Stranded in the Cook Strait

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

Stranded in the Cook Strait Jeanine Langvik Crossing the Cook Strait bys sea kayak had long been a challenge we were keen to attempt. One fine Sunday morning in July. after a favourable marine forecast and checking the tide timetables, we set out to Makara loaded with kayaking gear and food, hoping to cross over to Tory Channel, make our way to Picton by paddle or water-taxi, and catch a late ferry back to Wellington. Rescued by a fishing boat, Cook Strait Wayne Stevens e were on the water around 10am and it was couldn't get it to work properly. But we decided to carry W a perfect day warm, sunny, and most im- on. Around 1pm a north-westerly wind started to pick portantly, calm. We cruised outt from the beach up, but we reckoned we would be okay as the forecast and around the point and aimed for Perano Head on the didn't predict it would get any: stronger. other side. It certainly didn't look too far away, but we It was a truly awesome feeling sittingi in the middle of knew we had hours of monotonous paddling ahead of the Strait, seeing the southern coast oft the North Island us. Equipped with small radios we tuned in to our fa- gradually becoming more distant behind us while huge vourite radio stations, and with music and the occasional mollymawks, a kind of albatross, floated through the air news and weather update fed into our ears, we entered around our boats on their gigantic wings. Thel birds, along a semi-trance state of continuous arm and shoulder with smaller shearwaters and gulls, followed us most of movement. the way across and were a reassuring sight. A couple of hours later we had made good progress Around 2pm, the wind had picked up and we felt that andi felt that the Mainland was approaching. At one stage, our progress wasn't as good as it should be. Arapawa Ispotted something on the surface some distance away Island and the Tory Channel entrance didn't seem to be and as I got closer I realised that it was a shark, around getting any closer, and with Wayne's rudder problem 1/-2 metres long! I debated whether to stop and get we appeared to be gradually drifting south. We knew my camera out of the drybag but I didn't feel likel hang- that the tide was about to change to flow into Tory Chaning around as you never know how tasty a red plastic nel around 3.15 pm and reasoned that we'd be caught boat might appear to a shark! by the current and sucked along. Our lack of progress Meanwhile, Wayne had developed a problem with seemed strange considering thet tides should be in slack his rudder it appeared to be jammed and we at that time. Tramping and Mountaineering 1998

Around 2.45 pm we spotted the Arahura coming out So we called up Maritime Radio on our hand-held of Tory Channel... very, very far away in the distance VHF: "Pan - pan - pan - this is a sea kayak in the Cook and far to the north of us. We were clearly way out of Strait requiring assistance.. : " Moments later one of the the area we should have been in after nearly 5 hours of fishing boats changed its course towards us and we held paddling. The wind didn't show any signs of abating, up our paddles SO that we'd be easier to spot. The peothe tide still seemed to be pushing us out, and I was ple on board later confirmed that only then did they see getting damp and cold. We rafted up and discussed our us. As we suspected, they didn't see our flares. options. We lifted our kayaks onto the fishing boat and sat At that stage we still thought we would be able to around for a while chatting and having a cup of tea. The make it and decided to keep on paddling, agreeing that skipper reckoned we'd bel better offwith the Cook Strait if we hadn't made much progress by the time the next cable zone patrol vessel (which cruises around making ferry came over from Wellington we'd call them up for sure the power cables between the North and South assistance. islands don't get damaged), as he was on his way out to About 15 minutes later, we spotted a fishing boat on fish for hoki for the afternoon. its way out of Tory Channel heading towards us as well The patrol ship, the Seawatch, agreed to pick us up as another boat approaching us from the other side and and after half an hour or so, we jumped into our boats instantly agreed to call it up for assistance. Realistically, again and climbed aboard the former dive support catawe were making no progress and if anything we were maran. Wayne had a quick refreshing swim on the way drifting further south. across to the Seawatch. We were greeted with hot show- Wel let off a few hand-held flares but they didn'tseem ers and hot drinks and it was great to get warm again! to see them as it was probably too light and the flare The next few hours were interesting as we discussed light only stayed up for around 5 seconds. Our smoke what went wrong and why we had certainly learnt a flare - which they might have seen didn'twork. lot of valuable lessons from the experience. Checklist for prospective Cook Strait paddlers: Tides: Don'tt forget to consider the moon's impact on the strength ofthe tides. Tides are very unpredictable in the Cook Strait and you need to know what they are doing where and when! Bearings: Consider the tidal impacts and set your bearings accordingly! Allow for considerable drift. GPS: A Global Positioning System would be a great help in monitoring progressand exact location. Definitely not a gearfreakish thing to have on this type of adventure! Flares: Useful, ifthey work. Smokeflares best duringthe-day lightflares form right-time-ty ou iunate-enough-to get caught-outl VHE radio: Absolutely essential. Preferablya gn bt-hand-held-waters proof variety Usefutto know-radio eliquetteznd-havea call-sign beforey ousetout! Tramping and Mountaineering 1998