volcanic in origin, there are some amazing coastal rock formations to explore with reefs, caves and tunnels. Beware the swell, but keep an eye open for seals and the friendly Hectors dolphin. On some headlands the noise from the sea birds is deafening, such are their numbers. Okains is typical of many of the peninsula bays, and the Canterbury Sea Kayak Network base their annual forum here in the late summer.

Circumnavigate Quail Island Best reached from Cass Bay 2 kms distant, with parking, toilets and a boat ramp for easy use at any time. Circumnavigators will find the mudflats on the SW side of the island dry at low tide and most choose to paddle the low tide channel south of King Billy Island. Things to see – caves on the NE point, ship wrecks on the NW point and on the south side, the evidence of past generations.

Surf at Okains Bay

Join Us For A Kayaking Adventure - River Tours

River Tours

Mokau River

White Water Paddling

Waitara River Tours

Exploring beautiful estuaries. Enjoy a scenic trip with wildlife and wonderful views.

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

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

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

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 529 2569 for details

Phone Canoe & Kayak 06 769 5506

Phone Canoe & Kayak on 0508 529 2569 for details

Allow 2 hours paddle only. Priced at $70. Phone: 06 769 5506

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

www.kayaknz.co.nz

Akaroa Harbour Bigger than Lyttleton, Akaroa Harbour faces south and is subject to sea and swell from the south. A trip out the heads can be quite a thrill with some amazing rock formations to see, especially Scenery Nook to the SW of the heads. The inner harbour offers a variety of more sheltered paddling with excellent launch sites at Akaroa township, or across the water at Wainui. A point to note: Paddling around the peninsula in either direction requires a good two/three days to complete. This exposed headland juts out into the Pacific and as such, catches all of the weather and swell that comes from the Pacific or Southern Oceans. Parties contemplating an extended trip should be self sufficient, well equipped and have a high level of experience to complete the journey along this exposed coast.

LIVE THE DREAM

Clouds over Akaroa Harbour

NEW & EXISTING TERRITORIES AVAILABLE THROUGH OUT NEW ZEALAND Leaders in the kayaking industry Over 20 years experience Full training and ongoing support Call Pete Townend pete@canoeandkayak.co.nz or phone 09 476 7066

Trapper

All models of Novacraft Canoes Now available by special order

Choose the model and length, with the hull shape to suit your needs. Choose the construction material - SP3 plastic, Arimid, Spectra, Blue Steel, Royalex Royalex Lite or Fiberglass. View all possible combinations and specifications on www.novacraft.com. Below a selection of the models available though Novacraft’s Canadian factory.

Trapper, 12ft, 18kgs, Royalex Lite

Teddy, 12ft, 13kgs, Aramid Lite

Supernova, 14ft,10”, 22kgs, Spectra

Rob Special, 15ft, 26Kg, Royalex Lite

Pal, 16ft, 26Kg, Royalex Lite

Muskoka 15ft10”, 21Kg, Blue Steel

Tripper, 16ft, 27Kg, Royalex Lite

Cronje, 17ft, 27Kg, Royalex Lite

Prospector, 15, 16, 17, and 18ft

Outfitter, 15, 16, 17, and 18ft, SP3 Plastic only

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

www.kayaknz.co.nz

- NOVACRAFTAD-Nov12

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

North Shore Auckland Manukau Waikato

What will you remember about this summer?

Discover another world. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll show you how!

Call into your local Canoe & Kayak Centre or have a look on-line. Find out more at canoeandkayak.co.nz, phone 0508 529256, or see the back page for a Canoe & Kayak Centre near you.

Bay of Plenty Taupo Taranaki Wellington Join Join the the Yakity Yakity Yak Yak Kayak Kayak Club Club now, now, and and let let the the adventures adventures begin. begin.

