Hands to the Paddle

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Hands to the Paddle Harry Smith "Get a haircut@"Matthewt Grainger yelled at the hirsute hitchhiker as we blatted past up the highway - then hes suddenly realised who he was sitting between in the back seat ofWayne and Jeanine's car. / was on one side of him and David Garratt was on the other, both of us noted for our rather long locks. For some reason Matt fell strangely silent for a while. twas Wellington Anniversary Weekend and we were ens of people, buried two Maori villages, destroyed the en route to Lake Tarawera for one of Wayne and famous Pink and White Terraces, completely altered the Jeanine's kayaking trips. 1997 has been a good year shape of Lake Rotomahana, and formed this vast chasm for kayaking trips. The activityl has really taken off in the in the process. Club over the last couple of years, thanks largely to Wayne and Jeanine's enthusiasm and organising ability. From the top of the mountain there were great views of In the past 12 months I have been on four different trips, Lake Tarawera and several of the other lakes in the area. of varying lengths, and to a variety of locations. Each has We wandered along the length of the mountain beside been different, and each has been enjoyable. the crater to the far end where we could look down over the tourist airstrip and out to the Bay of Plenty in the First up was the Anniversary Weekend trip to Lake Taraw- distance. Later that afternoon we descended back to the era, one off thel largest ofthel Rotorua Lakes. Roughly trap- lake and paddled over to our campsite. ezoidi in shape, itis surrounded on three sides out oft four byb bush, and is dominated by thel broad, 3,600-foot-high Just a hundred metres from our campsite was another bulk of Mt. Tarawera. hot-spring in a small circle of rocks at thel base of a cliff. That evening we paddled over for another soak. After an The first morning we paddled down to the southern end hour or two in the pool the others gradually returned to of the lake, which forms a small, separate basin of its camp, but I stayed on alone for a bit longer, lying back, own. Here there is a popular camping area called Hot soaking up the warmth, and watching the stars overhead. Water Beach, where hot water and steam rise up from Finally, sometime around midnight, reluctantly dragged the lake-shore. If you burrow your bare toes down into myself out, hopped back in the kayak, and glided the sand it can become scaldingly hot. People come here through the silence and the darkness back to camp. to dig pools in thel beach and soak in the hot water. Perhaps not surprisingly, this area was crowded with other Next morning we packed up and paddled across to the campers, so we paddled down to the far end of thel bay northern end of thel lake, where we followed a track up to have lunch and explore. Here we found another hot through the bush and over a low saddle to the southern pool in the bed of the stream, so we spent a couple of end of Lake Okataina. There is a similar low saddle at the hours soaking there lazily. After a while Wayne and Jea- southern end of Lake Tarawera, leading over to Lake nine went off to set up camp while David, Matt and I Rotomahana. If you were willing to spend half a mornstayed and soaked for a while longer. Later, returning to ing of heavy work portaging your kayaks over each of our kayaks, we found Wayne and Jeaninel had located a these saddles you could string together these threel lakes nice, private campsite for us a few hundred yards back into one long trip and could easily spend 5 or 6 days along the shore from all the other campers. exploring this fascinating area. After lunch by the shore ofl Lake Okataina we returned to our kayaks and cruised Next morning Matt, David and decided to climbed Mt. back to the road, to end an excellent 3-day trip. Tarawera, leaving Wayne and Jeanine to laze around in their kayaks. A track from the southern corner of thel lake The next trip, by contrast, was just a day trip out of Titahi leads up through bush and steep scree to the summit of Bay. Wel had been planning to go out to Mana Island but the mountain. unfortunately the seas on the day proved too rough for that. Instead, we ended up paddling out around the Iwas really impressed by Mt. Tarawera, which I had Whitireia Peninsula and back into Porirua Harbour. never visited before. Surprisingly, itl has a real alpine feel toit, similar to Mt. Tongariro. Stretching for a mile along Wayne had organised a variety of different kayaks for this the summit is a huge chasm which is awesome to be- trip. Now, to the casual observer all kayaks probably hold. It's as ift the whole mountain has been sliced down seem alike. This is not sO. On previous trips I have althe middle with a cleaver's