Newsletter 30
20 September 2005
Dear Southland Sea Kayakers
We have some exciting skills weekends planned for spring which I hope will lure you out. Upgrading skills and sea kayaking safety has always been a priority and the following courses are aimed at that.
A group from the network recently had a Foveaux Strait crossing via Ruapuke and I enclose the trip report. Apologies to members who missed the trip but it was pretty much a sudden decision as is often the case with such trips.
Network Trips
Sunday 9th October : Day trip and skills course at Riverton
The programme is as follows:
11-12 AM Riverton Pool: Rolling practice. Please make sure your kayaks are clean and free of gravel and sand before you arrive. We need to get there at 10.30 so we can wash down the kayaks and get ready for an 11 AM start. If there are no swimmers in the pool after 10.30 AM we are free start then. The cost is $40.00 divided by the number of participants. To find the pool go down Palmerston St ( the main St), till you get to the National Bank corner ( Hammer Hardware across the road) & turn left. Go along about 2 blocks & the pool is on the left.
12.30-2.00 Lunch at Tim and Jacqui Anderson, 3 James St, Riverton. Everyone please bring own lunch.
2.00-4.00 PM surf practice/ self rescue and assisted rescue /rolling practice in the Bay.
Sunday 30 October: Day trip Bluff
The provisional plan is to do a day trip at Bluff which will be weather dependent and to have rolling practice at the Awarua Boating club where we have access to warm showers. If the weather is fine we may also head out to Dog Island or around the coast to Ocean Beach. More details later.
Monowai Weekend: 19/20 November
This is our annual skills weekend which will be on similar lines to the previous 2 years courses we have run at Monowai. We base ourselves at the Monowai Holiday Village campground where there are huts, a cottage and a large kitchen. We have the Blackmount pool booked on the Saturday afternoon for indoor self and assisted rescue practice. There will be talks on kayaking equipment, navigation, medical aspects of sea kayaking and clinics on paddling technique, signalling, pod rules. On Sunday we have a trip on Lake Monowai where further skills are practised.
This is proving to be very popular and is nearly fully subscribed already. I encourage to register with me ASAP to avoid disappointment.
My phone number is 2157263 ( home) and 2110999 ( work). Please register your interest now. A full programme will be send out closer to the date.
Other ideas for trips
Sometime later in the summer I was thinking of having a 4 day camp down in Patterson Inlet on Rakiura. Liz Cave has kindly offered to let use her base on Bravo island as a venue.
Anyone interested in these proposed trips please let me know.
New Website:
The Southland Sea kayakers Network has a new web-site address as follows
sskn.uniformnz.com
Terry has revamped the network web site which look great especially the photo gallery and links. Check out the photos of Preservation Sound.
Basic Emergency Kit
This is highly recommended for all tramping and sea kayaking trips. It is a Basic Emergency Kit not a comprehensive one by any means. For sea kayaking emergencies other equipment is of course necessary but not practical to include in this basic kit such as orange smoke, red hand held flares, VHF radio etc.
This is the list of items included
Dry bag xs
Waterproof matches and cigarette lighter
Small torch and spare alkaline battery
Pencil, paper and xs zip lock bags
Firestarters
Small compass
Mirror
Illumstick
Energy food
Whistle
Emergency Survival Sleeping bag
The cost is $ 100.00.
$100.00 is cheap if you life is in danger.
Contact Stanley if interested.
For Sale
I bought 2 screen tent for the Preservation Sound trip and I am selling one of them. It is called an Oz Trail Screen Dome Tent and Fly. It measures 330x330x210 and is brand new. It is ideal for sand-fly protection. I am selling it at whole sale price of $300.00. The other one I am keeping for future expeditions.
A red paddling jacket medium size with neoprene cuffs $50.00
Garmin etrex GPS $200.00
Contact Stanley 03-2157263 (home) or email me [email protected]
Trip Report
Southern Ocean Kayaking Odyssey
From the top of Bluff Hill on a clear day the Southern Ocean stretches away in a great arc from Ruapuke Island in the east to the rocky spires of the Solanders in the far west with Rakiura straddling the centre. It’s a sobering sight subject to dramatic changes of weather and rich in history. I’ve often cast my gaze towards Ruapuke and wondered. Ruapuke so rich in history with great names such Tuhawaiki, Wohlers, Topi and Whaitiri beckoned me across the waters.
Last weekend I had planned to take a kayaking group to Milford Sound but on the Thursday night I remembered Ruapuke. After I checked the tides, the phase of the moon and marine forecast I put it to my companions that we kayak instead across to Ruapuke on Friday afternoon, camp there and on Saturday complete a crossing to Half Moon Bay on Rakiura. The last thing to organise was permission to land on Ruapuke as it is a private Maori Island. Simon gained this and we were set to leave at 1.00 PM Friday at Bluff.