Photo supplied by: Josh Sullivan

Proudly supported by:

What do you need to know to be safe on the water this summer? Weather The number one thing to understand is Mother Nature will kick your backside if you underestimate her. So a good understanding of weather is paramount! You need to recognise that the language and pictures of a weather report is telling you what the conditions on the water will be. You can be in serious trouble if you fail to recognise warning signs of a coming weather change. Most boating tragedies start when people’s faulty expectations do not match more difficult conditions and they find their skills and equipment are inadequate.

When the need to get home replaces commonsense trouble starts, so - Change your plan, Find a closer exit point or a rest place. Wait until both people and conditions are ready and it has become safe to continue.

Skills Next would be a clear understanding of your own and your companion’s skills in different conditions. People often head out for a paddle and find that in the morning they were coping very well and on the return leg it is hard work. This is often caused by: 1/ misreading or just not reading the weather forecast: 2/ paddling out with a following breeze or tide, and then paddling back against it: 3/ just biting off too long a journey.

Equipment And lastly is the equipment chosen for the challenge appropriate? Is the kayak suited for the distance? Is your boat stable enough for you to continue paddling in rougher conditions without capsizing? Can the kayak be rescued when capsized? Will the necessary rescue equipment be immediately available? Do you and your companion know how to use this equipment in rough conditions? Do you have adequate working communication equipment and is it close to hand so you can call for help if the trip really goes pear shaped.

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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It is not possible for anyone to develop skills and knowledge safely by lonely trial and error. We all need input and guidance along the way from people who are expert in the field. We then need to continue to develop our abilities by practising skills until they are solid. It also helps to paddle with people focused on learning more. My final check before a trip is asking myself “What will I look like on the news if it all goes wrong today?” When the answer is “Peter, you’ll look like an idiot,” then I don’t go. To test your knowledge, have a go at the crossword on page 33. An experienced kayaker will be able to complete it quickly. If you cannot, is it time for you to up skill? Have a look at the Take 5 form we use as a pre-trip checklist. Your local Canoe & Kayak Centre has a free one for you, water proofed for your PFD pocket. Cheers and have a fun but safe adventure this summer. Peter Townend

www.kayaknz.co.nz

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

pomap.co.nz Images Sour ced fr om LINZ Topogr aphic Maps. Cr own Copyr ight Reser ved.

Trip Card # 012 Pauatahanui Inlet

Pauatahanui Inlet Route card No. 012 Skill level: Beginners Distance: 14 Km

Map no: BP32 Tidal Port: Taranaki

Start/ Finish point: HW/ LW:

Grays Rd, Pauatahanui Inlet. Water ski club car park Porirua Harbour- 00 min HW, 16 min before Low water Port Taranaki

Tidal times/ notes:

The inlet is very tidal and unless you know where the channels are it is best paddled 2 hrs either side of high tide. VHF Channels: 16, 63. Callsign: Mana Coastguard, 027 530 3368 Good cell phone and VHF coverage.

Coastguard contact: Comms coverage:

Introduction: If you want to get on the water and the wind is blowing in Wellington then this is the place to go. A very sheltered and safe area that can be paddled in most conditions. At the eastern end of the inlet is a wildlife sanctuary. The 50-hectare Pauatahanui Wildlife Management Reserve lies at the head of the Inlet. Four hectares are owned by the Royal New Zealand Forest and Bird Protection Society and protected under a covenant with the Queen Elizabeth II Trust. The rest of the reserve is owned by the Department of Conservation (DOC). A great place to spot all kinds of bird life. Description: After putting in at the car park head south east along the shoreline toward the bridges at Paramata. Once under the bridges go past the marina and then head north out of Porirua harbour keeping to the left hand shoreline until you reach Onehunga Bay. This is a good place to stop for a break and it has public toilets there. On the return trip, once back under the bridges, carry on around the inlet keeping to the right hand side of the inlet and do a full circuit around the inlet and back to the car park.