knife, leaving this violent, ways used Puffins or Sea Quests - broad, flat, bargeblood-red gash. It was formed when the mountain ex- like boats, noted for their stability. On this trip, because ploded in a massive eruption back in 1886, the biggest had had some previous experience, I was given one of volcanic eruption in New Zealand in historical times the flashier boats, a narrower vessel with a sharper keel (although just a fizzer compared to the massive Taupo and distinctly raised prow and stern. Immediately was eruptions in pre-historic times). The eruption killed doz- worried; itl looked decidedly unstable to my eye. And the Tramping and Mountaineering 1997 name Storm - didn't exactly engender confidence in its stability. My worries grew as we lined the boats up. Unlike all the others, mine was getting physically blown around on the beach! Who knew what it would be like once it was in the water? It was with no small degree of trepidation that launched myself out into the bay. But once we got out into the water my worries eased. Although not perhaps as stable as a Puffin or a Sea Quest, the Storm didn'tshow the unenviable tendency to tip over with every tiny ripple and leave me suspended upside-down in the water that I had feared it would. And as well as being relatively stable, it cut through the water Looking across the lake to Mt. Tarawera Harry Smith with the grace and speed of a thoroughbred racer. In fact, everything about it felt good, veloped shoreline which make a kayaking trip interestfrom the stylishly moulded hatch-covers to the smooth, ing. The Northwest Bay area, however, proved a real revsingle-action lever for raising and lowering the rudder, elation to me. It is the most isolated part of the lake, with a big improvement over the mechanism on other boats no road access and few buildings of any sort. Huge cliffs I've used. rise vertically out of the water, interspersed with a number of sandy beaches. True, in places you can see the We played around in the shelter of the bay for a while, farmland extending beyond the lake-side fringe of cliff then headed out into the open sea. Immediately we were and bush, but the area still retains that remote, undevelcaught up in the large swells and daunting-looking oped feel that the eastern side of the lake seems to lack. waves. The next hour or so, for me at least, was one of total concentration as we slowly battled our way north- The trip began at Kinloch, west of Taupo, the closest road wards around the headland, endeavouring at all times to access to this corner of the lake. West ofhere a large bay keep our balance, to keep alert to the undulations of the projected northwards, and most of the party chose to ocean, to not let an unexpected wave catch us unawares paddle straight across the mouth of it. Mark Cranshaw and flip us over into the grey coldness of the water. Fi- and I, however, chose to follow the bay round, sticking nally we came in past the Paremata reef, the seas flat- to the shoreline the whole way. To me this is the most tened out a bit and we were able to relax. We glided in interesting part of a kayaking trip, hugging the shoreline to the beach at the northern end ofWhitireia Park where where you are presented with an endless succession of we took shelter and had lunch in the sun. new and fascinating features. Out in the open water you could really be anywhere, but close to the coast, every- After lunch it was back into the kayaks for an exhilarat- where is subtly different. At the head of the bays were ing passage into the inner harbour through the narrow sandy beaches and curious underwater reefs. We glided channel off the Paremata Domain. The wind and current over these, perfectly visible a few feet below us through propelled us along at a fast pace; there was no real need the clear, still water. On the headlands, vertical cliffs of to do anything except adjust the steering! Some of us coarse volcanic rock rose hundreds of feet directly out raised our paddles in the air to act like sails and increase of the water. It was fascinating to cruise along a mere the momentum. Once through the channel conditions metre or two from the rock walls, observing the differcalmed, and we finished the trip off by cruising along ent plants clinging determinedly to the cliffs or trying to weaving in and out of the moored boats and past the work out devious routes to scale the cliffs. boat-houses at the base of the peninsula, before pulling ashore at a convenient boat-ramp. We caught the others up for lunch in a pleasant little cove forming a natural sheltered boat harbour. After Next up on the schedule was a trip around the north- lunch we cruised out of the cove, rounded a headland, west corner of Lake Taupo, and my name was one of the and came to another large, broad bay. Again