Sea Kayak
· TYPE OF ACTIVITY- Sea Kayak
· TRIP NAME/LOCATION- Abel Tasman National Park, Marlborough Sounds
· DURATION- 10 days
· GRADES OF ACTIVITY- Inshore and Outer Sounds · NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS- 14
· ACCOMMODATION- Tents
· VARIATION IN DAILY CONDITION- Variable winds
· WEATHER CONDITIONS- Frosts with clear days
INCIDENTS/ INJURIES- Kristie and Brent let mid trip with personal reasons
We left Greymouth whilst it was snowing, a nervous omen for our biggest trip of the year 10 days on the Abel Tasman and Marlborough Sounds. Driving up the valley it is blanketed in white between Ikamatua and Reefton we are stopped the road is closed, well this ends in a huge snow ball fight using the road side powder, a snow board would’ve have seemed right 11 sea kayaks didn’t. Road back open we continued on our way to Murchison for our much anticipated late lunch and then onto Motueka, the going was slow as black ice was abundant. Arriving at Motueka McDonalds unscathed our big group has its briefing inside the establishment. We then head to Kaiteriteri to the camp ground, sleep is on everyone’s mind.
Waking early to a frosted tent and gear, my group of Tui, Ben, Chris and myself prepare breakfast as a side component of this trip is catering, we prepare a yummy porridge and prepare lunch. The torturous task of taking down a frozen tent follows, we make our way down to Stevens Bay our departure point on this voyage. Our tutor Taz introduces us to Brent Johnson our other faithful instructor on the trip. We unload our tons of gear into piles then into smaller piles and then even smaller piles and fill every available space in our kayaks until you’d question if they’d float. The ‘Grey Warbler’ with the tiger as its totem, is my laden beauty on this trip. We finally depart the safety of the vans, what’s forgotten is forgotten, and the hugely anticipated trip begins.
Split Apple Rock is our first point where we stop so that Jacob can pick up his prearranged dropped off sleeping mat. We explore some caves, and orientate ourselves these somewhat cumbersome boats which is greatly different from our white water boats. We start our first crossing across the Marahau Bay, towards the beautiful Adele Island, our lunch destination. Consume our carb loading lunch and head off to the tranquil Mosquito Bay our camp for the night. With the sun dropping below the hills the temperature drops as dramatically, we haul our kayaks well above the high tide line, unload the tons of gear and set up for the night. I vote the meal of the trip was coming up, Homemade hamburgers with a hot drink followed by a Scotty creation of whipped cream and strawberry yoghurt a real treat. With a content stomach it’s time to hit the hay and my tiny sleeping mat was well enjoyed.
Day two started early, allowing us time to reload our gear into our boats, 3D tetris as Taz puts it seems very appropriate. Heading past Tonga Bay and Island its a chance to reflect, as before starting the course I did the Abel Tasman tramp with Rach, it was interesting to see where I had come from, the things that I had learnt and the exciting prospects for the future, the pace and beauty at times whilst Sea Kayaking allows your mind to wander, ponder and a great opportunity to get intouch with yourself, as you paddle on. The amazing Shag Cove was next, but not to be outdone by one of Taz awesome caves that heads deep into the cliff, pitch black inside you wouldn’t be surprised If a Taniwha was to jump out at you, I lose my sunnies in the dark abyss, and the squinting begins.
Shag Cove is where all the baby seals are, truely spectacular as they dart around your kayak and play amongst everyone, it was hard to believe you were so close to these wild wee animals. We reluctantly leave and continue on with our mission. A beautiful lunch on a pristine beach was then followed by a rescue session in the stunning but frigid water. Rolling the kayak 5 times resulted in a splitting ice cream headache, but was interesting the differences in the boats, I managed to roll my sea kayak using just a paddle float which I think is the highlight of my rolling career to date. John Wayne self rescuing was next, which is where you mount your boat on from the stern, and sit on it similar to as you would on a surfboard, and then swing your legs in. Then the technique of, using your paddle float on your paddle and using it like and outrigger for extra stability whilst re-entering. And finally rescuing someone else in the deep water, emptying their boat of water, assisting them back into the kayak and setting them up to continue on. I was very grateful for wearing my wetsuit through the exercise but nonetheless was stoked to start paddling again to warm up.
We headed further north to Araroa Heads, the most north we got in the park. Jake and Grace manage to go rock climbing from their sea kayaks over the beautiful water. We find and pick up Wilson, a disowned huge Mussel buoy and commence towing him throughout the rest of our time in the park. We turn around and start heading back through the park to Tonga Bay our camp ground for the night, we prepare a hearty stew for tea which was well received, the night is cold but the stars are out in their full glory, like all the mornings so far another frost is on the cards.
We awake to frozen tents again. Our packing of the kayaks is becoming much more effective, hense we get on the water earlier, but Taz has other things planned, we have an awesome lesson on leadership where you identify with a certain style on this grid on the sand on the beach, you gain the pros and cons of your style, and work out ways to manage and improve the best way you work with a group. We jumped on the water all amped after this session, and head towards Sandfly bay, which is a beautiful lagoon where a river meets the ocean, and the fresh and salt water mix to make this amazing almost cordial like mixture. Technical paddling lesson, learning the different strokes to white water, after everyone’s boat is turning much more effectively and bumper boats may seem like something of the past. It feels like summer with the warm sun, blue skies and striking water. We head or Apple Tree Bay, a beautiful spit beach, I think our shortest paddling day. That night during our feedback session, our group in a way let rip, and feedback flowed freely and openly, it was a great night and a lot of information was conveyed I think it paved a way for the rest of our trip and hopefully the rest of the course.Our last day on the Abel Tasman, Apple Tree to Stevens Bay. I t was a pretty straight forward paddle on the crossing across Marahau Bay was much tighter than what we had done only 3 days previous. We see a strange and sad sight whilst crossing, a small dead seal floating in the water, no obvious wounds, we believe it may have got run over and drowned, who nos.