Parts of the inlet can only be paddled 2 hrs either side of high tide so watch out for sand bars. The length of the trip can be shortened at any stage by cutting back across the inlet to the car park. Hazards: • Strong currents run through the area at the bridges so it pays to stay to the edge of the channel. • Do not paddle down the centre of the channel under the bridges as this area is used by larger boats. • A large number of small yachts and water skiers use the inlet so make sure you are visable and keep a good lookout. Tourist Attractions: Pataka Arts and Museum Useful Links: www.metservice.com Guardians Of Pauatahanui Inlet www.coastguardmana.org.nz

Please note; Every care has been taken to ensure the information contained in this Trip Card is correct at the time of publication, but things change and you will need to conﬁrm the information provided. You will also need to get further information to ensure a safe trip, this will include an up to date, relevant weather forecast and the ability to understand its implications for the area and talking to locals in the area to garner new information on any hazards in the area. It is also expected that an appropriate level of knowledge, skills and equipment are required to safely complete the trip. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are unsure of any information or you ﬁnd the Trip Card needs updating. Cheers Peter Townend,Yakity Yak Kayak Club. Updated: November 2012

Trip Card # 008 Abel Tasman Marahau Return

Split Apple Rock

Abel Tasman - Marahau Return Route card No. 008 Skill level: Beginners Distance: 16 Km Start/ Finish point: High Water: Tidal times/ notes: Coastguard contact: Comms coverage:

Chart no: NZ6144 Tidal Port: Nelson

Marahau Nelson Port-Astrolabe Roadstead 20 min before High water, 20 min before Low water Tide runs out about 500 m at low tide VHF Channels: 16, 28, 60, 68. Limited cell but good VHF coverage

Introduction: This is a great way to see part of the amazing Abel Tasman National Park. A day paddle of 16 km covering some of the beautiful beaches and two of the islands close in to shore as well as a visit to the well known Split Apple Rock. Abel Tasman National Park (established in 1942) is renowned for its golden beaches, sculptured granite cliffs, and world-famous Abel Tasman Coast Track. It also has a mild climate and is a good place to visit at any time of the year. Description: A round trip launching from Marahau. Head north along the shoreline until you reach Observation Beach. There are lots of beaches along the way to stop off and relax. From Observation Beach head out 1 km to the north end of Adele Island (the larger of the two you can see from the shoreline) and paddle around the back side until you reach the southern tip. From there it’s a short 800 m to Fishermans Island. A paddle of 3.5 km heading south west you will ﬁnd Split Apple Rock at the northern end of Towers Bay. After a break on the beach it’s a short 2 km paddle north back to Marahau.

Hazards: • Be aware of boat trafﬁc in the area as there are water taxis travelling up and down the coast all day. Other Hazards/ Additional Information: • Trolley wheels are a good option as the water goes out some 500m from Marahau at low tide. Useful links: www.theabeltasman.co.nz

Health

Take Me to the River… Not just your kayak needs water to perform!

You wouldn’t typically think of your body as a river, though you probably should! Your human vessel is composed of 70-80% water. Every cellular function awaits the arrival of this liquid gold to perform the alchemy of generating life, energy and repairs that your body requires to stay alive. Simply put you die without water. Millions of chemical reactions occur every minute that require water. The joints of your body depend on water so blood can deliver much needed nutrients and escort ugly toxins and waste away. Decreased water supply to your body is particularly vicious to your joints due to the fact that if toxins are milling around your organ system and there is not enough water to transport them to your bladder via the kidney, your body will use your joints as a garbage can to store these unwanted toxins in order to detour them away from your vital organs where they can cause serious damage! This trade off seems such a logical and smart compromise but comes with the high cost as toxins stored in joints causes early degeneration with pain and breakdown close behind, one of the reasons surgeons are flat out busy. Your luscious clean river has now become a swamp… Yikes!! Hydration is one of the easiest economical ways to acquire healthy joints, happy immune system, stress free brain and a happy body overall. Grab that liquid gold and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! So how much water should you drink? Each of you require different amounts of water based on how many cells you have, so here is an