The weather was beautifully clear and warm as Belinda and I arrived early in Bluff. We unpacked our kayaks at the small beach opposite the paua house. Noel and Simon arrived shortly afterwards. As they were getting ready we popped off and bought some take-aways for lunch. Then Noel and I walked across the road to Meri Leask’s house and introduced ourselves to Meri. Meri looks after the Bluff Fisherman's VHF Radio and monitors all the shipping in the Strait. I had already faxed her my Trip Details Report. Meri walked back with us and kindly offered to give us a ride back to the beach after we dropped off our cars at a friend’s place in Bluff.
Shortly after 1.00 PM we pushed our kayaks into the water and headed down the right hand side of the channel and then straight out to sea. Conditions were good with a light easterly and negligible swell and only small waves. It is about 7 kilometres to Dog Island where we landed. A sea fog was now reducing visibility to maybe a kilometre. We did not linger and carried on around the eastern side of the island. Here we headed directly south.
After some time the fog cleared and we could see the north head on Rupee ten or so kilometres away on our port side. Later the steep cliffs of Bird Island appeared on the southern horizon and we altered course to Topi Island lying to the east of that closer to Ruapuke. It took us another 2.5 hours to reach it, which was a relief, as it was getting cold in the strengthening easterly. Then we were through the channel between Topi Island and Ruapuke and into Henrietta Bay. This is a wide bay backed by a sandy beach with some dramatic rock outcrops. Just was we were coming in a fishing boat cruised in past South Point and anchored in the southeastern corner. We kayaked over and met the skipper Colin Topi know as Toe who was expecting us and said we could use the sleep-out on his house on the hill behind the bay. We landed at 5.00 PM and went up to the house and gratefully stripped off our wet gear. Colin got the generator going and opened up his kitchen so we could make have a meal in comfort and then retired back to his boat. By now it was dark and we cooked up a meal and retired early. We decided to get up at 6.00 AM and hit the water at 7.00 AM as the marine forecast was for strengthening north westerlies later in the day.
At 6.00 AM Saturday my alarm went off and I tumbled out of bed. It was dark and foggy outside and Toe’s boat had gone. We sorted out breakfast, left a thank-you note and carried all our gear down to the beach. I got the marine forecast at 7.05 AM and it seemed OK but fog had cancelled shipping in the strait. It 37 kilometres across to Rakiura and we set a course to the main Hazelburgh Island and on to Bench Island. We soon worked out the best method of travel which was for me to kayak out in front as I had a marine compass strapped to my front deck bag and it was easy to follow. Noel had a GPS and chart, which was very useful for checking our speed and position in relation to islands further west.
The fog was quite thick only giving us less then 100 metres visibility. After an hour an island loomed up to port and then several more. In front of us a larger island appeared with a house on it. I guessed this was the main Hazelburgh Island. The houses are owned by Maori folk who for generations harvest the soothy shearwaters or mutton-birds who nest in burrows on all the island in the Strait. The wind blew steadily from the northwest on our beam as we steered a southwesterly course.
From the Hazelburgh islands it is a fifteen kilometre crossing to Bench Island and this we did in the fog. We grimly kayaked on trying not to think what would happen if the wind increased to 20 knots and the seas became unmanageable. It was quiet out there with just the noise of the waves and the oppressive fog as we steadily pressing forwards to the SW. Several cape pigeons glided past and later we passed a pair of mollymacks bobbing on the waves. I was concentrating all the time on our compass bearing and constantly correcting the swing of the kayak to the south. Time flowed past slowly as we passed the point of no return. Now there was no turning back. It was all or nothing, a sort of paddle or die feeling. By 10.30 PM I figured we should be getting a visual on an island but it was nearly 11 AM before the mist rolled back to reveal an island to the north of us and shortly afterwards Bench Island dead ahead. By now the wind was quite strong and kicking up a bit of a sea but is was a brilliantly clear day with a deep blue sky and olive green forest on the islands and on Rakiura. We altered course to the NW to round the northern end of Bench Island. We had been in or cockpits now for 5 hours and suffered from the ‘bursting bladder syndrome’ and my back was cramped up and aching like hell. On the next island we landed on a boulder beach and what an inexpressible relief. The sun had come out and the wind died and life felt good.
After lunch we set off on a 7-kilometre crossing to Bathing Beach in Half Moon Bay. Here we left the kayaks overnight and walked up the hill to Simon’s house. On Sunday the forecast was for 20-knot north westerlies and a good excuse to get the Foveaux Ferry back to Bluff.
The probable first crossing of the Foveaux Strait to Ruapuke and from there to Stewart island by Noel Carson, Simon Marwick, Stan and Belinda Mulvany on 9/10 September 2005. Distance covered 64 kilometres.
