Newsletter 37
4 July 2006
Dear Southland Sea Kayakers
This is a reminder that we have 2 more rolling classes at Splash Palace over the next 2 weekends
Dates:
Sunday 9 July
Sunday 16 July
Time: 4.30-6.30pm
Venue: Splash Palace
Cost: Admission charge + a few dollars for Stanley for cost of lane hire
What to bring: Sea kayak if you have one but we can only manage about 6 as we have only 2-3 lanes to use. So if you do not have a sea kayak please come. Be sure to clean your kayak before you arrive and remove any gravel or dirt from the cockpit. Bring along your spray skirt, hatch covers, PFD, nose clips or goggles, togs or wetsuit, paddle and a paddle float if you have one.
So far we have had about 8 people turning up for these classes and this is a great opportunity in learning the roll so do come along.
Network Trips
Belinda was disappointed only three turned up for her Winter Solstice trip which turned out to be a lovely calm night on the Oreti River.
Saturday/Sunday 1/2 July: Lake Monowai paddle and a climb of Cleughearn Peak
We were supposed to kayak up Lake Hauroko but instead we elected to do a trip on Lake Monowai. The weather forecast predicted wind from Saturday onwards and we were afraid we might have problems kayaking down Hauroko on the Sunday. Jon Taylor, Paula Macfarlane and myself set off on Friday afternoon. On the drive west we could see high cirrus and thought this might be a weather change so we quickly changed plans to go to Monowai as its easier to get out of there in bad weather. We left our cars at the road end and kayaked into Rodgers Inlet hut arriving at about 6.30 PM in the dark. There are two small huts there and we took the A frame which was vacant. Next morning we set off at 6.30 AM and spent about 2 hours wandering about the forest and shore line trying to find an old track heading up to the tops. Eventually we found it at the bottom of a ridge and then it was a fast climb up to bushline at about 1000 metres. From here on it was across several smaller snow peaks into an increasingly strong wind to the summit of Cleughearn at 1560 metres. The last bit was unpleasant as the gale force wind was threatening to part us from the mountain. A rapid descent was made to the bushline on the opposite ridge to the one we climbed up and then a race to beat the dark had us another few hundred metres down before it got pitch dark. After some discussion we decided to head straight down through steep forest to the valley floor where we followed a creek to the lake. Unfortunately we were still quite a distance from the hut and we spent 2 hours making our way along boulder beaches and wading along the shoreline to the hut which we reached at 9.00 PM. Next day we kayaked out a stiff head wind.
Saturday/Sunday 29/30 July: Lake Hauroko paddle and an optional climb of White Peak
This is still on the agenda. My plan is to leave on Friday evening for Lake Hauroko and kayak 9 kilometres to Caroline Hut . On Saturday we have the option of climbing to the bushline on White Peak and camping. On Sunday we go for the top at 1574 metres and return the same way. People not keen on the climb can base themselves at Caroline Hut and do a day trip from here perhaps to the head of the lake and rendezvous with the climbing party on Sunday for the return trip. Leader is Stanley ph 2157263
Kayak Rental
After numerous requests for a local sea kayak rental I have bought a new Shearwater Sea Kayak which is available for rent to experienced paddlers or on club trips. I will include all the usual accessories. Contact Stanley If you want to rent a sea kayak Ph 2157263.
New Website:
The Southland Sea kayakers Network has a new web-site address as follows
sskn.uniformnz.com
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.
Safe Kayaking
Stanley
Dear Southland Sea Kayakers
This is a reminder that we have 2 more rolling classes at Splash Palace over the next 2 weekends
Dates:
Sunday 9 July
Sunday 16 July
Time: 4.30-6.30pm
Venue: Splash Palace
Cost: Admission charge + a few dollars for Stanley for cost of lane hire
What to bring: Sea kayak if you have one but we can only manage about 6 as we have only 2-3 lanes to use. So if you do not have a sea kayak please come. Be sure to clean your kayak before you arrive and remove any gravel or dirt from the cockpit. Bring along your spray skirt, hatch covers, PFD, nose clips or goggles, togs or wetsuit, paddle and a paddle float if you have one.
So far we have had about 8 people turning up for these classes and this is a great opportunity in learning the roll so do come along.
Network Trips
Belinda was disappointed only three turned up for her Winter Solstice trip which turned out to be a lovely calm night on the Oreti River.
Saturday/Sunday 1/2 July: Lake Monowai paddle and a climb of Cleughearn Peak
We were supposed to kayak up Lake Hauroko but instead we elected to do a trip on Lake Monowai. The weather forecast predicted wind from Saturday onwards and we were afraid we might have problems kayaking down Hauroko on the Sunday. Jon Taylor, Paula Macfarlane and myself set off on Friday afternoon. On the drive west we could see high cirrus and thought this might be a weather change so we quickly changed plans to go to Monowai as its easier to get out of there in bad weather. We left our cars at the road end and kayaked into Rodgers Inlet hut arriving at about 6.30 PM in the dark. There are two small huts there and we took the A frame which was vacant. Next morning we set off at 6.30 AM and spent about 2 hours wandering about the forest and shore line trying to find an old track heading up to the tops. Eventually we found it at the bottom of a ridge and then it was a fast climb up to bushline at about 1000 metres. From here on it was across several smaller snow peaks into an increasingly strong wind to the summit of Cleughearn at 1560 metres. The last bit was unpleasant as the gale force wind was threatening to part us from the mountain. A rapid descent was made to the bushline on the opposite ridge to the one we climbed up and then a race to beat the dark had us another few hundred metres down before it got pitch dark. After some discussion we decided to head straight down through steep forest to the valley floor where we followed a creek to the lake. Unfortunately we were still quite a distance from the hut and we spent 2 hours making our way along boulder beaches and wading along the shoreline to the hut which we reached at 9.00 PM. Next day we kayaked out a stiff head wind.
Saturday/Sunday 29/30 July: Lake Hauroko paddle and an optional climb of White Peak
This is still on the agenda. My plan is to leave on Friday evening for Lake Hauroko and kayak 9 kilometres to Caroline Hut . On Saturday we have the option of climbing to the bushline on White Peak and camping. On Sunday we go for the top at 1574 metres and return the same way. People not keen on the climb can base themselves at Caroline Hut and do a day trip from here perhaps to the head of the lake and rendezvous with the climbing party on Sunday for the return trip. Leader is Stanley ph 2157263
Kayak Rental
After numerous requests for a local sea kayak rental I have bought a new Shearwater Sea Kayak which is available for rent to experienced paddlers or on club trips. I will include all the usual accessories. Contact Stanley If you want to rent a sea kayak Ph 2157263.
New Website:
The Southland Sea kayakers Network has a new web-site address as follows
sskn.uniformnz.com
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.
Safe Kayaking
Stanley