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west coast rivers
Andrew England:
Assessing Whitewater
Recreational Values of
West Coast Rivers
project
Researcher and Greymouth
school teacher Andrew England
is spending the year navigating
the rivers of the West Coast
and producing reports with the
help of Sony technology, to benefit
white-water kayakers and the local community.
What does your work involve? Can you describe
your typical day?
This year, I am trying to describe the value of West
Coast rivers to the world of white-water kayakers. That
means I am kayaking all the popular white-water
rivers myself, like a stock-take of what we have. I
photograph anything I see that characterises that river,
whether it is a rapid of a certain style or a spectacular
gorge. The photos are geotagged so I can see where
I’ve been and prove it, if necessary, as part of my report.
A typical summer’s day involves getting up around
6am and jumping in my truck to pick up my kayak
team on the way to a river. We get changed and
check our safety equipment while we wait for the
helicopter to arrive. The pilot drops us at the ‘put in’
near the top of the river, then flies off.
We usually take a minute to enjoy the quiet after the
helicopter, and the feeling of being in the middle of
nowhere, then start our journey back to civilisation
flowing with the river.
Whenever I see anything I want to photograph, I
jump out of my kayak and check my GPS has satellite
signal before taking the photo. We also stop to look at
particularly dangerous rapids, where we cover each
other for safety.
We might get off the river at 6pm. I get the contact
details for the team I kayaked with that day and
thank them, then head home. Flick the Memory
Stick into the GPS unit to geotag the photos, then
download the photos to my laptop. Make notes
in my diary and update my database.
Plan the next trip!
That can become
dangerous as
the day gets on,
and I think that
without the Sony
technology I’ve
used this year I
would have got in
serious trouble on
the river or been
unable to complete
the survey work
properly. It is also
really useful and
time-efficient to be
able to move seamlessly
from one media to
another: photo-GPSlaptop-web.
The Sony
system has saved so
many hours of work.
How has Sony
technology helped you in your work?
My VAIO laptop is a complete information storing
and processing tool, linking all other technologies
I use with the world and easing my research. It is the
hub of the other tools of my trade this year.
Everywhere I go, be it on the river or to a meeting,
I take my Sony digital voice recorder. Its tiny size and
negligible weight means it never gets in the way.
This has become my way of taking notes for myself.
The lightness of this whole system was a hugely
important factor when
deciding on what
equipment I needed.
Andrew uses the
VPCCW16FG VAIO laptop,
DSCHX1 Cyber-shot camera,
GPSCS3KA accessory and
ICDUX81 Voice Recorder for
his research.
surfing in Tahiti
Last year, Sony & Billabong ran a promotion for
DSLR cameras and Video Walkman MP3 players,
where consumers could win a trip for two to the
Billabong Pro surf event in Teahupoo, Tahiti.
Once considered unsurfable, in 2010 Teahupoo was
tamed for the tenth time by 48 of the world’s best
surfers. This year, the champion was Andy Irons, who
officially made his comeback to professional surfing
by overcoming World Champions Mick Fanning &
Kelly Slater to face CJ Hobgood in the final.
We asked one of our consumer promotion winners
Shaun Lincoln to describe the trip in his own words:
“Day 1: The surf had a lay day (wasn’t big enough
for the world’s best) so it was a quick trip to
Papeete where we realised everything was shut
on Sunday and then went cruising by the pool...
working on our tans was pretty hard work.
Day 2: Off out to Teahupoo (Chaups) – that’s when
we realised that this place was insane! Floating
around on lilos and surfboards in the channel
watching the comp was surreal. Reached for
the waterproof Cyber-shot snapping up as many
shots as we could of the professional surfers and
ourselves, taking a few underwater shots, the kind
you take home to the scrapbook.
paddling with Kelly
Day 3: Back to Chaups... busted out the Sony HD
Handycam to get some awesome footage of the
waves which were the biggest that they got in the
comp this year, got a signature and had a chat
with Kelly Slater, and chilled on a jet ski with Occy!
We had a trip we will never forget. Sony and
Billabong did an awesome job, putting us up at a
mint place called the Manava Suite Resort. I have
just lived my dream! Thanks Sony & Billabong!”
surf’s up
Sean with Occy
Out and About with Sony
10
Does technology play a part in
your success?
Technology is essential in this work.
Every time I interrupt the day to take
photos, the team is slowed down.
For further information visit sony.co.nz 11