Safe kayaking
Stanley
Dear Southland Sea Kayakers
We have some exciting skills weekends planned for spring which I hope will lure you out. Upgrading skills and sea kayaking safety has always been a priority and the following courses are aimed at that.
A group from the network recently had a Foveaux Strait crossing via Ruapuke and I enclose the trip report. Apologies to members who missed the trip but it was pretty much a sudden decision as is often the case with such trips.
Network Trips
Sunday 9th October : Day trip and skills course at Riverton
The programme is as follows:
11-12 AM Riverton Pool: Rolling practice. Please make sure your kayaks are clean and free of gravel and sand before you arrive. We need to get there at 10.30 so we can wash down the kayaks and get ready for an 11 AM start. If there are no swimmers in the pool after 10.30 AM we are free start then. The cost is $40.00 divided by the number of participants. To find the pool go down Palmerston St ( the main St), till you get to the National Bank corner ( Hammer Hardware across the road) & turn left. Go along about 2 blocks & the pool is on the left.
12.30-2.00 Lunch at Tim and Jacqui Anderson, 3 James St, Riverton. Everyone please bring own lunch.
2.00-4.00 PM surf practice/ self rescue and assisted rescue /rolling practice in the Bay.
Sunday 30 October: Day trip Bluff
The provisional plan is to do a day trip at Bluff which will be weather dependent and to have rolling practice at the Awarua Boating club where we have access to warm showers. If the weather is fine we may also head out to Dog Island or around the coast to Ocean Beach. More details later.
Monowai Weekend: 19/20 November
This is our annual skills weekend which will be on similar lines to the previous 2 years courses we have run at Monowai. We base ourselves at the Monowai Holiday Village campground where there are huts, a cottage and a large kitchen. We have the Blackmount pool booked on the Saturday afternoon for indoor self and assisted rescue practice. There will be talks on kayaking equipment, navigation, medical aspects of sea kayaking and clinics on paddling technique, signalling, pod rules. On Sunday we have a trip on Lake Monowai where further skills are practised.
This is proving to be very popular and is nearly fully subscribed already. I encourage to register with me ASAP to avoid disappointment.
My phone number is 2157263 ( home) and 2110999 ( work). Please register your interest now. A full programme will be send out closer to the date.
Other ideas for trips
Sometime later in the summer I was thinking of having a 4 day camp down in Patterson Inlet on Rakiura. Liz Cave has kindly offered to let use her base on Bravo island as a venue.
Anyone interested in these proposed trips please let me know.
New Website:
The Southland Sea kayakers Network has a new web-site address as follows
sskn.uniformnz.com
Terry has revamped the network web site which look great especially the photo gallery and links. Check out the photos of Preservation Sound.
Basic Emergency Kit
This is highly recommended for all tramping and sea kayaking trips. It is a Basic Emergency Kit not a comprehensive one by any means. For sea kayaking emergencies other equipment is of course necessary but not practical to include in this basic kit such as orange smoke, red hand held flares, VHF radio etc.
This is the list of items included
Dry bag xs
Waterproof matches and cigarette lighter
Small torch and spare alkaline battery
Pencil, paper and xs zip lock bags
Firestarters
Small compass
Mirror
Illumstick
Energy food
Whistle
Emergency Survival Sleeping bag
The cost is $ 100.00.
$100.00 is cheap if you life is in danger.
Contact Stanley if interested.
For Sale
I bought 2 screen tent for the Preservation Sound trip and I am selling one of them. It is called an Oz Trail Screen Dome Tent and Fly. It measures 330x330x210 and is brand new. It is ideal for sand-fly protection. I am selling it at whole sale price of $300.00. The other one I am keeping for future expeditions.
A red paddling jacket medium size with neoprene cuffs $50.00
Garmin etrex GPS $200.00
Contact Stanley 03-2157263 (home) or email me [email protected]
Trip Report
Southern Ocean Kayaking Odyssey
From the top of Bluff Hill on a clear day the Southern Ocean stretches away in a great arc from Ruapuke Island in the east to the rocky spires of the Solanders in the far west with Rakiura straddling the centre. It’s a sobering sight subject to dramatic changes of weather and rich in history. I’ve often cast my gaze towards Ruapuke and wondered. Ruapuke so rich in history with great names such Tuhawaiki, Wohlers, Topi and Whaitiri beckoned me across the waters.
Last weekend I had planned to take a kayaking group to Milford Sound but on the Thursday night I remembered Ruapuke. After I checked the tides, the phase of the moon and marine forecast I put it to my companions that we kayak instead across to Ruapuke on Friday afternoon, camp there and on Saturday complete a crossing to Half Moon Bay on Rakiura. The last thing to organise was permission to land on Ruapuke as it is a private Maori Island. Simon gained this and we were set to leave at 1.00 PM Friday at Bluff.