easy formula to know the right daily amount just for you: Take your body weight in kilos and multiply by .033, this is your personal perfect water intake amount. Example 64 Kg x .033 = 2.1 litres of water daily DID YOU KNOW….WATER ALSO BURNS FAT! Water is critical for weight loss. Your sleepy kidney that receives no water gets lazier and literally fatter which in turn shifts work over to your liver. Your liver is a key fat burning organ and when it gets overworked via a lazy kidney it can’t get all its work done. The fat burning job gets put into the “unfinished work” file forcing your body to store fat rather than burn fat. Burning fat is one of your body’s natural functions but water is critical to this process. So seriously people – get drinking water for fat burning weight loss, its free and easy plus it gives your kidney a workout to stay strong and durable. KEY FACTS: You are 70-80% water Every cellular function needs water Water helps blood deliver nutrients and escort toxins out Lack of water = joint degeneration, liver and kidney damage You die without water Water is the quickest cheapest avenue to a vital healthy body Your body weight determines how much you should drink Water BURNS FAT Yours in Health, Dr. Theresa Dobson

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Quick Crossword

1 2 3 4

7 8

Test your knowledge of kayaking and kayaking safety.

12 13 14

18 19

Across 2. A sudden gust of wind. 3. Being seen is better than being_____down. 6. If you get lost in fog or rain you need a____ to find your way. 8. Before paddling tell a friend your _________ 9. ______analysis management system 11. Pawlata, Screw, Steyr, Storm and Greenland are all types of what? 12. To cross a fast tidal stream, you would use a ________ glide 15. Sea breezes are usually in the ________ 16. Check the _________ forecast before you go kayaking 19. Self rescue, use a paddle __________

Down

1. Always check your _______ are secure before you launch. 3. A wet kayaker wearing a cotton shirt cools ________ 4. The curve along the bottom of a kayak is known as the _______ 5. Cell phones should be kept in a ____ bag attached to your PFD 7. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on a collision course, which way do you turn? 10. Which side of two downward facing black triangles on a pole is safe? 13. A low ______stops you capsizing 14. 270 degrees on a compass means _______ 17. A bright ____ will make you more visible to others 18. A throw ______is a good way of carrying rope. See solution on Page 41

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven â&#x20AC;˘ Christmas 2012

Fishing from your kayak

A well laid out kayak makes things much easier to manage and By Jason Walker enjoy on the water.

Fishing from any platform is the same whether it’s a boat, an inflatable, a jet ski, or a kayak. They are all perfectly good fishing platforms but each is made better when you fish from ‘your’ vessel. In your own vessel you know where things are, you move things around to suit yourself and your chosen fishing methods. This applies to all vessels but none so much as the kayak. In such a small craft space management becomes important very quickly. I will cover some aspects of this throughout this article, but one thing I’ll say up front is, “Keep in mind the design principle KISS - Keep it simple, Stupid!” The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple and not made complex. Therefore simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided. Don’t over complicate things, and especially don’t try to load your kayak with masses of stuff on your first trip out. Take just the basics and add when you make more trips and have found out what else is necessary.

around for it, or moving other tackle out of the way, while you have that 20 lb Snapper on the surface next to your kayak.

Learn your yak Another thing to keep in mind is always keeping stuff in the same place so you know exactly where something will be when you need it. Learn

Layout of gear When loading your kayak, think about where each item will be when you need it. How far from you will it be, can you grab the item quickly, or is it buried under a bunch of other stuff? You can start with the simple stuff like your bait. Where is your bait? Whether it is real bait or soft bait, it is something you will need to access all day and it needs to be within easy reach, so don’t put it too far away. Then there are the lesser used items like your terminal tackle, which you will only need after a bust off or the like. These can be stored out of the way, for example in your centre well, as you are not going to need access to them all the time or in the middle of a heated battle with a fish. Then there are the items you’ll not need regularly but must be quickly accessed when required. An example is your fish landing gear, be it net or gaff. You do not want to be hunting

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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the layout of your kayak; know in the back of your mind where everything is. An example would be clipping your gaff to your centre well lid. Keep it there all the time. Don’t think about moving it inside the well or dropping it in a rod holder behind your seat just for a change. When you do need it, you don’t want to be checking three different places while the fish does a quick back flip and spits the hook. You could be one very unhappy fisherman…

Rods Your fishing rods can be carried in several places but wherever you store them while you are paddling you will need to make sure they do not interfere with your paddle stroke. If they do it will end in tears. For example; if you store your rod or rods in front of you facing backwards, make sure they are absolutely central to the kayak else you’ll quickly learn that a paddle will do a great job of knocking eyes off rods, or the eyes will do a great job taking chunks out of your fingers. Either way it’s not going to be pretty. A better place for your rods while paddling is behind you. Most of the latest kayak designs have more than enough rod holders behind the seat.

