Newsletter 12
Dear Southland Sea Kayakers
I have enclosed a few of our recent trip reports. On 24 April we had a trip from Bluff to Omaui. Noel has written this up. The following Saturday Noel and Belinda had a trip from the Oreti River out to sea past the New Estuary Bar and back. And last weekend Belinda had a group of 7 sea kayakers on the Oreti river on Saturday last for an easy paddle. You will notice we have had 3 weekend trips now in succession so a lot is happening.
I have not been able to organise a rolling course yet and will endeavour to sort this out soon. I have just been to a conference in Christchurch and took the opportunity to buy a dry top for myself so I can do my rolling at sea in winter without getting too cold. I also got myself a Top Sport PFD
who make the best PFD's I've come across. I also imported a Fujita single folding kayak which is state of the art in folding kayaks and which we will demonstrate soon at one of our evening meetings.
Trip: Bluff Omaui. 24th April 2004. Noel.
Distance covered; 24.3k¹s.
Average speed; 5.1kph
Duration; 4hrs 43mins
I met Stan at the Green Hills turn off at 7:45.
We went to Omaui and put my boat on Stan¹s car leaving my car so we would have transport at the end of our trip.
We meet Terry and Daan in Bluff and headed for Stirling point lighthouse, packed our boats and launched at the wee beach by the light. I radioed Bluff Fisherman¹s radio that 4 kayaks and 4 people were headed to Omaui and it would take around 4 hrs. Mary wished us a good trip and commented that we had a beautiful day for it. we were on our way.
The sea was flat and the VHF radio was busy all day with many boats, who were out fishing, reporting in. They were all saying what a great day it was even around the back of Stewart Island. One of those rare days for a fabulous cruise in a kayak.
It would have looked good with 20 or 30 boats leaving Bluff - one day maybe! I can only encourage all us novices (and experienced) paddlers to just get out there and do it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
We had the tide with us and were making good speed at around 8 to 10kph. There was a big lazy swell of maybe 2mts. We were being social and admiring the views and generally commenting on things around the coastline. I was going from one boat to another for a bit of socialising, after all I
seem to have speed to burn in my big beautiful Mirage 580. I even seem to stay in it, which is a plus for me.
Half way around we rafted up and discussed whether we should stop in at a beach for lunch and a stretch. The beach would have been a couple of k¹s in a bay and I was a bit of a wet blanket on that idea. I didn¹t want to go all the way into the bay only to find this lazy swell turned into big waves. I thought we could snack out here and enjoy this calm sea and gentle rocking of the boat.
I have this bad habit, so my wife tells me, of getting in the car and going straight to where we're going, none of this stopping every 5mins. I seem to have carried this habit through to my kayaking. I¹m sure it¹s my boat and not my bad habits, it wants to be slicing though the water all the time
and I feel powerless to stop it.
Not long after this, the area we were in was throwing up these big waves out of nowhere. The bottom profile must have risen sharply to produce such big waves so abruptly. We thought it very wise to stay well off the coast as the waves were breaking 1 or 2 k¹s off the beaches that ran along this stretch of coast.
By now the tide had changed and my GPS had us doing around 3kph. None of us were that tired and our speed through the water looked ok. It was going to be a long slog up this coastline against the tide. Still it was awesome watching these big waves form then break and roll that white water all that distance to the beach
Omaui Island was now in view and the closer we got, the gap between the mainland and the Island looked very rough - lots of white water. Should we head for the gap or should we head to the outside and go around the Island was the question.
My boat bolted on me towards the Island and I had no choice but to keep paddling just to keep it happy. I arrived some time before the others and had time to study the gap and decide it would need a braver person than me to go in there.
The problem was that the waves would form 50mts before the Island. By the time they had gone 2 or 3 hundred meters along the Island to the gap they may or may not have settled down. There were just as many that hadn't settled down as had and it would need a whole lot more skill than I have to stay up let alone steer though the gap.
I went out to the seaward side of the Island a sat just off to the side of those big waves. Amazing, flat sea, with no wind and these big breaking waves only in a very defined area coming up out of nowhere. Why would you want to miss all these amazing experiences?
Terry and Stan arrived, we had a chat and we all came to the same conclusion. You may get in between the bad ones but once you were committed there would be no turning back. A risk definitely not worth taking, unless you were a "Tsunami Ranger" (you had to see the DVD at our meeting) Those bad ones seem to have a mind of their own and gave no warning that they would be after you.