The weather was beautifully clear and warm as Belinda and I arrived early in Bluff. We unpacked our kayaks at the small beach opposite the paua house. Noel and Simon arrived shortly afterwards. As they were getting ready we popped off and bought some take-aways for lunch. Then Noel and I walked across the road to Meri Leask’s house and introduced ourselves to Meri. Meri looks after the Bluff Fisherman's VHF Radio and monitors all the shipping in the Strait. I had already faxed her my Trip Details Report. Meri walked back with us and kindly offered to give us a ride back to the beach after we dropped off our cars at a friend’s place in Bluff.
Shortly after 1.00 PM we pushed our kayaks into the water and headed down the right hand side of the channel and then straight out to sea. Conditions were good with a light easterly and negligible swell and only small waves. It is about 7 kilometres to Dog Island where we landed. A sea fog was now reducing visibility to maybe a kilometre. We did not linger and carried on around the eastern side of the island. Here we headed directly south.
After some time the fog cleared and we could see the north head on Rupee ten or so kilometres away on our port side. Later the steep cliffs of Bird Island appeared on the southern horizon and we altered course to Topi Island lying to the east of that closer to Ruapuke. It took us another 2.5 hours to reach it, which was a relief, as it was getting cold in the strengthening easterly. Then we were through the channel between Topi Island and Ruapuke and into Henrietta Bay. This is a wide bay backed by a sandy beach with some dramatic rock outcrops. Just was we were coming in a fishing boat cruised in past South Point and anchored in the southeastern corner. We kayaked over and met the skipper Colin Topi know as Toe who was expecting us and said we could use the sleep-out on his house on the hill behind the bay. We landed at 5.00 PM and went up to the house and gratefully stripped off our wet gear. Colin got the generator going and opened up his kitchen so we could make have a meal in comfort and then retired back to his boat. By now it was dark and we cooked up a meal and retired early. We decided to get up at 6.00 AM and hit the water at 7.00 AM as the marine forecast was for strengthening north westerlies later in the day.
At 6.00 AM Saturday my alarm went off and I tumbled out of bed. It was dark and foggy outside and Toe’s boat had gone. We sorted out breakfast, left a thank-you note and carried all our gear down to the beach. I got the marine forecast at 7.05 AM and it seemed OK but fog had cancelled shipping in the strait. It 37 kilometres across to Rakiura and we set a course to the main Hazelburgh Island and on to Bench Island. We soon worked out the best method of travel which was for me to kayak out in front as I had a marine compass strapped to my front deck bag and it was easy to follow. Noel had a GPS and chart, which was very useful for checking our speed and position in relation to islands further west.
The fog was quite thick only giving us less then 100 metres visibility. After an hour an island loomed up to port and then several more. In front of us a larger island appeared with a house on it. I guessed this was the main Hazelburgh Island. The houses are owned by Maori folk who for generations harvest the soothy shearwaters or mutton-birds who nest in burrows on all the island in the Strait. The wind blew steadily from the northwest on our beam as we steered a southwesterly course.
From the Hazelburgh islands it is a fifteen kilometre crossing to Bench Island and this we did in the fog. We grimly kayaked on trying not to think what would happen if the wind increased to 20 knots and the seas became unmanageable. It was quiet out there with just the noise of the waves and the oppressive fog as we steadily pressing forwards to the SW. Several cape pigeons glided past and later we passed a pair of mollymacks bobbing on the waves. I was concentrating all the time on our compass bearing and constantly correcting the swing of the kayak to the south. Time flowed past slowly as we passed the point of no return. Now there was no turning back. It was all or nothing, a sort of paddle or die feeling. By 10.30 PM I figured we should be getting a visual on an island but it was nearly 11 AM before the mist rolled back to reveal an island to the north of us and shortly afterwards Bench Island dead ahead. By now the wind was quite strong and kicking up a bit of a sea but is was a brilliantly clear day with a deep blue sky and olive green forest on the islands and on Rakiura. We altered course to the NW to round the northern end of Bench Island. We had been in or cockpits now for 5 hours and suffered from the ‘bursting bladder syndrome’ and my back was cramped up and aching like hell. On the next island we landed on a boulder beach and what an inexpressible relief. The sun had come out and the wind died and life felt good.
After lunch we set off on a 7-kilometre crossing to Bathing Beach in Half Moon Bay. Here we left the kayaks overnight and walked up the hill to Simon’s house. On Sunday the forecast was for 20-knot north westerlies and a good excuse to get the Foveaux Ferry back to Bluff.
The probable first crossing of the Foveaux Strait to Ruapuke and from there to Stewart island by Noel Carson, Simon Marwick, Stan and Belinda Mulvany on 9/10 September 2005. Distance covered 64 kilometres.
Safe kayaking
Stanley