And don’t forget that KISS principle. You’ll see many experienced hardcore kayak fishers paddling with lots of rods on their kayaks, but a novice kayak fisher needs to keep it simple. Just take one or two rods. You’ll soon work out what suits your needs, e.g. for soft-baiting most of the time you’ll only use one rod as it is next to impossible to actively fish two rods. Maybe you could take one soft-bait rod and one slow jig rod to drop over the side and let Mr Rod Holder look after it till something takes a fancy to it. And yes this method does work quite well. It turns out that Mr Rod Holder can be a great companion on your kayak! Another one for you to keep in mind while we are talking about your valuable fishing tackle, ‘Leash it or Lose it’. If you don’t want to lose that brand new rod and reel combo make sure it’s attached to the kayak with a leash. Leashes are cheap as chips, but can save gear worth hundreds of dollars from joining Davy Jones. Leashes can also be set up to suit you and your kayak. If you fish off the starboard, right hand side of your kayak secure your rod leash on the right too. Similarly that slow jig on the other, port side should be leashed to the kayak’s left hand side. Don’t tie yourself up in knots with leashes. There are more than enough connection points on modern fishing kayaks so you don’t need to have them all connected to a single point. Having several leashes connected to a single point will at some stage during the day produce a spider’s web.

Landing fish I’ve touched on having your preferred landing method within reach, but there is also simply landing the fish by hand. Since a kayak’s deck is so close to the water you have a chance of sliding the fish gently onto your lap or into the kayak’s foot well without lifting the fish by the leader. Again this is something you need to get used to and find your preferred method, but it is an easy way to deal with a nice sized pannie snapper. Otherwise, you can use the tried and trusted methods of a landing net or a gaff, both of these methods work perfectly as well on a kayak as on

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any other vessel. The only modification for kayak fishing is get yourself a short handled version. Long handles get in the way and are simply not needed when the fish is alongside ready to be netted or gaffed.

Fish Storage

Releasing fish Dealing with undersized or other fish you wish to release can be done without the fish leaving the water. Simply slide the fish towards you and roll the hook or jighead out of its mouth.

Dispatching Once the fish is destined for the dinner table you have to dispatch it. Ikiing is by far the best method for most fish, or use a priest (or Fish Donger). Both methods quickly kill your catch and give you a better tasting fillet. Whichever method you personally prefer, think about where you’ll keep your priest or iki spike. If, like me, you are a fan of the iki method you’ll have it safely sheathed with a knife ready to kill or cut.

With the fish quickly killed the next step is storage. You can cover your fish in a specially designed ‘fish well bag’ with an insulated cover or, the best option, use a dedicated fully insulated roto-moulded ice bin which fits in the fish well. But you’ll be moving the fish from your lap to the well behind you and to do this you need to master how that will work. Your big decision is from which side will you load fish into the well. This dictates which side your cover/bag/box opens. Then it’s a matter of deftly mastering a system. Get a good hold on your fish, put your thumb and forefinger into the gills (the last thing you want to do is drop your feed over the side) and pass the fish into the well behind you. Another system uses a stringer. Thread your fish on the line, lift the line and slide it into the well. The third system is to sit side saddle on the kayak with both legs over the same side. This makes it much easier to move your fish but you may want to practice sitting side saddle. It’s not for everyone. All three systems may sound complicated. but once you have your technique down pat each will become very simple.