the others first down on the list. Now, I had never really thought chose to paddle straight across; again Mark andl chose oflake Taupo as being a particularly suitable location for to paddle around the shoreline. At the far side, a large a kayaking trip; it seemed too big and exposed to the waterfall thundered over the cliffs and into the lake. We weather, without enough of the bays, inlets, and unde- tried paddling as close to the base of this as we could Tramping and Mountaineering 1997 increased noticeably and paddling required more effort. Suddenly I emerged into a large, sunny basin and any further up-river progress was brought to a decisive halt by a waterfall chundering down from a narrow cleft in the cliffs above. It was a veryi impressive sight, and had been well worth the effort. Heading back down-river, I met Mark, who had decided to come exploring too. He continued on up to the waterfall while I cruised back down to the rivermouth and waited for him there. The others had already packed up camp and headed back across the lake towards Kinloch. This excursion up the Waihaha River was, to me, undoubtedly the highlight of this particular trip. The whole meandering river had a timeless, pre-historic flavour to it, a jungle-like feel much like would imagine cruising up an Amazonian backwater must feel - although admittedly on a much smaller scale! You almost expected to find alligators basking on the sandbanks or flocks of flamingos taking to the air as you rounded each bend. It seems a bit of a pity to me that Mark and I were the only ones who bothered to experience it. The others had gone but there was no need to worry; we had plenty of time and we caught them up halfway back across the lake, just before stopping for lunch near the natural boat harbour of the previous day. After lunch we all headed out across the mouth of the large bay, on a direct route towards the distant headland, and Kinloch beyond. Waterfall on the Waihaha River Harry Smith Halfway across the bay the wind began to pick up. The without getting drenched or capsizing in the outwash. lake surface began to roughen. Waves began to form. Late that afternoon we finally pulled ashore at an estab- The perfect calm, flat conditions wel had experienced on lished camping area at the mouth of the Waihaha River. the trip SO far had come to an end. Up to this point we Most of us were feeling rather tired by this stage and I really had been very lucky with the weather and the know I personally was very glad to be able to put down water, but our luck, it seemed, wasn'tquite going to last the paddle for the day and step ashore onto dry land. long enough. Suddenly I found myself concentrating hard as we pounded across the rest of the bay towards Wel had a pleasant meal that evening washed down with the welcoming shelter of the distant headland, the waves wine. Unfortunately we didn't have a campfire due to the coming at us from a slightly unnerving angle. suppose lack of firewood, and SO the others retired early. Mark conditions weren't really all that bad, but I know I cerandl thought this rather unsociable behaviour warranted tainly breathed a sigh of relief as we rounded the point suitable retaliation, so we proceeded to sneak around in and pulled into the flatter water on the far side. the dark pulling their tent-flies down. Just as I was silently congratulating us all for having Next morning I packed up early and set off on my own made it in around the headland, one of the kayaks sudto explore up the Waihaha River. had heard the kayak denly flipped over, a mere fifty metres up ahead. One of company owner mention a waterfall up the river and - the party was in the water.. A number of us were quickly was keen to check it out. The river meandered back and on the scene. Rafting together for stability, we managed forth across the valley floor in large, lazy loops, sur- to right his boat and help him clamber back into the rounded by bush, steep cliffs hemming in the distant cockpit and pump it out. valley sides. Each bend was followed by one more, then one more again. Rounding each fresh bend brought no The final half hour of the trip was an enjoyable run back sign of the promised waterfall. How far should I go? I into the beach at Kinloch with the wind and waves at our didn'twant to hold the others up on our return journey backs. I did a couple of celebratory laps around the anacross the lake. After nearly an hour and a quarter had chored bathing raft before heading for shore, trying to just decided I would turn back in another five minutes time my final run onto the beach so as to avoid getting when, quietly, barely perceptibly in the distance, I be- wet in the surf. drove ashore, ripped the spray-skirt toff, gan to detect al low, dull, background rumble. Paddling and leapt out onto the beach - just in time to get hit by on, the sound became louder and louder. The current the next wave and get drenched to the bone! Tramping and Mountaineering 1997