We paddled to the other side of the Island, the water going into the Estuary and the current along the coast concealed each other out. We rafted up, pretty much staying in the same place until Daan arrived. We discussed our strategy for going in to Omaui though the unbroken waves rolling past this Island while Daan had a rest. Someone mentioned returning to Bluff, (21 k's back) as opposed to going in through these big rollers, not likely I thought to my self. Omaui is only 3km's in. The group decision was to watch the patterns, plan our route and go in, in singe file, Stan thought I should lead the way, Terry following then Daan and Stan would be tail end Charlie.
Away I went, not much time to check on people behind but I knew Stan would do a stirling job of that. These were my kind of waves, not too steep and all going in the same direction. I was paddling flat out and loving the ride. I managed to stay on a wave and I watched my GPS reading 17, 18, 19, 19.2kph!! What a buzz.
Once I got through the wave area I rounded up and waited for Terry. The others were still a wee way back so we headed up the channel with the incoming tide doing most of the work, found a place to land nearest to the road, took our boats up to the grass and helped Daan and Stan as they
arrived.
We radioed back to Bluff that all had arrived safely and we all decided the waves at the entrance looked much scarier from behind than they really were, and what an excellent days paddling it had been.
Transported the others back to Bluff, picked up the cars, went back to Omaui to pick up the boats, had a late lunch looking out over the sea on a truly excellent day and wondered why so many would want to miss a days paddling like this.
Paddle safely and remember, the only way to get experience is to get out there in a boat and do it.
See you on our next trip, Noel.
Oreti River/Estuary
1 May 2004
"Hi, Belinda. What are you doing on Saturday? I have been looking at the
perfect sea and we just have to do something."
"Yeah, possibly, Noel. What have you in mind?"
"Dog Island?"
"Um, not too sure on that one. There are rising winds forecasted and we'll
have to check the tide. Also I can only go in the afternoon."
As it was the tide was against us and due to my lack of time we decided on the classic fall-back option. Omaui.
Meanwhile Stan had arrived back home early from an aborted climbing trip and wanted to join us with his new folding kayak, which incidently is a very nice boat.
The vast sky was scattered with rain squalls, part rainbows and wild looking clouds amongst the blue, but strangely minimal wind. The biggest problem may be lightning. Not a good place to be. Ah who cares about the rain, let's go. Noel was raring to add kilometres to the trip so instead of our usual put-in point we launched at the Water Ski Club on the Oreti River. The tide was with us so we were having a very cruisy ride - if we managed to stay in the channel. It is very difficult to see down into the water from such a low visual point. Stan decided to go back so we were on our own. It took some time to clear the point off Whalers Bay, just skinning our bottoms as we skimmed over the quickly appearing mud spit. Skies now blue black but still no wind. Surface objects were distorted in size due to the reflections.
"What's that? A piece of foam?"
I paddled over to investigate. Argh, it was a dead paradise duck that had not survived the mornings blast off for the duck shooting season.
We made very quick time and the sea was flat so we decided to go out to the island. We were also aware that there was no rush if we wanted to get a ride back upstream with the ingoing tide. The sun came out briefly in a piercing ray of light, highlighting Noel against the dripping vegetation, rocks and the slate sky. A mad scramble for the on-deck camera.
We paddled very close to the island but I was disappointed not to see any spoonbills this time, just a few spotted shags. A circumnavigation was possible this day compared to the 'boys' trip the weekend before. In fact it was so easy that Noel obviously was bored, and wanted to check out the
sandbar.
"Do you think we could get around the beach end of it?"
"Nah, I doubt it. I dont remember a channel there."
"Well if there was a day we could do it it would be today."
What can you say in the face of such logic?
"Hey Noel, I think we are there, but I cant see any channel. Just horrid looking waves. What do you reckon?"
"Um, do you think we could ride them in over the bar. It's not looking toogood."
We sat and watched for a while. Meantime the tide had obviously turned and as we procrastinated, things were roughing up by the minute. At times I could see sand on the bar churned up in front of the wave. We concluded we would come to a very quick and painful halt if we hit that lot at speed.
"Right Noel we have to make a decision. I doubt that I can get in easily.
What about you?"
"I dont want to get wet." What? I thought Noel was a duck and loved the dunkings!!
"Ok that's it then let's go back."
We were now caught between two lots of breaking waves. The outer ones would hiss in only to fizzle just before they got to us. Rather than take the longer route out to sea we sneaked cautiously along, playing Russian Roulette. I just about lost when I couldnt out speed a breaking wave off to
my right. It caught my stern and I had to do a frantic brace. Yehuh, with adrenaline now pumping I smashed my way out through a patch of ugly stuff. At one stage shaking the water out of my eyes I glanced down to see the Pelican Box (camera inside) sitting on my lap instead of clipped to the deck bungy's. The karabiner had seized open!