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Electronics on your kayak I’ll cover electronics in more detail in a future article but if you are already about to install a fish finder think how to do it. Mount the unit close enough, but not necessarily in arm’s reach, to be read easily and for making menu changes. If you have a sounder and GPS combo unit you’ll be able to flick between screens as you paddle or while marking fishing spots on the GPS. As I said, keep it close but not too close, so there’s still a working area between you and your fish finder and somewhere to put your catch while you deal with it.

adventure equipment

Ideas Hopefully this article has given you some ideas on how you can layout your kayak. For other great ideas, have a look online and you’ll find several sources of inspiration, locally and overseas, with a simple Google search for Kayak Fishing. Another great source of inspiration is other kayak fishers. On most summer weekends you’ll find them on local beaches. Stop by and say hello. Most of us are keen to do a little ‘show and tell’ about our kayaks and setups. Kayak fishers are a friendly bunch.

Summary That wraps things up, just remember to keep it simple, especially when beginning. When first venturing out, keep your desk clear of clutter while still keeping the essentials at hand. You can add more to your kayak and kit as you gain experience and confidence. The key is remembering it’s YOUR kayak. Set it up as YOU want it for yourself.

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

First Aid

Burns Summer is here and it’s burn season. Barbeques, bon fires and even sunburn can catch us out. Prepared by: Johanna Verheijen First Training Ltd www.first-training.co.nz 0800 1st Aid Now that summer is finally here to stay, most of us will be heading out into the outdoors. Sun burn is a common summer time incident and we need to look after our skin. It has an important role to play in the fluid and temperature regulation of the body. If enough skin area is injured, the ability to maintain that control can be lost. The skin also acts as a protective barrier against the bacteria and viruses that inhabit the world outside the body. The anatomy of the skin is complex, and there are many structures within the layers of the skin. There are three layers: 1. Epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. 2. Dermis, made up of collagen and elastic fibres and where nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, and hair follicles reside. 3. Hypodermis or subcutaneous tissue, where larger blood vessels and nerves are located. This is the layer of tissue that is most important in temperature regulation. The amount of damage that any burn can cause depends upon its location, its depth, and how much body surface area that it involves. So slip, slop, slap and wrap. Slip on a shirt, long sleeved if kayaking. Slop on the sunscreen. Slap on the wide brimmed hat to protect your face and neck. And wrap a pair of polarized sunglasses over your eyes for on the water.

Danger

Response

Send for Help

Answer the questions below to check your burns first aid knowledge.

1) What’s the first thing I should do when approaching a burns patient? 2) How do you work out the percentage of body has been burnt? 3) When is it necessary to call 111 for someone burnt? 4) How long do you cool a burn? 5) Why?

6) Once the affected area has been cooled, what do you cover the burn with? 7) How important is the location of a burn? 8) Should you apply ice to a burn area? 9) Should I pop the blisters?

Airways

Breathing

CPR

Defibrilation

D R S A B C D

Check for Danger

Check for Response

Call 111 or May Day

Check for foreign matter

Check for Breathing

Danger to yourself, bystanders and patient

Talk and touch the patient. Any response?

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

Clear and open the airway. Adult/ Child full tilt of the head. Infant neutral head position

Look, listen and feel for breathing. If breathing normally, place patient in recovery position. and monitor. If not breathing, start CPR.

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

Start CPR

Apply Defibrillator

30 Compressions 2 breaths

- if available.

Continue until help arrives

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

Answers 1 ) DRSABCD... Check for Dangers! What has caused the burn? Am I in danger of getting burned? Only when it’s safe, approach the patient. 2 ) The palm of your hand is one percent of your body surface. Or divide the body in 9ths. An arm is 9 %, head is 9%, upper-body front

5 ) If cooling a larger burn area for a longer period of time the person will develop hypothermia and go into shock. 6 ) Cover the burn with cling film or glad wrap. DO NOT wrap tight. Just lay the cling film over the burnt area to stop air getting to the nerve endings. Seek medical attention.

9 ) No. The skin acts as a natural barrier to infection. Infection is a major complication and can be life threatening for anyone with burns.

