C&K mag #34 dps-f spg - Canoe & Kayak

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SEA KAYAKING Four day trip with Greg Havelock to Picton Saturday, September 17-20, 2005 This trip had been arranged for a couple of months. Greg Andrews (from Christchurch) and myself (Kevin Andrews). We are not related in any way as far as we can ascertain, just cobbers who met because our wives were friends. We had been eagerly waiting for the weekend to arrive. We picked a full moon and also the tide to run us out from Havelock. The idea was to paddle our kayaks from Havelock to Picton in the ensuing four days. The weather of course was going to be great at this time of the year. As it turned out the weather forecast was shit and more shit. However, Greg arrived and the decision was made to have a go. After all we could always come home. So it was that Jenny, Kevin’s wife, took us down to Ohingaroa on Saturday morning and we launched in brilliant sunshine and a slight Nor’west breeze and were underway by 9.25am. We paddled across the Mahau to Putanui Pt in a slight chop that got a wee bit larger in the Hikapu Reach with the tide backing against the wind. As we closed in on Pipi Beach I suggested to Greg that a few minutes ashore would be in order. He agreed, so we hauled ashore for a spell. From here we carried on past Maori Bay, across the front of Four Fathom Bay and round Turn Point. By this time the tide was giving us quite a hand and we were making good time and in reasonable conditions we made Tawero Point. This was our lunch stop. Here we stretched out in the sun in the lee of a rock out of the blustery Nor’west that was blasting down Tawhitinui Reach and watched the fizz boats bouncing across the gap towards Horseshoe Bay. This looked like our first big challenge. What a grunt it was, a good half an hour of solid paddling against a big choppy sea into a strong head wind. Across Richmond Bay we went with the wind now running more side on, hence a little less effort was required. Also at this stage we had a couple of Hector Dolphins decide to show off for us. They jumped straight into the air in front of us, leaping higher than our heads, they raced 38 ISSUE THIRTYfour • 2005 past the boats, dashed close inshore and out again. Two Bottlenose dolphins arrived to join the fray they swam around us a couple of times, just <strong>mag</strong>ic. We paddled on and duly made the turn into Ketu Bay where we determined that we would camp the night. In the bay five runabouts were all dragging scallop dredges and a launch was hooked up to a mooring for the night. We cruised in past the first two beaches and finally decided on the third as it looked to have the only camping site. We were reasonably sheltered in here, possibly the best spot in the bay available to our lifestyle. Five hours had passed since Jenny had seen us off. Not too bad a time for a couple of amateurs I reckoned. We set up camp and dried our sweat-soaked tops in the warm sunshine. About an hour or so later, the wind was increasing and getting colder, so we had tea and retired for the night. About 11pm the rain started. It was still raining in the morning, blowing a gale from the south, huge williwaws streaked across the bay, lifting spray 70-80ft in the air. Then the rain and mist closed in and we could no longer see across the bay. So to keep warm both of us crawled into my tent and our sleeping bags. Greg’s tent fly was not entirely successful so he slept in the tent with me. In the afternoon the rain eased to sporadic showers so we went for a stroll along the beach to the head of the bay, coming back via a road that had been kept in good nick. We cooked tea and listened to the weather forecast and decided that our only choice was to abandon the idea of trying to get round Cape Jackson, the top of the Sounds to Picton as there was a storm warning out and it was a southerly. After a blustery night we awoke to clear skies but a rather brisk sou’west blow. We had a quick breakfast, packed up camp and at 5.50am were on the water. Destination Penzance Bay, Tennyson Inlet. We cruised out of Ketu Bay on a calm sea, rounded the corner into a real rugged sea and extremely brisk breeze. We punched this for an hour or so, finally gaining some shelter and a wee break behind Maud Island. It was here that I asked Greg to dig out his cell phone and contact Jenny, my lovely and understanding wife, to request a pick up at Penzance Bay, our ETA would be in about three hours. Well we popped out from the lee of Maud Island into the biggest sea of the trip and as was now the norm, another big head wind. At times on this stretch we both thought that we were not making any headway, but we were, slowly getting there. One and a half hours of solid paddling saw us thankfully resting in the shelter of Tarakaipa Island in Tennyson Inlet. From here we popped across to Deep Bay, and landed on a wee beach to stretch the legs, before cruising around the coastline in sheltered waters and sunshine listening to the birds singing in Penzance Bay. Time