Phew, that's it, calm water again. We had returned back over to the channel right close to shore.
"That is a fair way across there. I reckon it must be at least a km."
"Hang on. I'll tell you. It is about 3."
I had forgotten about Noel's toy and it's ability to register the vital statistics. For those interested. It is 4kms from the island directly across to Oreti Beach.
Now that the panic was off and the moon was out we took time out to take pictures of the sunset, a quick toilet stop on a sand 'island' opposite Omaui (only there on low tide) and a gulp of hot Refresh and we were off again. Riding the tide back home.
The skies had cleared. Not a breath of wind. Lights reflected across the vast expanse of water, and tiny schools of wee fish leaping silver in the moonlight ahead of our boats. What more could you want?
Yeah, an easy way through the maze of submerged mud banks and to be able to stay in the channel. If we thought it was difficult before it was worse now in the dark!! A quiet crunch on the gravel and we were back at our cars, 30.8kms later.
Sunday.
"Hello Belinda. It's Noel here...just want you to know it is my best trip
yet..."
COMMENTS/PRECAUTIONS - Without the added-on diversion to check out the sandbar this would have been a very easy trip. For the less experienced try a some shorter trips. Put in at Whalers Bay or there is a road that takes you further downstream. You miss all the mud bank
problems from there.
Biggest things to consider = wind and current. If it is windy go back home or onto the river near Dunns Road Bridge. Note the current. If it is going out you may have to paddle into it coming
back. This can be very tiring. You don't want to be washed out to sea!!
Options:
Paddle downstream for about half an hour then turnaround and come back.
Paddle across and downstream as far as the lagoon on the other side, or go further to a sandy beach upstream of Omaui where you may be able to land for a rest.
Please note that there can be some very tricky water past this point. Do not attempt it if there is a fast outgoing current and/or apposing winds. There can also be some beastly cross waves in this area that try to spit you onto the rocks.
For more experienced and fitter paddlers try going to Omaui but please take note of the above precautions.
If things get too rough/tiring there is a bail-out option of pulling out at Omaui. The stronger ones go back to get the cars and drive to Omaui, or you could ring for a 'rescue' from family/friends.
Safe kayaking
Stanley
I have enclosed a few of our recent trip reports. On 24 April we had a trip from Bluff to Omaui. Noel has written this up. The following Saturday Noel and Belinda had a trip from the Oreti River out to sea past the New Estuary Bar and back. And last weekend Belinda had a group of 7 sea kayakers on the Oreti river on Saturday last for an easy paddle. You will notice we have had 3 weekend trips now in succession so a lot is happening.
I have not been able to organise a rolling course yet and will endeavour to sort this out soon. I have just been to a conference in Christchurch and took the opportunity to buy a dry top for myself so I can do my rolling at sea in winter without getting too cold. I also got myself a Top Sport PFD
who make the best PFD's I've come across. I also imported a Fujita single folding kayak which is state of the art in folding kayaks and which we will demonstrate soon at one of our evening meetings.
Trip: Bluff Omaui. 24th April 2004. Noel.
Distance covered; 24.3k¹s.
Average speed; 5.1kph
Duration; 4hrs 43mins
I met Stan at the Green Hills turn off at 7:45.
We went to Omaui and put my boat on Stan¹s car leaving my car so we would have transport at the end of our trip.
We meet Terry and Daan in Bluff and headed for Stirling point lighthouse, packed our boats and launched at the wee beach by the light. I radioed Bluff Fisherman¹s radio that 4 kayaks and 4 people were headed to Omaui and it would take around 4 hrs. Mary wished us a good trip and commented that we had a beautiful day for it. we were on our way.
The sea was flat and the VHF radio was busy all day with many boats, who were out fishing, reporting in. They were all saying what a great day it was even around the back of Stewart Island. One of those rare days for a fabulous cruise in a kayak.
It would have looked good with 20 or 30 boats leaving Bluff - one day maybe! I can only encourage all us novices (and experienced) paddlers to just get out there and do it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
We had the tide with us and were making good speed at around 8 to 10kph. There was a big lazy swell of maybe 2mts. We were being social and admiring the views and generally commenting on things around the coastline. I was going from one boat to another for a bit of socialising, after all I
seem to have speed to burn in my big beautiful Mirage 580. I even seem to stay in it, which is a plus for me.