4) Small burns should be immediately cooled for 20 minutes and a larger burn cooled for 10 minutes. Call 111 for larger areas and those burns that involve deeper layers of the skin. Do not apply any ointments, butter, toothpaste or oils. (toothpaste is commonly used for burns in Fiji.).

8 ) No. Ice will cause further tissue damage. Use cool running water if it is available, if not, cool immediately with anything you might have. Use a handy stream, sea water or the pool.

3 ) If it a big area, (9% or more of the body) or the burn involves several layers of the skin, or it’s the face, neck, hands, feet or genitals, or if they are elderly or young.

7 ) If the burn involves the face, nose, mouth or neck, there is a risk that there will be enough inflammation and swelling to obstruct the airway and cause breathing problems. And if it involves the hands feet or genitals urgent medical help should be called.

9%, upper body back 9% etc. As the percentage of burn surface area increases, the risk of death increases as well. Patients with burns involving less than 20% of their body should do well, but those with burns involving greater than 50% have a significant mortality risk, depending upon a variety of factors, including underlying medical conditions and age.

Flip the page for answers to the First Aid questions.

No Peeking!

Tying a Truckers Hitch The truckers hitch is a quick and easy knot, used to tighten loads on your trailer or roofrack. With this knot, you can get excellent tension on your ropes, preventing your load from moving.

Standing part of rope - or the Fixed end. This end is tied to one side of the trailer or roof rack.

Working end - or the tail end of the rope.

1. Make a loop in the rope by twisting.

2. Now twist again ...

The bight

3. and twist again. 4. Now take a bight through the loop.

5. Now pull the ďŹ rst loop tight on itself.

6. Having passed the working end through the strong point on the trailer/roof rack (demonstrated here by the carabiner), pass the working end through the remaining loop.

7. Now when you pull down on the work-

ing end, you will have a 2:1 purchase, allowing you to really tighten down on your load. Be careful not to pull too hard - you may damage something.

8. Finish off with a couple of half hitches to secure.

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Look what’s new in-store Remix 47 - $1399 Remix 59/ 69/ 79 - $2199 Liquid Logic designed the new Remix series for novices and instructors alike. The Remix is a new concept altogether that combines the clear advantages of a relatively narrow and longer hull platform with modern chine placement to create an unrivaled comfortable, stable and responsive package. Length: Width: Weight: Remix 47: 2.21 m 530 mm 13 kg Remix 59: 2.57 m 640 mm 19 kg Remix 69: 2.64 m 650 mm 20kg Remix 79: 2.72 m 670 mm 21 kg

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Lost in Upper Cherry - Lessons learned.

Finally making the river - Photo Casper Van Kalmthout

By Josh Neilson

More often than not my kayaking trips are full of great stories of new rivers and perfect waterfalls where everything seems to fall into place nicely. This trip however, is not one of those! I had departed for Australia and Colorado for film shows. The rest of the crew was heading into Upper Cherry to go paddling, and I was going to miss out. An unusual snowpack and weather system throughout California kept the Upper Cherry flowing longer than usual, so was still running a week later. I was going to make it after all. I got off the plane from Colorado and started gathering any beta1 on the flows and gathered a new crew to paddle with, as the run had spiked and come back in. Louise Jull was in Las Vegas and returned my call, eager to come. I also had word that a good friend from the Netherlands was on his way with a crew of four, so we had that sorted. On Thursday morning Louise and I left Coloma and by mid-afternoon we had met Casper, Emiel, Sven and Tim at the trail head, ready for a quick trip down a rapidly diminishing watershed. After some quick packing, we all headed up the first hill with varying degrees of pain and suffering. Twenty kgs of kayak and three days gear is somewhat interesting to carry. I appeared to have it the worst, being relatively unfit, but quickly the others succumbed to the weight and instability of the load! By late afternoon we saw our first glimpse of the river but it was only a reminder of how much further we had to walk! As the teams pace dropped and our carry systems failed, we decided to call it a night at dark and rest our sore bodies on a ridge, a kilometre directly above Cherry Bomb falls. Following a quick meal we all went to sleep, some for longer than others. I woke first and set the fire for breakfast, ate, packed and then while the others slowly emerged, I was ready to start hiking again. This is where things started to go wrong.