11.30am. Half an hour later, Derek Cordes, who had been contacted by Jenny, arrived in my vehicle to pick us up. The Bay was flat calm, the sun shining and one would never have believed the difference in the conditions just a couple of miles further out. After a cuppa we loaded the boats and Derek drove us out. Car problems as usual at the Clansman in Havelock saw us enjoying a well-earned Guinness and a bite to eat. This caused bladder problems and a call at the Cork and Keg in Renwick a few kilometres towards home was necessary to get this fixed. Our day was topped off by Jenny cooking us a fantastic meal that we all enjoyed along with a convivial glass of red. It is really great to come home to such a lovely lady. The experience was fantastic. We were a tad disappointed at not being able to achieve our objective, but by not trying to be smart we live to try again another day. The weather was not conducive to kayaking around Cape Jackson. Also I know now that I still need to get my wrists considerably fitter. They are at present both swollen and rather tender. However on the up side we agreed that the trip is possible and hopefully we will one day achieve it. We have far more knowledge about our boats capability and at no time did we feel unsafe in the conditions. Possibly had the wind been much stronger we may not have been able to battle against it. Not too bad an achievement for a couple of amateurs I reckon. Greg was paddling his contour 480 and I was paddling my Tui Excel. Greg was not able to match my boat speed. I seemed to slip along somewhat faster with less effort. This was in good going, i.e. flat water as well as in the rugged water, even though Greg seemed to be cutting through the rough flatter than me. His paddles are squarer than mine, he said he seems to have to dig deeper to get momentum whereas I apparently have a flatter sweep with my bettershaped paddles. After our discussions, in the watering hole of course, we have decided to exchange paddles next time out together, and see if that was the cause for the speed differential or whether it was simply a case of boat design. 125mm, 360 degree LED light Manufacturered by Great Stuff Ltd, email: greatstuff@woosh.co.nz NEW Safety Flag & Light Be seen day or night with Great Stuff’s new Safety Flag, LED Light unit. • LED light with 20 hour battery life • Waterproof up to 300 feet • Visible up to 500 meters in darkness • Available in traditional rod holder mount or new easy install base NEW Easy Install Base • Very easy to install. Simply drill a 20mm hole and tighten the large plastic nut until waterproof • Rubber washers provide seal • Base is small and inconspicuous on your kayak • Flag pole slides in and out of Base for easy transport ISSUE THIRTYfour • 2005 39
Page 1 and 2: $5.95 NZ NZ Kayak Magazine Buyers W
Page 3 and 4: ISSUE THIRTYfour • 2005 3
Page 5 and 6: EDITOR: Peter Townend Ph: [09] 473
Page 7 and 8: ISSUE THIRTYfour • 2005 7 NZ Dist
Page 9 and 10: Pete Townend promised, “Cool morn
Page 11 and 12: Lessons Learned When we are close t
Page 13 and 14: Some tips on how to organize a kaya
Page 15 and 16: In control while Toni watches on ag
Page 17 and 18: Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers N.
Page 19 and 20: For Sale Kayak Shops Interested in
Page 21 and 22: Getting into Multisport Kayaking? A
Page 25 and 26: Letters to the Editor Cars carrying
Page 27 and 28: OTHER WORLD HAWKE’S BAY 15 Niven
Page 31 and 32: Dry Bag Technology moves forward Gr
Page 33 and 34: When my niece Rachel rang, she caug
Page 37: WHATS ON? Easter “Get Together”
Page 43 and 44: ACADIA 470 A great fun family boat
Page 45 and 46: We have many more kayaks available
Page 47 and 48: We have many more kayaks available
Page 49 and 50: Accommodation available to Yakity Y

C&K mag #34 dps-f spg - Canoe & Kayak

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