Half way around we rafted up and discussed whether we should stop in at a beach for lunch and a stretch. The beach would have been a couple of k¹s in a bay and I was a bit of a wet blanket on that idea. I didn¹t want to go all the way into the bay only to find this lazy swell turned into big waves. I thought we could snack out here and enjoy this calm sea and gentle rocking of the boat.
I have this bad habit, so my wife tells me, of getting in the car and going straight to where we're going, none of this stopping every 5mins. I seem to have carried this habit through to my kayaking. I¹m sure it¹s my boat and not my bad habits, it wants to be slicing though the water all the time
and I feel powerless to stop it.
Not long after this, the area we were in was throwing up these big waves out of nowhere. The bottom profile must have risen sharply to produce such big waves so abruptly. We thought it very wise to stay well off the coast as the waves were breaking 1 or 2 k¹s off the beaches that ran along this stretch of coast.
By now the tide had changed and my GPS had us doing around 3kph. None of us were that tired and our speed through the water looked ok. It was going to be a long slog up this coastline against the tide. Still it was awesome watching these big waves form then break and roll that white water all that distance to the beach
Omaui Island was now in view and the closer we got, the gap between the mainland and the Island looked very rough - lots of white water. Should we head for the gap or should we head to the outside and go around the Island was the question.
My boat bolted on me towards the Island and I had no choice but to keep paddling just to keep it happy. I arrived some time before the others and had time to study the gap and decide it would need a braver person than me to go in there.
The problem was that the waves would form 50mts before the Island. By the time they had gone 2 or 3 hundred meters along the Island to the gap they may or may not have settled down. There were just as many that hadn't settled down as had and it would need a whole lot more skill than I have to stay up let alone steer though the gap.
I went out to the seaward side of the Island a sat just off to the side of those big waves. Amazing, flat sea, with no wind and these big breaking waves only in a very defined area coming up out of nowhere. Why would you want to miss all these amazing experiences?
Terry and Stan arrived, we had a chat and we all came to the same conclusion. You may get in between the bad ones but once you were committed there would be no turning back. A risk definitely not worth taking, unless you were a "Tsunami Ranger" (you had to see the DVD at our meeting) Those bad ones seem to have a mind of their own and gave no warning that they would be after you.
We paddled to the other side of the Island, the water going into the Estuary and the current along the coast concealed each other out. We rafted up, pretty much staying in the same place until Daan arrived. We discussed our strategy for going in to Omaui though the unbroken waves rolling past this Island while Daan had a rest. Someone mentioned returning to Bluff, (21 k's back) as opposed to going in through these big rollers, not likely I thought to my self. Omaui is only 3km's in. The group decision was to watch the patterns, plan our route and go in, in singe file, Stan thought I should lead the way, Terry following then Daan and Stan would be tail end Charlie.
Away I went, not much time to check on people behind but I knew Stan would do a stirling job of that. These were my kind of waves, not too steep and all going in the same direction. I was paddling flat out and loving the ride. I managed to stay on a wave and I watched my GPS reading 17, 18, 19, 19.2kph!! What a buzz.
Once I got through the wave area I rounded up and waited for Terry. The others were still a wee way back so we headed up the channel with the incoming tide doing most of the work, found a place to land nearest to the road, took our boats up to the grass and helped Daan and Stan as they
arrived.
We radioed back to Bluff that all had arrived safely and we all decided the waves at the entrance looked much scarier from behind than they really were, and what an excellent days paddling it had been.
Transported the others back to Bluff, picked up the cars, went back to Omaui to pick up the boats, had a late lunch looking out over the sea on a truly excellent day and wondered why so many would want to miss a days paddling like this.
Paddle safely and remember, the only way to get experience is to get out there in a boat and do it.
See you on our next trip, Noel.
Oreti River/Estuary
1 May 2004
"Hi, Belinda. What are you doing on Saturday? I have been looking at the
perfect sea and we just have to do something."
"Yeah, possibly, Noel. What have you in mind?"
"Dog Island?"
"Um, not too sure on that one. There are rising winds forecasted and we'll
have to check the tide. Also I can only go in the afternoon."
As it was the tide was against us and due to my lack of time we decided on the classic fall-back option. Omaui.
Meanwhile Stan had arrived back home early from an aborted climbing trip and wanted to join us with his new folding kayak, which incidently is a very nice boat.