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Lesson 1: Learn to sleep-in too! White Water bw.indd Lesson 2: If the person you are following leaves, you should leave too! Lesson 3: If you are the only one who knows the way, DON’T leave without the rest of your group! Lesson 4: If you have radios, make sure the one who knows where to go has one! I had started walking early as both my knees were failing and I didn’t want to be hiking in the heat of the day. Following the track up the hill, I got to the fresh water spring feeling better than earlier. When my knees really needed a break I stopped and waited for the rest of the group. Time passed slowly and I started to think they had either slept-in Getting lost - Photo Casper Van Kalmthout

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

Upper Cherry hike in. a lot longer or were lost. I went through every possible scenario and decided to leave my boat and walk back to find them... Nothing... I then saw some tracks heading off down the hill where the track was least visible. I followed for a bit, but lost the tracks in the bushes, so turned back. I thought “Perhaps they had dropped in too early? I could go to the put in and paddle down and meet them solo.” Back at my kayak I loaded up and kept walking. At the put in I rested and mentally prepared myself for my first solo kayak trip. Being alone in the wilderness may be quiet and peaceful, but the logic and discussion in my head was louder than ever when I started to think about all the things I have been taught over the years about situations like this. How do you make a bad situation worse? How do you make a bad situation better? How was I sure I would meet them down stream? Considering the first day of Upper Cherry is relatively easy, how far would I paddle solo to find them before I would hike out?

So the decision to leave my boat and hike out was made. With two sore knees and a time of 4 pm, I knew there was a challenge ahead of me. Off I went! By 6 pm both my knees were shot, I was moving pretty slowly but was getting there. I stopped half way back to eat some of the cold freeze dried meal I had prepared earlier, which was, not surprisingly, disgusting! I got back by 9 pm, just on dark, but there was no sign of the crew. By now I was sure they had made the river and were probably wondering where I was. I camped at the take out, waiting for them to paddle out. By late afternoon I was about to check the trail head when I heard Casper yelling “JOSH, JOSH.” I turned to see him hanging out of a police truck, very excited “This is the first time in a cop car without hand cuffs” and “I am so happy to see you”. I too was happy to see him and the rest of

ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

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Entry to Cherry bomb

the crew. We shared horror stories and headed to Sonora for a steak and a nice hotel bed. They had indeed made the river and had got to cherry bomb gorge thinking they had put in too high. They were going to paddle down to find me but realised they were down stream of me, so hiked out. We were now back together and the situation could only get better from here. And it did. We made a plan for three of us to hike in to retrieve my boat and take it to Cherry Bomb gorge. The other three would hike in to Cherry Bomb and get their camping gear and take that to camp. By 9 pm that night we were all there sitting by the camp fire stoked to be there and not hiking anymore. This trip so far spanned over four days and the rapidly diminishing flows had dropped to about half the lowest flow I had ever seen it. I knew the next day we were in for some interesting paddling. At dawn we all rose fast and were ready to go at 8.30. With a quick scout of some unfamiliar drops we made it to the pool above Cherry Bomb just as the light hit it! Now - this place is amazing! One by one we headed down stream. The stream was extremely low, but all the good stuff you normally paddle was still amazing and all the scrappy stuff was, well, rocky to say the least. Everyone had good lines all day and we finally made it to the take out in good time and with huge smiles! Your first time down a classic run like this is usually your most

memorable and it had been for me until this trip. One I will never forget! Cheers to Casper, Louise, Emiel, Sven and Tim for a great trip down the river! Sorry I left you on day two and that you ended up getting lost! Lessons learned! 1. “Beta” is advice on how to successfully complete a particular climbing route, boulder problem, or crux sequence.

The crew at the end.

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ISSUE SIXTY Seven • Christmas 2012

Sven on perfect 20 - Photo Josh Neilson

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