The most recent trip was to Lake Ohakuri, a hydro lake on the Waikato River. As we travelled northwards in the Orient Express, jammed in seats designed for Japanese midgets and missing the sedate, spacious luxury of the Duchess, the weather prospects did not look too good. But this was the weekend when Wellington was hit by those big downpours, there was flooding in the Hutt River, and the Club's tramping trips to the Tararuas were washed out. So despite a few showers, we really didn't have it too bad after all as far as the weather went. The trip began near Broadlands, north of Taupo, and the first day was on the river rather than on A superb morning for a paddle on Lake Taupo the lake itself. It was here that Harry Smith we were introduced to the antics of Bob, the kayak owner's dog. Bob has obviously been Further down the lake there was a hot spring where we brought up with kayaking. She likes nothing better than planned to stop for a soak. Unfortunately we had beto get out on the water for a paddle with her owner. She come spread out and the plan didn't seem to reach all will sit calmly and comfortably on the hatch cover of thel kayakers on the trip! Suzi Penny was up ahead, gritsomeone's kayak and for ajoyride. While we watched ting her teeth, paddling determinedly onwards into the we saw her casually laote from one kayak to another in distance. Another four or five boats were following her, mid-river, without so much as a by-your-leave, and obviously unaware that they had gone past the turn-off seemingly without even getting her paws wet. When we to our hot spring. For a brief moment indecision and set off down-river Bob came charging frantically along confusion reigned among those of us further back. the riverbank after us, yelping forlornly, leapt boldly into Should we abandon the planned stop and try and rethe water, and paddled desperately after us, apparently group and keep everyone together, or should we leave thinking we were abandoning her, unaware that her those out in front to their own devices? It wasn't really owner was back up the riverbank at his van. Jeanine had a tough decision. Wayne, as trip leader, decided he had to haul poor Bob out of the water onto her kayak and re- better go and catch the front-runners up, accompanied turn her up-river, receiving in generous thanks a vigor- byl Lyndsay, while the rest of us, free from the burden of ous, wet-dog-flavoured shaking of water in her face. leadership responsibilities quickly chose the path of hedonism and paddled up the inlet for a soak! We even- Conditions on the river were a bit overcast, with the tually caught the others up a couple of hours later, sevoccasional gusty head-wind. At first we were paddling eral kilometres further down the lake shore where they through flat farmland, though later it became hillier, with had stopped for lunch on a small flat headland. pine forests on the river banks. Lunch was had on the edge of a farm paddock beside the river. That night we Continuing on down the lake after lunch, we rounded a found a brilliant campsite on a large, flat, grassy terrace headland and paddled up the northern arm. Here the above the river, with pine trees for shelter and a well-es- hillsides were again covered in pine forest. Soon the tablished fireplace and tables. Unfortunately it began to banks closed in and we found ourselves passing through rain heavily around dinner time, so the usual social quite an impressive gorge, but unfortunately, for me at evening around the campfire was abandoned for the least, a series of showers on this final stretch took away shelter of the tent-flies. much of the enjoyment. Next morning we paddled on down-river through the Well, those have been my kayaking experiences for this Orakei Korako thermal area. Hot water and steam year. After years of stomping around the hills, when you bubbled out of the hillsides in several places. At one are getting old and rickety in the joints, kayaking cerpoint we passed an impressive flight of silica terraces on tainly has a number of appealing advantages over the bank, a small-scale version, perhaps, of the famous straight-out tramping: there are no up-hills, you don't Pink and White terraces which were destroyed in the have to carry a heavy pack on your back, you can sit Tarawera eruption. By this stage we were out of the river down on thej job, and you can bring along as much food and onto the lake, although it was difficult to tell pre- and drink as you like! I'm definitely looking forward to cisely where the one ended and the other began. further kayaking trips in the coming year! Tramping and Mountaineering 1997