The vast sky was scattered with rain squalls, part rainbows and wild looking clouds amongst the blue, but strangely minimal wind. The biggest problem may be lightning. Not a good place to be. Ah who cares about the rain, let's go. Noel was raring to add kilometres to the trip so instead of our usual put-in point we launched at the Water Ski Club on the Oreti River. The tide was with us so we were having a very cruisy ride - if we managed to stay in the channel. It is very difficult to see down into the water from such a low visual point. Stan decided to go back so we were on our own. It took some time to clear the point off Whalers Bay, just skinning our bottoms as we skimmed over the quickly appearing mud spit. Skies now blue black but still no wind. Surface objects were distorted in size due to the reflections.
"What's that? A piece of foam?"
I paddled over to investigate. Argh, it was a dead paradise duck that had not survived the mornings blast off for the duck shooting season.
We made very quick time and the sea was flat so we decided to go out to the island. We were also aware that there was no rush if we wanted to get a ride back upstream with the ingoing tide. The sun came out briefly in a piercing ray of light, highlighting Noel against the dripping vegetation, rocks and the slate sky. A mad scramble for the on-deck camera.
We paddled very close to the island but I was disappointed not to see any spoonbills this time, just a few spotted shags. A circumnavigation was possible this day compared to the 'boys' trip the weekend before. In fact it was so easy that Noel obviously was bored, and wanted to check out the
sandbar.
"Do you think we could get around the beach end of it?"
"Nah, I doubt it. I dont remember a channel there."
"Well if there was a day we could do it it would be today."
What can you say in the face of such logic?
"Hey Noel, I think we are there, but I cant see any channel. Just horrid looking waves. What do you reckon?"
"Um, do you think we could ride them in over the bar. It's not looking toogood."
We sat and watched for a while. Meantime the tide had obviously turned and as we procrastinated, things were roughing up by the minute. At times I could see sand on the bar churned up in front of the wave. We concluded we would come to a very quick and painful halt if we hit that lot at speed.
"Right Noel we have to make a decision. I doubt that I can get in easily.
What about you?"
"I dont want to get wet." What? I thought Noel was a duck and loved the dunkings!!
"Ok that's it then let's go back."
We were now caught between two lots of breaking waves. The outer ones would hiss in only to fizzle just before they got to us. Rather than take the longer route out to sea we sneaked cautiously along, playing Russian Roulette. I just about lost when I couldnt out speed a breaking wave off to
my right. It caught my stern and I had to do a frantic brace. Yehuh, with adrenaline now pumping I smashed my way out through a patch of ugly stuff. At one stage shaking the water out of my eyes I glanced down to see the Pelican Box (camera inside) sitting on my lap instead of clipped to the deck bungy's. The karabiner had seized open!
Phew, that's it, calm water again. We had returned back over to the channel right close to shore.
"That is a fair way across there. I reckon it must be at least a km."
"Hang on. I'll tell you. It is about 3."
I had forgotten about Noel's toy and it's ability to register the vital statistics. For those interested. It is 4kms from the island directly across to Oreti Beach.
Now that the panic was off and the moon was out we took time out to take pictures of the sunset, a quick toilet stop on a sand 'island' opposite Omaui (only there on low tide) and a gulp of hot Refresh and we were off again. Riding the tide back home.
The skies had cleared. Not a breath of wind. Lights reflected across the vast expanse of water, and tiny schools of wee fish leaping silver in the moonlight ahead of our boats. What more could you want?
Yeah, an easy way through the maze of submerged mud banks and to be able to stay in the channel. If we thought it was difficult before it was worse now in the dark!! A quiet crunch on the gravel and we were back at our cars, 30.8kms later.
Sunday.
"Hello Belinda. It's Noel here...just want you to know it is my best trip
yet..."
COMMENTS/PRECAUTIONS - Without the added-on diversion to check out the sandbar this would have been a very easy trip. For the less experienced try a some shorter trips. Put in at Whalers Bay or there is a road that takes you further downstream. You miss all the mud bank
problems from there.
Biggest things to consider = wind and current. If it is windy go back home or onto the river near Dunns Road Bridge. Note the current. If it is going out you may have to paddle into it coming
back. This can be very tiring. You don't want to be washed out to sea!!
Options:
Paddle downstream for about half an hour then turnaround and come back.
Paddle across and downstream as far as the lagoon on the other side, or go further to a sandy beach upstream of Omaui where you may be able to land for a rest.
Please note that there can be some very tricky water past this point. Do not attempt it if there is a fast outgoing current and/or apposing winds. There can also be some beastly cross waves in this area that try to spit you onto the rocks.
For more experienced and fitter paddlers try going to Omaui but please take note of the above precautions.
If things get too rough/tiring there is a bail-out option of pulling out at Omaui. The stronger ones go back to get the cars and drive to Omaui, or you could ring for a 'rescue' from family/friends.
Safe kayaking
Stanley