Getting back to Stevens Bay and putting on some fresh un-salted clothing was much enjoyed. We go on a tour around the Kahu Kayaks and Abel Tasman kayaks seeing how they work. We are put to work at ATK, I get to use some creative license and a few of us build a huge Koru out of rocks in their courtyard and style in a subtle TPP 11’ leaving our mark. We head to Nelson were a shopping spree begins with food and gear, I buy myself a new jacket, Jacob and Keiran buy the same one also, most of our money is goneskis. Onto Marlborough sounds to start the second half of our trip, we arrive late in the night, set up camp, have our first and last hot shower. Prepare the upcoming food, and amp ourselves for our next big day.Our group comes together and discussed the plan, a 34km paddle to Bluemine Island, with the likelihood of finishing it in the dark. We all are amped at the goal, and start off for Double Cove our lunch destination we are led by Sara, the water is cold the sky is crystal blue. On arriving to Double Cove Kristy who has been battling Glandular Fever is feeling well below the weather and a water taxi is organised and she sadly departs the crew to return to Greymouth to recover. Distance and time is of the essence however on one of our crossings we witness Ganets and Shags dive bombing the water like WWII so we head over to inspect to find ourselves amidst dolphins, seals, sea life at its awesomest (Its the only word to describe it). On the post high of the experience we continue on our big day still enthralled by what we had just seen. Dusk sets in, head torches and beanies come out. I become the group leader, we set off hugging the coastline in the approaching dark. We reach a point where we prepare for our crossing to Bluemine Island which looks like a black silhouette with no discernable landmarks. We have a tight diamond formation and leave our one point of safety to our next. Whilst crossing our paddles and bow waves start to light up as the phosphorescence lights up the disturbed water, so magical. We make it to our camp at about 8 o’clock exhausted. We make our way up to our camp, a WWII gun embankment, it was like a James Bond Movie set, we eat dinner of nachos and collapse to a well earned sleep, I was informed that I snored I was that tired.
A later start at 730 was welcomed with Phils birthday cake a Carrot Cake prepared by Scotty on a camp oven. We make our next plan which involves Paua diving which I’m pumped about. We are to head across Resolution Bay to Ships Cove, have lunch then cross to Motuara Island where we will chase the kai moana. The plan is executed exceptionally by the crew and we end in Motuara island, where Brent, Keiran, Scotty and myself go for a dive after Paua, well we find 20 thumpers for dinner, a cold but awesome experience. We then head to Resolution Bay to camp, which ended in another night paddle, something we are becoming accustomed to. Paua as an entree to a awesome curry, life doesn’t get much better.
Day 3 involves another 30km paddle, Resolution cross to the Southern end of Long Island, to then cross to Pickersgill Island for lunch, cross circumnavigate the south eastern aspect of Blumine Island cross the Queen Charlotte Sound to Snake point and head to Ruakaka bay our camp for the night. A big day. We reach Pickersgill Island, which wouldn’t be out of place in the Mediterranean, the water was so clear that you spent so much time looking over the side of your boat that you felt nauseous because of the ripple off your bow wave. It felt like summer off came the paddling gear and shirt, the beach soon turned into a Chinese sweat shop with the tents and sleeping bags sprawled out everywhere drying. A fire was started and an entree of fresh garlic mussels followed with crackers and dip. The fellas fishing soon arrived with 5 beautiful blue cod, they were quickly filleted and chucked on the fire (man it was a hard afternoon in the sun) with only 2/5 of the trip actually completed we packed up and got on with the task, which we pumped out in a very satisfying time with still a morsel of sun left when we get to camp. With a cup of tea with dinner, lying flat never felt so good on this aching body.
Day 4 with the finish in sight the group starts to relax, and start up in cruise mode. Except on the ocean it is boss, as we are paddling we see a seal in the middle of a crossing which is quite strange, soon to follow is a number of plooms of spray as some dolphins surface very close by, we turn around and follow the dolphins which are around and beneath the kayaks, they are hunting again, it is the same pod as the other day. It was such a great omen for our last day, and the spirits were sky high. We paddle into Double Cove, for the second time but it was such a great destination sitting on the jetty in the sun. We have a quick lunch and I am re-united with the Grey Warbler after it was chosen to be the boat to be left behind after Christie left. Happy I am as we paddle on, the warbler is completely empty and no longer is a tug boat and is keeping up with the sleek Elaho’s.
We reach the our starting point and this mixed feelings of elation that we made it, and completed all our goals. For me it was a very special time, as our last night was at Outward Bound, 2 years ago whilst on OB I made a goal that I was going to do this course in the Outdoors, leave everything in Perth and go out and do this for myself, find my passion, well goal with the box is sitting there with the pen ready to be ticked it as this year is slowly but quickly drawing to an end. It is exciting times, I spend a very restless night at OB dreaming and thinking of my next goals, so...... WATCH THIS SPACE!
please note that on this trip my camera had an intimate moment with water, and these above photos are courtesy of Tui Kraal.
