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ISSUE FORTYnine • 2009 29<br />
Sandbar (complete<br />
with entertainment)<br />
Short cut through<br />
the mangroves<br />
The planned trip on Monday 8 th<br />
was cancelled due to high winds,<br />
rough seas & a big weekend.<br />
Rescheduled!<br />
At 6.45 a.m. on Saturday 13 th<br />
December 2008, because our very<br />
understanding wives have given up<br />
chasing us around the country &<br />
waiting for us, Ian and I are driving<br />
two vehicles. We took the skis on<br />
the truck to Olympic park New Lynn,<br />
deciding on the way to do a bigger paddle so we left the<br />
van at Coxs Bay<br />
At the start point we found a rail bridge being built. The<br />
nice people had made steps to the water’s edge and<br />
encouraged our 8 a.m. easy launch with big smiles. We<br />
paddled 20m to the fi rst bend where a metre diameter<br />
pipe blocked progress. At low tide you might get under it<br />
but not at high tide. We climbed the steep bank, dragged<br />
the skis over the pipe and re-launched. On 80 metres<br />
and a tree stopped us. Once again up the bank to drag<br />
the skis 35m across lumpy boggy ground for a third<br />
launch. After an hour we stopped for a drink & a banana.<br />
Floating with the wind & tide we could see that the<br />
mangroves were mostly under water offering channels<br />
for a short cut. It probably took longer than sticking to the<br />
main channel but it was a bit of fun. Down the estuary,<br />
under the motor way, we stopped on the sand bar for a<br />
rest and a stand up to stretch our backs before setting off<br />
to Pt Chev. Birds, pretending to have broken wings, tried<br />
to distract us from attacking their nests and young. We<br />
were standing in ankle deep water and watched for about<br />
5 minutes. When we paddled off sea gulls, who also had<br />
nearby nests, dived bombed us. Reaching Pt Chev in<br />
an uneven, choppy swell and a cross wind was a bit of<br />
a challenge but once sheltered close to shore it was a<br />
cruisey paddle to Coxs Bay.<br />
Two hours, fi fteen minutes after we started our 15 km trip<br />
we lifted the skis on to the van. It had been enjoyable but<br />
not fast.<br />
Next trip:<br />
Coxs bay to St Heliers, a continuation of this trip or<br />
Green bay to Mangere Bridge on the other harbour.<br />
28, Essendon Place, RD 4, Rotorua<br />
Phone 07 345 7647 or 021 898942 Fax 07 345 7657<br />
www.daytwo.co.nz<br />
Email: info@daytwo.co.nz
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