Saturday, April 19, 2008

Our Journey Continues...

Firstly we would like to Thank you all for helping us along the way.

Our trip started off with some bad weather down to Dusky Sound, we had to be patient & wait it out until the weather became better.

Our five person trip turned into a 2 person trip as time went on. Both Bob & Ian ran out of time & had to get back to work & John left us earlier on.

We were then able to take advantage of the better weather & tides. The Fishing & Charter Boats in Dusky Sound & along the coastline were keeping an eye on us. On our way through Preservation Inlet the guys at Kisbee Lodge were also very helpful.

A big Thanks goes out to Bill & Mary, our friends from Palmerston North now living in Dunedin. Bill had a weather forecast waiting for us every night when we rang. Also Margaret, who relayed messages for us. Thanks to Matt who was our blog man & kept you up to date with our journey.

We will be traveling up to the National Sea Kayak Forum where we will do a presentation of our trip so far around Fiordland. Soon after, we will travel back down to Bluff & carry on our journey up to Dunedin where we will do another presentation at Watercooled Sports.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Made it to Bluff!


Good day to-day and made it to Bluff.
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Winds turned to Southwest and made it very choppy and difficult to paddle into. Were glad to finally struggle around Southwest Point and finally paddle into Bluff Harbour.

After changing into dry clothes we treated ourselves to a delicious meal of fresh Bluff oysters. Then packed up to start our long journey home.

Photo attached is of us at Bluff.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Destination - Oreti Bay

Today our destination was Oreti Bay

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To-day was very long and ended in a rough surf landing at Oreti Beach.
During the trip we kayaked through a bird feeding frenzy of Shearwaters,
shags and several different sea birds - it was a bit scary as fish were also
jumping out of the water. Also, just before surfing into Oreti Beach a
Hectors dolphin swam alongside our kayaks.

Phone call this morning, today will
be their final day, finishing at Bluff.

They hope to be at Bill's tonight and will send their final report along
with some more photos. Have to drive back up to Te Anau to get Bob's and
Ian's kayaks before going to Dunedin.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Kawakaputa Bay


Reached Kawakaputa Bay and stayed for the night. E2110470 N5412717

What the heck are these Easting and Northing coordinates that are posted in each article? Well, if you really want to know then head here...

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Te Waewae Bay!


We've finally reached Port Craig (read more about it here) and managed to get cell-phone signal to call in this report (E2075174 N5428253). Port Craig was once the largest timber producing town in New Zealand, with it's own jetty and ships docking regularly, and it's own rail, however - there's no road access to anywhere else!

We can almost see Riverton from where we are - sitting on the jetty, eating tea and watching two dolphins playing. Managed to get everything washed and even had time for a swim.

We plan to cross Te Waewae bay tomorrow (Sunday), then to Bluff on Monday. Expecting a slight southerly but conditions should be good enough.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Another great day

Grid reference E2048852 N5425486
Another great day - that's two in a row.
42 kms today - conditions good and both feeling pretty good too, especially as we are nearing the completion of our journey. Hope to make Port Craig on Saturday.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Great progress - at last!

Thursday 10th April. Great Progress.
Grid reference E2018062 N5432557

Paddled down from Newton River into Chalky Inlet, around inland side of Chalky Island and past Gulches Head. Very rough, confused conditions at this point. Paddled into Preservation Inlet and enjoyed going through all the big archways.

Met the very friendly people from Kisbee Lodge
who kindly provided us with our evening meal of crayfish and paua. Living like kings. On past the old gold mining town where there had been a pub and a post office but now only an A-frame hut.

Camped on Puysegur Point at oil shed where we have bunks and preparing for a good cookup. Spent 2 hours walking up to the Puysegur Lighthouse.

Really feel like we are making progress now. Plan to get to Knife bad Steel Harbour tomorrow.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Farewell Ian & Bob

Wednesday: E2001725 N5457760

Up at 5am! to farewell Ian and Bob who have left us to paddle up to Supper Cove to be choppered out at 4pm. Bob has run out of time available for the expedition, and Ian is suffering from a wrist injury.

Noises during the night (thought it was opossums) turned out to be a kiwi wanting to reclaim his patch.

Max & Melz headed south to West Cape (again) in similar conditions but this time only a 3m swell and made it to Newton River (just under West Cape). Both fit and well and enjoying the trip. The people they are meeting en-route (fishing boats etc) are really friendly and they've managed to score veal and venison sausages as well as a bit of blue cod.

Forecast is good for the next few days so we are hoping to make good progress down the coast over the next two days.

Stay tuned...

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Hard work! Little progress!

We left Luncheon Cove, heading South into a 4-5 metre swell and 30 knot southerly off West Cape making very slow progress. After 6 hours we stopped to discuss our options and decided to turn back, taking 3 hours to return to Cascade Cove. Very tired after such a long paddle (around 9 hours). A real hard battle in pretty nasty conditions. Camped today at E2011731 N5469362 (Cascade Cove) and hoping for a break so we can get down to Chalky Inlet.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Goose Cove to Anchor Island

(An excited Max reports...)
Sunday: Breezy wandering around Dusky Sound. Left Goose Cove early and visited Pigeon Island (E2007853 N5480325) whereRichard Henry set up the first bird sanctuary in New Zealand, and transferred as many flightless birds as he could from the mainland to avoid predation (read more here...)

Onward to Stop Island where the ship Waikare sank. The Captain ran the ship aground and all aboard landed safely more...

Indian Island (E2010749 N5470672) where the first encounter between Maori and European took place - the Maori family here were later wiped out by a Te Rauparaha war party.

We finished our day at Luncheon Cove on Anchor Island (E2006585 N5473919), the site of the first European house (for sealers) and where the first ship was built in New Zealand.

Big jump tomorrow, weather permitting, to Chalky Bay.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Fuscia to Goose Cove


N5485913 E200801 Woke to find a flock of yellow-crested penguins camped beside us in Fuscia Cove. Lunch at Breaksea Island, lots of seals.

Now in Goose Cove - didn't go via Acheron Passage - went thru a wee gap in Five Fingers Peninsula.

Good following sea, 4m swell and good paddling - around 50km today. Cold and miserable at the moment, but still quite good.

Heres a couple of older pics to show what we mean...

Friday, April 4, 2008

Rough weather


N5517988 E2025137 Big seas and heavy swell, likely to stay in for the next couple of days.

John returning to Deep Cove and should be back home on Saturday. (John ended up getting back real quick - probably picked up by a passing boat).

More rough weather.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Gut Hut to Fuschia Cove, Dagg Sound

Rough day today! Max endoed when landing at Fuschia Cove (in Dagg Sound). John is suffering from over-exposure and pulling out so today they're paddling down to the end of Dagg Sound and portaging into Haul Arm? and then John will be returning to civilisation.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Doubtful Sound, Gut Hut


Well, yesterday's paddle was a real battle with strong head winds - we managed around 26km in 4 hours but reached Gut Hut. Unable to report in until today as we had trouble with the batteries in the sat-phone, and we couldn't take the mountain radio with us as it was too big to carry (guess that's why they're called mountain radios), however now sorted and able to get weather data (fingers crossed) each evening from Bill Anderson in Dunedin. We had a great spot of fishing and a good variety of fish for dinner. Heading today to Dagg Sound in perfect weather.

More or less as reported by Max